Al shabaabs safe havens support an improvised explosive device ied attack campaign intended to destabilize mogadishu and weaken the somali federal government sfg. One of the most powerful islamic groups in africa with connections to al qaeda. In 2011, the usa launched its first drone strike in somalia against alshabaab, which controls large swathes of southcentral somalia, including of the lower shabelle region which surrounds the capital, mogadishu. Ethiopia, a part of the antishabaab coalition, is somalias ancient. It is a golden chance for al shabaab to pick itself up off the mat.
Sep 23, 20 alshabab, or the youth, is an alqaidalinked militant group and u. Kenyan troops are in the south while ethiopian forces captured. The secret history of alqaedas most powerful ally recounts the rise, fall, and resurgence of this overlooked terrorist organization and provides an intimate understanding of its connections with alqaeda. Implications of the al qaedaal shabaab relationship. One of the most powerful islamic militant groups in africa, alshabaab exerts talibanlike rule over millions in somalia and poses a growing threat to stability in the horn of africa. Since the beginning of the 1990s, somalia has been a hotspot for terrorism, conflict and instability.
At least 12 soldiers killed after al qaedalinked group deploys a suicide bomber in a vehicle and dozens of fighters. Alshabaab in somalia stig jarle hansen oxford university. Aug 05, 2011 the once ragtag somalia based al qaeda affiliate group known as al shabaab has grown into an economic powerhouse, raising tens of millions of dollars in cash every year from a variety of schemes. These are the sources and citations used to research al shabaab group in somalia. Using existing research and original interviews, this study outlines alshabaabs history and fundin. Al shabaab in somalia is a judicious and timely study of a poorly understood militant islamist group. What is missing from the book, however, is female voices. Beginning in 2006, the group waged an insurgency against somalias transitional federal government tfg. Alshabaab almujahidin the youth is today the strongest, best organised, financed and armed military group and controls the largest stretch of territory in southern somalia. Al shabaabs foreign threat to somalia by david shinn david shinn is an adjunct professor in the elliott school of international affairs at george washington university. Islamic extremists present in southern somalia and known for violent suicide attacks on mogadishu and neighbouring kenya. The group seeks to establish a new somalian state ruled according to its strict interpretation of shariah law.
While the groups initial focus was primarily domestic, in the past few years it has expanded its presence. Alshabab claims deadly attack in somalias mogadishu. Control by alshabaab and counterterrorism laws were major complicating factors. This report discusses current efforts to counter al shabaab, a somaliabased al qaeda affiliate. The stated goal of al shabaab, also known as harakat al shabaab al mujahideeand, is the creation of a fundamentalist islamic state in somalia. Apr 24, 2019 they also clearly show alshabaabs relevance within the global jihadist scene. Forest have determined that al sha baab is aided in its quest by some fundamental realities of somali culture and history.
This capability is one of the major reasons al shabaab will be so difficult to defeat though without dominating southern somalia it becomes more challenging for it to host jihadists from abroad. The 60page report of the monitoring group on somalia and eritrea has subsequently asked the u. May 07, 2008 in fact, recent reports suggest that the flow of foreign fighters into somalia has been steadily increasing in the past few months. Download al shabaab somalia stig jarle hansen 9781849042505. Since the end of the ethiopian occupation in 2008, alshabab has continued to its efforts to establish sharia domestically and attack government representatives and african mission forces, while also adapting its foreign targets from ethiopia to kenya following a brief kenyan invasion in 2011.
Drawing from interviews with former alshabaab militants, including highranking officials, military commanders, police. Background report al shabaab attack on garissa university in kenya on thursday, april 2, gunmen attacked garissa university in eastern kenya, near the border with somalia. It is a golden chance for alshabaab to pick itself up off the mat. A brave attempt to both historicize and scrutinize alshabaab, it is a mustread for anyone wishing to understand a group that has unleashed havoc in parts of africa. Aug 10, 2011 alshabaab and somalias spreading famine. The secret history of alqaedas most powerful allyrecounts the rise, fall, and resurgence of this overlooked terrorist organization and provides an intimate understanding of its connections with alqaeda. Findings from recent studies1,2,3 commissioned by the united nations in.
Drawing from interviews with former al shabaab militants, including highranking officials, military commanders, police. Somalia, he responded, i wouldnt characterize that were at war. Alshabaab had controlled merca since november 2008. The group has experienced two dramatic transformations in its short history. Oct 17, 2017 al shabaab retained control over existing strongholds in bay, middle jubba, and lower shabelle regions in southern somalia. Oct 03, 20 somalia in 2006 to fight for al shabaab. The challenge of alshabaab einternational relations.
