Shabaab reportedly recaptures southern port city

According to reports from Somalia, al Qaeda’s official branch in East Africa has reportedly recaptured the strategic port city of Marka in the Lower Shabelle region. If confirmed, this is just the latest in a long back and forth for control over the city of Marka since 2012.

Shabaab first announced the regaining the city through its radio stations, as well as its social media accounts, three days ago. The jihadist group said that its forces reclaimed the city without a fight after African Union (AU) forces withdrew from the town. The news was first authenticated by the independent Radio Shabelle and residents of the city yesterday. However, the AU has denied withdrawing from the city. In a statement to Radio Shabelle, an AU official said that, “This is false information, Al Shabaab did not take the city, AMISOM forces are just 800m away from the city center and doing their security patrol as always.”

In a statement released today, the deputy governor of the Lower Shabelle region confirmed that it was the Somalia National Army that withdrew from the city and not the AU. The governor said that the withdraw was a “tactical decision.” Photos have also been released by Shabaab and are purportedly from within the last three days. However, AMISOM has tweeted that its forces have seen no militants in the city and scenes of its forces within Marka.

Shabaab first recaptured the city of Marka in February after AU and Somali military forces withdrew from the city. However, the city was retaken by government forces just days later. Shabaab originally lost control of Marka in August 2012 after the Kenyan military invaded southern Somalia in response to Shabaab raids in northern Kenya. While Shabaab lost control of the major population centers in southern Somalia during the Kenyan and African Union offensive, the group maintained its military strength and retreated to rural areas of the country. (See LWJ report, Shabaab regains ground in southern Somalia.)

Shabaab has been able to mount attacks in the region despite the presence of a large African Union mission in Somalia. The jihadist group has also launched numerous suicide assaults on heavily guarded hotels in Mogadishu this year. It has continuously targeted African Union troops in southern Somalia and has taken back some territory in the process. Shabaab has mounted operations in the central part of Somalia and into neighboring Kenya, as well. In late November, Shabaab said its forces temporarily took control over a Kenyan town bordering Somalia.

Photos reportedly showing Shabaab fighters in Marka:

222806535_146072_18056301903748546781

222828588_145062_14148685593153970140

225516492_7750_13756288956728513983

225512458_7783_12725828618989678801

Caleb Weiss is an editor of FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

Tags: , ,

4 Comments

  • laurent le bloa says:

    This information means two things:
    THE UASOM and the SNA have no capacity to secure the whole territory, no more than Al Shabaab. Al Shabaab did not conquer Marka but settled down after the departure of the SNA troops from there.
    The lack of means of the troops in Somalia. UASOM troops are not any more paid for several months due to the EC wich cuts the financing of the UASOM. Due to bribery in Somalia the SNA fights without touching of salary.
    The troops of the UASOM and the SNA collaborate more and more,this is one of the reasons of the successes this year in spite of Al Shabaab’s numerous attacks. If one of the two partners defects on the ground, the second is also in trouble and had no choice than to withdraw, the “tactical choice “. This situation occured several times this year like in Rabdhure (Baidoa area) in the first week of July or in Goofgaduug (Bakool region) the last week of june.

  • Dave Roberts says:

    The photos appear to show 4, count ’em, four Shabaab fighters in total. That’s hardly evidence that they are in control of Marka.

  • Pat says:

    The fallout would be over the Indian Ocean!

  • laurent le bloa says:

    Usually Al Shabaab mainly seeks to demonstrate a “show of presence” for psychological effect and creating instability feeling. They are settling back with few vehicles and flag and withdrawing without fighting as soon as UASOM and SNA are coming back. Few days ago Al Shabaab had shelled with heavy mortars another UASOM Base in Marka area but did not try to overrun Base. At the moment UASOM Troops are settling around Marka town and prepares an offensive for retaking town.

Iraq

Islamic state

Syria

Aqap

Al shabaab

Boko Haram

Isis