Al-Shabaab – the Deadliest Terror Group in East Africa
The al-Qaeda-affiliated group has killed thousands of Somalis and hundreds of civilians across East Africa in a decade-long insurgency
Dr. Shaul Shay
| 23/12/2018
Al-Shabaab insurgents in Mogadishu, Somalia (Photo: AP)
The al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab group wants to dislodge the government and impose its rule based on its own strict interpretation of Islam's sharia law. It has killed thousands of Somalis and hundreds of civilians across East Africa in a decade-long insurgency.
Two explosions near the presidential palace in Somalia's capital, on December 22, 2018, have killed at least 16 people and injured more than 30. Among those killed was Awil Dahir Salad, a prominent Somali journalist who worked for the London-based Universal TV. Among those wounded were Warsame Mohamed Jodah, a Somali lawmaker and Abdullahi Mohamed Tuulah, the deputy mayor of Mogadishu.
An explosives-packed vehicle detonated at a checkpoint some 400 meters from the president's residence. The suicide bomber targeted the checkpoint near the rear entrance of the heavily fortified Presidential palace. The second car bomb targeted those who had responded to the first blast.
The al-Shabaab group had claimed responsibility for both blasts in comments broadcast on its Andalus radio.
The Fall and Rise of al-Shabaab
Since August 2011, the al-Shabaab group had steadily lost ground, first losing control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 and then being pushed out of all of Somalia’s other major cities and towns. This was largely the achievement of the African Union force (AMISOM) of 21,000 soldiers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti, which is supported by the UN. The relatively weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, with 35,000 troops, also participated in the operations.
Al-Shabaab has shown little resistance, first losing control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 and then being pushed out of all of Somalia’s other major cities and towns. Strategically abandoning its former strongholds, bases and training camps, the group adopted guerrilla and terror tactics in the face of larger and better-equipped armies.
Al-Shabaab's leadership suffered several blows during the last decade. In May 2008, Aden Hashi Ayro, the leader of Al-Shabaab, was killed in an American airstrike. A few days later, the organization’s Shura Council nominated Ahmed Abdi Godane, to succeed Ayro. Six years later, Godane was killed in the same manner. Al-Shabaab elected Sheikh Ahmed Umar (Abu Ubaidah) as the new leader of the organization.
But Al-Shabaab is far from a spent force, and it has the ability to outmaneuver the Somali government and its international partners. The group has been on the offensive since the mid of 2016, retaking at least ten towns from Ethiopian and African Union troops, and has become more powerful in central Somalia since Ethiopian troops withdrew from the area last year. Al-Shabaab has also increased the attacks on African Union (AMISOM) bases, Somali government facilities and officials and security forces, hotels and targets in neighboring Kenya.
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2018, al-Shabaab was the deadliest terror group in sub-Saharan Africa in 2017, being responsible for 1,457 deaths, a rise of 93% on the year before. Two-thirds of the deaths were in the Somali capital Mogadishu. The worst incident was in October 2017, when 588 people were killed and 316 injured in an explosion outside the Safari Hotel in the Hodan area of the city.
Many of the countries worst affected by terrorism have seen a decline in the number of deaths over recent years, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Somalia, however, has been an unfortunate exception to that trend, due to the actions of al-Shabaab. There have been almost 6,000 deaths from terrorism in the country since 2001.
Recent Al-Shabaab Attacks in Somalia
December 7, 2018. A mine blast killed two generals and five other soldiers near the Somali capital Mogadishu in an attack claimed by Al-Shabaab. Gen. Omar Adan Hassan, head of the army’s 12th brigade, and the brigade’s operational commander, Gen. Abdi Ali Jamame, were among those killed in the blast. Their military convoy was returning to Mogadishu after visiting a military base south of the capital on a coastal road when a vehicle set off the device.
November 10, 2018. Twin car bombs detonated in Mogadishu, followed by gunfire and a third blast a while later. About 50 civilians were killed and 106 wounded. The attack took place near the Sahafi Hotel and Criminal Investigation Division (CID) police headquarters. Hotel guards and CID officers opened fire after the twin blasts. A third blast hit the busy street near the hotel about 20 minutes later.
October 13, 2018. At least 16 people have been killed and 50 others wounded on October 13, 2018, after two suicide bombers attacked a restaurant and a hotel in the town of Baidoa in Somalia.
A man wearing an explosive device walked into Beder restaurant and blew himself up, killing multiple people and wounding others. Shortly after the first blast, another bomber blew himself up at the Bilan hotel, killing more than six people. The restaurant and hotel are both popular with civilians and local government officials.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks in Baidoa on Andalus radio. It said one blast targeted a hotel owned by a former Somali minister, Mohamed Aden Fargeti, one of several candidates running for the presidency of the region in November's election.
The blasts came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of a suicide truck bombing in the capital Mogadishu that killed more than 500 people.
