Somalia Archives

Jihadi history: Kenyan detainee transferred out of Guantanamo shows the extent of Al Qaeda’s jihad in East Africa

Caleb Weiss | December 18, 2024

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.

Analysis: Somali forces turn their weapons on each other

Caleb Weiss | December 12, 2024

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.

Analysis: AQAP praises Shabaab’s activities in East Africa

Caleb Weiss | December 3, 2024

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.

Analysis: Shabaab mounts large-scale offensive, Somali Armed Forces claim victory

Caleb Weiss | July 23, 2024

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.

Jihadis mount prison mutinies across Africa

Caleb Weiss | July 13, 2024

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.

Jihadi archives: Islamic State’s eulogy of Sudanese jihadist Mohamad Makkawi Ibrahim

Caleb Weiss | July 5, 2024

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.

Shabaab hits Djibouti military base with suicide bombing in central Somalia

Caleb Weiss | July 1, 2024

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.

Shabaab advertises creation of “special forces” unit

Caleb Weiss | June 19, 2024

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.

Shabaab retakes territory as the U.S. sanctions one of its money laundering networks

Caleb Weiss | March 13, 2024

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.

Islamic State describes intense campaign against Shabaab in northern Somalia

Caleb Weiss | February 2, 2024

The Islamic State documents at least 36 clashes between its men and Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s East African wing, between March and December 2023.

US launches first drone strike of the year in Somalia

Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss | January 23, 2024

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.

Shabaab says it rejects Red Sea access deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland

Caleb Weiss | January 2, 2024

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.

New Jersey man arrested for attempting to join Shabaab, inspired by support of Hamas

Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss | December 29, 2023

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.

Shabaab claims several al-Qaeda leaders present during infamous ‘Black Hawk Down’ incident

Caleb Weiss | November 1, 2023

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.

U.S. offers $5 million reward for Shabaab’s deputy emir

Bill Roggio | October 18, 2023

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.

Shabaab hosts massive pro-Palestine protests in southern Somalia

Caleb Weiss | October 15, 2023

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.

Shabaab celebrates Hamas-led invasion of Israel, calls people to jihad

Caleb Weiss | October 11, 2023

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.

Shabaab responds to FDD’s Long War Journal study on its suicide bombings

Bill Roggio | October 11, 2023

Shabaab denied “randomly” targeting civilians in its suicide bombings. This is a mischaracterization of the data on its suicide campaign.

Somalia suffers worst month on record for suicide bombings

Caleb Weiss | October 6, 2023

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.

U.S. designates Islamic State financier in Somalia

Caleb Weiss | July 29, 2023

The U.S. government designated Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the financial emir of the Islamic State’s Somali Province. This move, however, has much wider implications than just the Islamic State’s Somali operations.

AFRICOM launches ‘self-defense’ airstrikes against Shabaab in Somalia

Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss | July 20, 2023

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.

Analysis: Shabaab takes advantage of slowed counter-offensive

Caleb Weiss | June 12, 2023

In the face of delayed or stalled offensive action taken against it, Shabaab seeks to rally its forces.

Shabaab storms army base in central Somalia

Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss | June 1, 2023

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.

Shabaab overruns Ugandan base in Somalia

Caleb Weiss | May 27, 2023

The massive raid comes as Shabaab is facing its biggest challenge to its rule and territory in over a decade.

Analysis: U.S. Military kills key Islamic State leader in Africa

Caleb Weiss & Ryan O'Farrell | January 27, 2023

U.S. Special Operations Forces killed Bilal al-Sudani, a key Islamic State operative responsible for coordinating the group’s finances and activities across central, eastern, and southern Africa (and beyond).

U.S. military strikes Shabaab in central Somalia

Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss | January 24, 2023

The U.S. military targeted Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in a pair of strikes in central Somalia over the past several days. The first attack took place on Jan. 20 near the town of Galcad in Somalia’s central region of Galguduud. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it killed at least 30 Shabaab members […]