In a rare assault, the Islamic State Somalia (ISS) tried—and ultimately failed—to oust Puntland Security Forces (PSF) from a PSF base earlier today. Nonetheless, the attack represents how ISS is growing in strength and capacity. Read more →
Shabaab announced the death of Mohamed Mire, a senior official who acted as the group's so-called "interior emir" and a member of its central shura council. Read more →
The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced yesterday that longtime Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu was transferred to his native Kenya. Bajabu’s history presents an interesting historical look into Al Qaeda’s early activities in East Africa, acting as a reminder that the African Jihad, currently the global hotspot of jihadist activity, has been decades in the making. Read more →
On December 12, The Somali National Army (SNA) of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in Mogadishu was routed from the southern Somali town of Ras Kamboni by the regional forces of Jubaland, a federal member state of Somalia. This conflict provides Shabaab, Al Qaeda's branch for East Africa, an opportunity to consolidate and rebound from its previous losses. Read more →
In the latest issue of its Sada al-Malahem magazine, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) heaped significant praise on recent operations conducted by Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa. The article is another data point regarding the open support between these Al Qaeda branches. Read more →
In a coordinated, multi-pronged offensive, Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch for East Africa, assaulted multiple Somali National Army (SNA) bases across southern Somalia’s Lower Juba region yesterday. Each side has claimed victory, with both releasing footage purporting to verify their claims. Read more →
Over the last few days, jihadis have mounted two attacks inside prisons in Somalia and Niger. While the mutiny inside the Nigerien prison was successful, the Somali prison assault appears to have been thwarted. Nonetheless, both incidents highlight the lingering threat of jihadi prison breaks on the continent and the importance jihadist groups put on such operations. Read more →
In May 2016, the Islamic State (IS) issued a eulogy for the infamous Sudanese jihadist Mohamad Makkawi Ibrahim through its weekly Al-Naba newsletter. The eulogy flew under the radar at the time but offers an interesting look into the career of one of the Islamic State’s first so-called “martyrs” in Somalia. It also provides an early chronicle of the Islamic State’s history in the Horn of Africa. Read more →
Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, took responsibility for a suicide car bombing targeting Djiboutian and Somali troops at a military base in central Somalia yesterday. The blast was the 14th suicide bombing conducted by Shabaab so far this year. Read more →
Shabaab's video, which demonstrates its new so-called 'special forces' training center, is eerily similar to productions put out by the Afghan Taliban before it took over Afghanistan. Read more →
Shabaab continues to undo progress made against it in central Somalia; the United States continues to go after its financials and conducting periodic drone strikes against its forces. Read more →
In early 2014, as Muslim civilians were being massacred in Central African Republic as part of a cycle of violence between Muslim and Christian militias, al-Qaeda went on a full-court press in an attempt to foster any jihadist movement to take up arms in the country. These attempts, however, largely fell on deaf ears. As such, this offers a unique glimpse into when, and potentially how, jihadist mobilization attempts fail. Read more →
The Islamic State documents at least 36 clashes between its men and Shabaab, al-Qaeda's East African wing, between March and December 2023. Read more →
Three Shabaab members were killed in what U.S. Africa Command described as a "collective self-defense airstrike" in the Lower Juba region. Shabaab, Al Qaeda's branch in East Africa, remains a dangerous threat. Read more →
Ali Mohamud Rage, Shabaab's spokesman, says the al-Qaeda branch is willing to spill blood over the recent Red Sea access deal signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland. Read more →
The man reportedly traveled from Egypt to Kenya, where he planned to use Shabaab facilitators to cross into Somalia. The American citizen was motivated by his support of Hamas and desire to target the U.S. for its support of Israel. Read more →
Mahad Karate, a senior official and a deputy emir of Shabaab, al-Qaeda's branch for East Africa, again named several al-Qaeda leaders present in Mogadishu during the infamous 'Black Hawk Down' incident in 1993. Read more →
Abukar Ali Adan, the deputy leader of Shabaab, Al Qaeda's branch in East Africa, is a dangeorus commander who has led the group's military wing and has ties to other Al Qaeda branches in African and on the Arabian Peninsula. Read more →
Featuring many women and children, Shabaab's large protests in southern Somalia sought to put the current fighting in Israel and Palestine into the context of global jihad. Read more →
Shabaab congratulates Palestinian militant factions for their "victories" over Jews. This is not the first time Shabaab has interjected itself into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Read more →
Shabaab denied "randomly" targeting civilians in its suicide bombings. This is a mischaracterization of the data on its suicide campaign. Read more →