[Sources: VOA, France 24, Channel News Asia, The Guardian, Al Arabiya, IEP, Forbes, The New Arab, Al Jazeera]
The al-Qaeda-affiliated group has killed thousands of Somalis and hundreds of civilians across East Africa in a decade-long insurgency
Al-Shabaab insurgents in Mogadishu, Somalia (Photo: AP)
The al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab group wants to dislodge the government and impose its rule based on its own strict interpretation of Islam's sharia law. It has killed thousands of Somalis and hundreds of civilians across East Africa in a decade-long insurgency.
Two explosions near the presidential palace in Somalia's capital, on December 22, 2018, have killed at least 16 people and injured more than 30. Among those killed was Awil Dahir Salad, a prominent Somali journalist who worked for the London-based Universal TV. Among those wounded were Warsame Mohamed Jodah, a Somali lawmaker and Abdullahi Mohamed Tuulah, the deputy mayor of Mogadishu.
An explosives-packed vehicle detonated at a checkpoint some 400 meters from the president's residence. The suicide bomber targeted the checkpoint near the rear entrance of the heavily fortified Presidential palace. The second car bomb targeted those who had responded to the first blast.
The al-Shabaab group had claimed responsibility for both blasts in comments broadcast on its Andalus radio.
The Fall and Rise of al-Shabaab
Since August 2011, the al-Shabaab group had steadily lost ground, first losing control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 and then being pushed out of all of Somalia’s other major cities and towns. This was largely the achievement of the African Union force (AMISOM) of 21,000 soldiers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti, which is supported by the UN. The relatively weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, with 35,000 troops, also participated in the operations.
Al-Shabaab has shown little resistance, first losing control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 and then being pushed out of all of Somalia’s other major cities and towns. Strategically abandoning its former strongholds, bases and training camps, the group adopted guerrilla and terror tactics in the face of larger and better-equipped armies.
Al-Shabaab's leadership suffered several blows during the last decade. In May 2008, Aden Hashi Ayro, the leader of Al-Shabaab, was killed in an American airstrike. A few days later, the organization’s Shura Council nominated Ahmed Abdi Godane, to succeed Ayro. Six years later, Godane was killed in the same manner. Al-Shabaab elected Sheikh Ahmed Umar (Abu Ubaidah) as the new leader of the organization.
But Al-Shabaab is far from a spent force, and it has the ability to outmaneuver the Somali government and its international partners. The group has been on the offensive since the mid of 2016, retaking at least ten towns from Ethiopian and African Union troops, and has become more powerful in central Somalia since Ethiopian troops withdrew from the area last year. Al-Shabaab has also increased the attacks on African Union (AMISOM) bases, Somali government facilities and officials and security forces, hotels and targets in neighboring Kenya.
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2018, al-Shabaab was the deadliest terror group in sub-Saharan Africa in 2017, being responsible for 1,457 deaths, a rise of 93% on the year before. Two-thirds of the deaths were in the Somali capital Mogadishu. The worst incident was in October 2017, when 588 people were killed and 316 injured in an explosion outside the Safari Hotel in the Hodan area of the city.
Many of the countries worst affected by terrorism have seen a decline in the number of deaths over recent years, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Somalia, however, has been an unfortunate exception to that trend, due to the actions of al-Shabaab. There have been almost 6,000 deaths from terrorism in the country since 2001.
Recent Al-Shabaab Attacks in Somalia
December 7, 2018. A mine blast killed two generals and five other soldiers near the Somali capital Mogadishu in an attack claimed by Al-Shabaab. Gen. Omar Adan Hassan, head of the army’s 12th brigade, and the brigade’s operational commander, Gen. Abdi Ali Jamame, were among those killed in the blast. Their military convoy was returning to Mogadishu after visiting a military base south of the capital on a coastal road when a vehicle set off the device.
November 10, 2018. Twin car bombs detonated in Mogadishu, followed by gunfire and a third blast a while later. About 50 civilians were killed and 106 wounded. The attack took place near the Sahafi Hotel and Criminal Investigation Division (CID) police headquarters. Hotel guards and CID officers opened fire after the twin blasts. A third blast hit the busy street near the hotel about 20 minutes later.
October 13, 2018. At least 16 people have been killed and 50 others wounded on October 13, 2018, after two suicide bombers attacked a restaurant and a hotel in the town of Baidoa in Somalia.
A man wearing an explosive device walked into Beder restaurant and blew himself up, killing multiple people and wounding others. Shortly after the first blast, another bomber blew himself up at the Bilan hotel, killing more than six people. The restaurant and hotel are both popular with civilians and local government officials.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks in Baidoa on Andalus radio. It said one blast targeted a hotel owned by a former Somali minister, Mohamed Aden Fargeti, one of several candidates running for the presidency of the region in November's election.
The blasts came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of a suicide truck bombing in the capital Mogadishu that killed more than 500 people.
[Sources: VOA, France 24, Channel News Asia, The Guardian, Al Arabiya, IEP, Forbes, The New Arab, Al Jazeera]