While this is a longterm outlook, in the short term, as the link between al shabaab and al qaeda strengthens, there likely will be a shift in al shabaab s operational doctrine. Somalias transitional federal government and its international and regional backers have sought military victory over the extremist group of alshabaab, branded by the u. The stated goal of alshabaab, also known as harakat alshabaab almujahideeand, is the creation of a fundamentalist islamic state in somalia. Originally the small, youth militia arm of a relatively moderate islamist organization that rose to power in somalia in early 2006, al shabaab was radicalized and brought to.
Al shabaab in somalia the history and ideology of a militant islamist group stig jarle hansen. Harakaat alshabaab almujaahidiiin, alqaedas afliate in the horn of africa, has long been perceived as a somali organisation albeit one that represents a security threat to the wider region. Somalias growing famine partly stems from a global failure to act on warning signs, but its exacerbated by militant group alshabaab, factions of. This paper analyzes alshabaabs organized criminal activities, addresses the nexus of organized crime, terrorism, and insurgency, and presents strategies to augment current approaches to marginalize the terrorist group.
Somalias alshabaab down but far from out crisis group. After three years of fighting, somali government forces and the african union troops control the capital mogadishu. To counter alshabaabs success, this research recommends that the african mission in somalia focuses on breaking alshabaabs close relationship with the population by decreasing the focus on kinetic operations and partnering with somali forces in professionalizing policing operations according to. Efforts to weaken the al qaidalinked terrorist group al shabaab in somalia have had some success, but the u. Urgent steps are needed to address the political, economic, and governance challenges at the heart of the conflict. This makes al shabaab appear like a formidable force. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on wednesday, december 16, 2015 ebook or pdf. One of the first americans to become a suicide attacker, shirwa ahmed, joined al shabaab and blew himself up in somalia in october 2008. As former undersecretary of state wendy sherman said, the us believes a stable, federal somalia with a credible national government in mogadishu is in the best interest of all somalis usip 2014. Jul 27, 2017 alshabaab militants ban starving somalis from accessing aid. The fight against al shabaab in somalia in 2016 unt. Alshabaab still controls vast swathes of south and central somalia. Save the childrens country director in somalia, said any aid reaching alshabaabcontrolled areas was a very localised.
Al shabaab is the group linked to somali piracy and kidnappings in kenya. Al shabab, or the youth, is an islamist insurgent group based in somalia. It once held sway over the capital of mogadishu and large portions of the somali countryside, but in. More specifically, they follow the biographies of several men, some rank and file, some leaders of alshabaab, to shed light on different aspects of the islamist spectrum in somalia.
Fighting for peace in somalia provides the first comprehensive analysis of the african union mission in somalia amisom, an operation deployed in 2007 to stabilize the country and defend its fledgling government from one of the worlds deadliest militant organizations, harakat al. This article focuses on the threat to somalia by al shabaab the youth, an extremist organization that. Highlights we describe the context in somalia leading up to the famine. Ethiopia, a part of the anti shabaab coalition, is somalia s ancient. Radicalisation and alshabaab recruitment in somalia. Aqam futures project case study series july 2011 project. Somalia attacks signal escalation of alshabaab offensive. Al shabab claims deadly attack in somalia s mogadishu. Somalis risk retaliation or death if they oppose or fail to comply with al shabaab imposed restrictions on aspects of everyday life such as clothing, media, sports, interpersonal relations, and prayer. Al shabaab, meaning the youth in arabic, is the largest militant organization fighting to out the somali government. This report briefly examines al shabaab aka harakat shabaab al mujahidin, or mujahidin youth movement which is an insurgent and terrorist group that evolved out of a militant wing of somalias council of islamic courts in the mid2000s. Somalia is the only country essentially controlled by an al qaeda networked group. Since the end of the ethiopian occupation in 2008, al shabab has continued to its efforts to establish sharia domestically and attack government representatives and african mission forces, while also adapting its foreign targets from ethiopia to kenya following a brief kenyan invasion in 2011.
Explaining the differences in alshabaab studier i afrikansk. Forest have determined that alsha baab is aided in its quest by some fundamental realities of somali culture and history. Both these strands of shabaab have been inadvertently boosted by ethiopian, american and african union attempts to defeat it militarily, all of which have come to nought. In east africa, alshabaab is the biggest threat to the security of the region. The attackers killed 147 and injured 79 before detonating suicide vests when cornered by security forces. In recent years, the predominant perpetrator of violence in somalia has been the alqaedaaffiliated jihadist group alshabaab. The focus of this study, however, is the alshabaab attacks in kenya. Countering alshabaab propaganda and recruitment mechanisms in south central somalia. Foreign service, including as ambassador to ethiopia and state department coordinator for somalia during the international intervention in.