At least 14 successful or attempted suicide bombings were reported in Somalia in September. This is the single highest monthly total since Shabaab began its suicide bombing operations in 2006. Read more →
AFRICOM has launched four airstrikes against Al Qaeda's branch in Somalia this month as it continues to provide air support for the Somali National Army. Read more →
In the face of delayed or stalled offensive action taken against it, Shabaab seeks to rally its forces. Read more →
Though Somalia says the raid was repelled, the major attack nevertheless came just days after a similar raid was conducted on a Ugandan military base in southern Somalia. Read more →
The massive raid comes as Shabaab is facing its biggest challenge to its rule and territory in over a decade. Read more →
The U.S. military targeted Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East... Read more →
Mohamoud Abdi Aden is the second Kenyan-Somali the U.S. State Department has placed a $10 million bounty on in the last week. Shabaab now has five leaders with $10 million bounties, the most for any Sunni jihadist group. Read more →
The U.S. has now placed a $10 million bounty on Maalim Ayman, the leader of Shabaab's military wing in Kenya. Maalim Ayman now joins the ranks of other high-profile Sunni jihadis around the world demanding a similar price tag. Read more →
Another hotel siege perpetrated by Shabaab in Mogadishu was ended by Somali security forces almost twenty four hours after it began. The al Qaeda branch continues to lash out against civilians in response to military operations against it. Read more →
Shabaab killed at least 100 people at the same place where it killed upwards of 500 civilians almost exactly five years ago. Read more →
Shabaab unsurprisingly framed the terrorist attack as retaliation for the current military operations against it across the country. Read more →
Nine individuals were designated by the U.S. Treasury Department while an additional five were also blacklisted by the U.S. State Department. Read more →
Abdullahi Yare was a founding leader of Shabaab, had a $3 million reward out for his capture, and is the first senior Shabaab leader killed in more than two years. Read more →
Shabaab faces one of the largest counter-offensives against it in recent years. However, to be successful, Somalia must also work to effectively hold liberated areas and not just conduct clearing operations. Read more →
The recent drone strike comes as the Somali National Army (SNA) mounts a large offensive against Shabaab in Somalia’s central Hiraan Region. Read more →
The Sanaag Region, a territory contested by both Somalia and Somaliland, witnessed its first suicide bombing yesterday. No group has officially taken credit, though Shabaab is widely suspected given its history in the area. Read more →
Shabaab's recent hotel siege in Mogadishu, beginning on Friday and ending early Sunday, signals the severe challenges that remain in combating the al Qaeda branch. Read more →
Since resuming military activity inside Somalia earlier this year, the Biden Administration has ramped up the pace of airstrikes in the Horn of Africa country in recent weeks. Since June 3, the US has conducted at least six airstrikes against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa. Read more →
New reporting has shed new light on Shabaab's recent incursions into Ethiopia. However, many perplexing elements remain uncovered. Read more →
In addition to recently striking two Ethiopian outposts inside Somalia right on the border with Ethiopia, Shabaab also launched a three-day incursion into Ethiopia itself. On the Ethiopian side, officials from the Somali Region have stated that Shabaab was attempting to assist an ethnic Oromo insurgent group. This claim is likely dubious but follows a clear historical precedent. Read more →
Zawahiri lives. The Taliban-Al Qaeda alliance remains strong. The leaders of Al Qaeda's branches in North and East Africa have assumed roles in Al Qaeda's line of succession. Read more →
On May 15, Somalia completed its election process, selecting Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new president. Sheikh previously served as president of Somalia from 2012 until 2017 and defeated the incumbent Farmajo in a long-awaited and contentious election. Read more →
Shabaab claims it killed 173 Burundian troops in a large-scale assault on a military base in southern Somalia. Neither the African Union nor Burundi has commented on Shabaab's casualty numbers. Read more →
Shabaab again highlights operations from its urban assassination unit in Mogadishu. In doing so, it places these killings in the context of the wider global jihad. Read more →
Shabaab attempted to kill Somalia's police chief in yet another suicide bombing in the Somali capital. Read more →
Host Bill Roggio is joined by two Long War Journal regulars, Caleb Weiss and Andrew Tobin, to give listeners an update on what's happening on the ground in Africa from the Sahel — including that more than 400 Malians have been slaughtered in under one month — to "elections" and Shabaab attacks in Somalia. Read more →
The dual suicide bombings targeting an election site in central Somalia comes just one day after a brazen attack on a large military base in Mogadishu. Read more →
One week after a series of suicide bombings in Mogadishu, the US conducts its first drone strike against al-Shabaab since August 2021. Read more →
Shabaab launched near simultaneous assaults across 5 areas of Mogadishu and its suburbs, showing the group's continued strength as Somalia preps for its upcoming presidential election. Read more →