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Shabaab photos detail control over town in central Somalia
Shabaab has controlled the central Somali town of Bacaadweyne for over a month thanks to a forced political deal with the local clan.
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Shabaab mounts prison break in northern Somalia
Shabaab says it freed more than 400 prisoners from the central prison of Bosaso in northern Somalia, however, this number remains unconfirmed. The group also reiterates that prison assaults are one of its main goals in its fight against the Somali state.
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Kenyan governor claims Shabaab controls over half of northeastern Kenya
The governor of Kenya’s Mandera County recently stated that Shabaab is controlling “over 50 percent’ of northern Kenya and “more than 60 percent” of Mandera. Kenyan authorities have quickly scrambled to contradict these claims.
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Shabaab assassinates high-ranking military officials in central Somalia
Shabaab killed several military officials in a suicide bombing today in Galkayo. This is just the latest in a renewed assassination campaign that has targeted a wide range of high profile Somali leaders this year.
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Ep. 36 – The U.S. withdraws from Somalia
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss President Trump’s decision to order the withdrawal of a small American force from Somalia. Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, will continue to fight on, waging an insurgency against the Somali government while threatening countries throughout the region and possibly elsewhere as well.
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U.S. launches airstrikes as it argues Shabaab is ‘contained’ in Somalia
The effort to degrade and contain Shabaab without will be all the more difficult without a U.S. presence in the country.
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Shabaab raids military base in central Somalia
Shabaab briefly occupied a Somali military base and its adjacent town yesterday following a major assault in central Somalia.
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US forces targeted by Shabaab suicide bombing
At least one US soldier was wounded in the blast, while two Somali troops were also killed. This is the third time the group has reported clashing with American troops inside Somalia since Aug. 24.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 19 – Al Qaeda in 2020
Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss what al Qaeda looks like in 2020.
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AFRICOM kills ‘foundational’ Shabaab leader in strike
AFRICOM has stepped up its air campaign against Shabaab since the beginning of the year, targeting the group 33 times.
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AFRICOM kills Shabaab commander behind Manda Bay Airfield attack
U.S. Africa Command said it killed the Shabaab commander was “in charge of planning and directing terrorist operations” along the Kenyan border, including the raid on the Manda Bay Airfield. Three Americans were killed in that attack.
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US airstrike targets Shabaab in terror haven
The strike takes place as US and African Union backed Somali forces attempt to wrest territory held by Shabaab. US Africa Command recently estimated that Shabaab controls one quarter of Somalia’s territory.
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US on track to nearly triple airstrike record in Somalia
If the current pace of strikes continues, the US will strike Shabaab 130 times in 2019. Is this a prelude to disengagement?
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US airstrikes kill dozens of Shabaab fighters
The US military’s air campaign against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, continues to intensify. AFRICOM launched five more airstrikes against Shabaab over the weekend.
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US military hits Shabaab in haven south of Somali capital
The two latest strikes took place in a town where Shabaab is dominant. The US air campaign against Shabaab continues to intensify and is on pace to quickly outstrip last year’s strike total.
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US military intensifies airstrikes against al Qaeda in Somalia
Since the New Year, US Africa Command has hit Shabaab 14 times. AFRICOM acknowledges that the air campaign is not sufficient to defeat Shabaab, but can only support the Somali government’s efforts.
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US military strikes Shabaab “encampment,” killing scores of fighters
The strikes were launched to “prevent terrorists from using remote areas as a safe haven to plot, direct, inspire, and recruit for future attacks,” AFRICOM noted.
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AFRICOM hits Shabaab near Somali capital
The last three strikes against Shabaab have taken place in an area where foreign al Qaeda fighters have historically sheltered. AFRICOM has targeted Shabaab 40 times throughout Somalia in 2018.
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US strikes target al Qaeda in Libya, Somalia
The US military hit al Qaeda’s branches in Somalia and Libya twice over the past several days, killing 20 fighters in strikes that appear to have targeted the groups’ military capacity.
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US military against targets Shabaab in central Somalia
The US military has launched six airstrikes in the central Somali province of Mudug since Nov. 19, killing at least 55 Shabaab fighters.
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AFRICOM launches 2 more strikes against Shabaab in central Somalia
The US military is clearly targeting Shabaab in Mudug province. There have been five strikes there in the past four days and 50 Shabaab fighters are reported to have been killed in the attacks.
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US military kills dozens of Shabaab fighters in 3 strikes
The pattern of the strikes, which took place in central Somalia, indicates that al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa either has an established base in the area, or that it was massing its fighters for a large scale attack.
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AFRICOM kills 60 Shabaab fighters in largest strike in Somalia since 2017
A large concentration of Shabaab fighters a significant distance from its typical support zone in Jubba River Valley demonstrates the Al Qaeda affiliate’s resilience across Somalia.
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US strikes Shabaab on southern Somalia coast
The United States has conducted 24 strikes in Somalia in 2018, all of which have targeted Shabaab. The strike occurred near a town that was liberated by Somali forces just two days ago.
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Somalia remains ‘a terrorist safe haven,’ State notes
Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa “still maintained control over large portions of the country” and “retained the ability to carry out high-profile attacks” in 2017 despite increased targeting by the US military, the African Union, and the Somali government.
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US military targets Shabaab north of Kismayo
The strike is the second against Shabaab, which is al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in Somalia that has been reported by U.S. Africa Command this month.
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US airstrike hits Shabaab north of Mogadishu
AFRICOM noted that Shabaab, which is al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, continues to maintain “training camps” and “safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.”
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US continues to disrupt Shabaab’s attack campaign
In the past six months, US forces have thrice interdicted Shabaab car bombs and prevented imminent attacks against civilians in the Somalia capital, Mogadishu.
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US continues to disrupt Shabaab in Jilib, Somalia
The United States attacked al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia in the southern town of Jilib, a recurring strike location and known Shabaab safe haven.
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US lists Shabaab’s leader in Kenya, wanted commander as global terrorists
State added Ahmad Iman Ali, the leader of Shabaab’s network in Kenya, and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi, a dangerous Kenyan commander, to its list of Specially Designated Global terrorists.