Al shabab views the amisom, as well as the somalia. Feb 29, 2016 somalia attacks signal escalation of al shabaab offensive jihadi group aims to distrupt elections, undermine confidence in international peacekeepers and bring down westernbacked government simon. Calling for an expulsion of the ethiopians and the formation of an islamic state in somalia, al shabaab rallied considerable. The hidden us war in somalia amnesty international. Draws on interviews from former al shabaab militants and commanders, us relations to the group and the 2006 us invasion of somalia. In the meantime, kenyan forces crossed into somalia in october 2011 but initially made little progress in combatting alshabaab. Operating from the failed state of somalia, the al qaida affiliated group has been behind several attacks in the region, particularly in the past 5 years. In recent months, however, the movement has suffered setbacks, including territorial losses, highranking commanders killed and defections. Special operations forces graham turbiville josh meservey james forest jsou report 141 february 2014 joint special operations university 7701 tampa point boulevard macdill afb fl 33621.
First, kenyan and the au forces were unable to defeat al shabaab decisively and to quickly capture kismayu. Absence of major food aid agencies further complicated the response. One understudied source of its resilience is the support of women, active and passive, despite the movements stringent gender ideology. Jsou report 141 al shabaab turbiville, meservey, and forest countering the al shabaab insurgency in somalia. The harakat alshabaab almujaahidiin the movement for youth jihadists, a militant organization based in somalia, has long attracted western observers of security and terrorism, and featured in policy leaflets and intelligence reports. Somalis risk retaliation or death if they oppose or fail to comply with alshabaabimposed restrictions on aspects of everyday life such as clothing, media, sports, interpersonal relations, and prayer. Alshabaab militants ban starving somalis from accessing aid. Alshabaab in somalia is a judicious and timely study of a poorly understood militant islamist group. Capitalizing on the weakness in the rule of law in somalia and the. Alshabab, or the youth, is an islamist insurgent group based in somalia. The initial perception that al shabaab was simply one of the small militias in a fragmented somalia changed partly because of two developments. Alshabaab and somalias spreading famine council on.
Ahmed abdi godane aka sheikh abu zubeyrleads the movement, deemed the emir of the jihadist organisation,and is assisted by a tenmember council shura. The famine was due to the confluence of all these causes and factors. Are kdf and humanitarian agencies doing business with al shabaab. Learn about al shabab, the al qaeda affiliate with continued influence in somalia, and track the latest developments in the country using cfrs global conflict tracker. Alshabaab originated as a militia affiliated with the islamic courts union icu, a federation of. Pdf war and peace in somalia download full pdf book download. Although based in somalia, al shabaab also conducts attacks in neighboring countries, such as kenya. Al shabaab has not given up its ambition to control greater somalia, and it retains the ability to retake territory, particularly if the united.
Download now fighting for peace in somalia provides the first comprehensive analysis of the african union mission in somalia amisom, an operation deployed in 2007 to stabilize the country and defend its fledgling government from one of the worlds deadliest militant organizations, harakat alshabaab. Background report alshabaab attack on garissa university in. One of the most powerful islamic militant groups in africa, al shabaab exerts talibanlike rule over millions in somalia and poses a growing threat to stability in the horn of africa. Understanding the range of womens relationships to alshabaab is critical to countering the group going forward. Al zawahiri approved and welcomed al shabaab as al qaedas somalia based affiliate in a 15minute video response, stating today, i have glad tidings for the muslim ummah that will please the believers and disturb the disbelievers, which is the joining of the shabaab al mujahideen movement in somalia to qaeda al jihad, to support the jihadi. Alshabaab as a transnational security reat march 2016. Eritreas alleged support for somaliabased insurgent group alshabaab cannot be proved according to a report by a united nations team of experts. Nov, 2012 al shabaab demonstrated an aptitude for guerrilla warfare during the 20062009 ethiopian incursion into somalia. Another recruit, 22yearold abidsalan hussein ali from minneapolis. Jul 15, 2011 al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to prominence in the midst of somalias decadeslong anarchy. This paper examines the funding sources of the terrorist group harakat alshabaab almujahideen. For women, supporters or civilians alike, life under alshabaab rule offers a degree of predictability and opportunities for justice that are often absent in areas administered by the federal government. A brave attempt to both historicize and scrutinize al shabaab, it is a mustread for anyone wishing to understand a group that has unleashed havoc in parts of africa. Alshabaab it will be a long war crisis group africa briefing n99, 26 june 2014 page 4 in areas they have liberated.
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