Forest have determined that al sha baab is aided in its quest by some fundamental realities of somali culture and history. Recommendations for united states policy to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al qaeda, its affiliated groups, associated groups, and adherents. Its a great introduction for those new to the topic, but its also a landmark work and absolutely required reading for those who study and work to counter terrorism. The harakat shabaab al mujahidincommonly known as al shabaab was the militant wing of the somali council of islamic courts that took over most of southern somalia in the second half of 2006. Despite the groups defeat by somali and ethiopian forces in 2007, al shabaab a clanbased insurgent and terrorist grouphas continued its. According to mathew thomas 20, al shabaab originated from the remnants of the islamic court union icu also known as al ittihad mahakem al islayiya, which used to be a union of different islamic militant groups in somalia after the collapse of the government in 1991. It is a golden chance for alshabaab to pick itself up off the mat.
It is a golden chance for al shabaab to pick itself up off the mat. Ethiopia, a part of the anti shabaab coalition, is somalias ancient. The complete, concise history of alshabaab, the group. Oct 04, 20 amid the outrage against al shabaab, its important to recognise that terrorism does not happen outside of history. Harakat al shabaab al mujahideen harakat al shabaab al mujahideen is the formal, complete name that is almost never used in coverage of this group. Al shabaabs rise in the al qaeda network critical threats. Though it has stated many goals in the past, the group fights first and foremost to create a fundamentalist islamic state in the horn of africa jonathan masters and mohammed aly sergie. Generally, the author provides a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of al shabaab s history, ideology, recruitment strategies, successes and failures from 2005 to. Al shabaab was formed as the militant wing of the islamic courts union icu, a coalition of 11 local sharia courts, as early as 2004 but did not become truly active until 2006. Al shabaab is linked to al qaeda both ideologically and through leadership contacts, training and joint operations in the horn of africa, according to u. The al shabaab civilian infrastructure is comprised of economic, educational, and social units that.
Note that every single title in the references section uses al shabaab or a variant spelling. A wealth of sources including us diplomatic cables released by wikileaks, letters taken from the pakistani hideout of osama bin laden, case files from the prosecution of american al shabaab members, emails from hillary clintons tenure as secretary of state, and al shabaab s own statements and recruiting videos inform maruf and josephs. Al shabaab definitely has a hierarchal structure, since each unit answers to a central leader. Al shabaabs foreign threat to somalia by david shinn david shinn is an adjunct professor in the elliott school of international affairs at george washington university. Amid the outrage against al shabaab, its important to recognise that terrorism does not happen outside of history. Variant of the flag used by the islamic state formerly islamic state of iraq and the levant isil or islamic state of iraq and syria isis, al shabaab, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula, al qaeda in the islamic maghreb and boko haram. Until recently, many had been tempted to suggest that the group was. Ethiopia, a part of the antishabaab coalition, is somalias ancient. What the westgate mall attack truly reflects is a change in intent on behalf of al shabaab s leadership, rather than a change in the groups capability. Al shabaab fighters at a somali training camp, in an image taken from a video released by the group in 2009. Beginning in 2006, the group waged an insurgency against somalias transitional federal government tfg. The harakat shabaab almujahidincommonly known as alshabaabwas the militant wing of the somali council of islamic courts that took over most of southern somalia in the second half of 2006. Al shabaab announced its alliance with al qaeda in 2008, and in 2015, boko haram pledged allegiance to the islamic state.
The organisation known as al shabaab originally emerged from the islamic courts union icu movement in somalia. In the islamic states weekly al naba newsletter released on november 15, 2018, 46 the group relayed a series of thenrecent events in which several members of its group were killed or arrested by al shabaab in southern somalia. Over 95 % of its leadership and rank and file are from the central regions. Foreign service, including as ambassador to ethiopia and state department coordinator for somalia during the international intervention in. Rather it is a wellstructured organization composed of several independent components.
Somaliabased group claiming responsibility for kenya attack is allied with al qaeda. Roland marchal senior research fellow at cnrs sciencespo. Al shabaab s composition is multiethnic, with its leadership positions mainly occupied by afghanistan and iraqtrained ethnic somalis and foreigners. It further shows that al shabaab has not been a static organisation and that it has international connections with other terrorist groups. The number of attacks attributed to al shabaab has increased rapidly from less than 10 in 2007 to more than 200 in 2012. Al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to prominence in the midst of somalias decadeslong anarchy. The roots of al shabaab lie with al itihaad al islamiya aiai, a militant group of somali wahhabis active during the 1980s and 1990s. Unlike most of the organizations top leaders, its foot soldiers are primarily concerned with. Operating from the failed state of somalia, the al qaida affiliated group has been behind several attacks in the region, particularly in the past 5 years. Jul 12, 2015 al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Forest have determined that alsha baab is aided in its quest by some fundamental realities of somali culture and history.
Its a great introduction for those new to the topic, but its also a landmark work and absolutely required reading for. Information about the iagcis work and a list of the coi documents which have. Despite the groups defeat by somali and ethiopian forces in 2007, alshabaaba clanbased insurgent and terrorist grouphas continued its. The connection between al shabaab and al qaeda is growing stronger but has not yet reached the level of operational control by al qaeda. Al shabaabs history with humanitarian assistance critical. The culture of terrorist propaganda in subsaharan africa. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read inside al shabaab. The organisation known as alshabaab originally emerged from the islamic courts union icu movement in somalia. Apr, 2017 al shabaab, the al qaedaaligned militia in somalia, is experiencing some of the most successful months of its recent history. It once held sway over the capital of mogadishu and large portions of the somali countryside, but in.
On february 7, al shabaab publicly executed two women accused of. Sep 22, 20 alshabaab fighters at a somali training camp, in an image taken from a video released by the group in 2009. The focus of this study, however, is the al shabaab. While at the beginning white foreign jihadists were present alongside al shabaab, over the last year and half there seems to.
Drawing from interviews with former al shabaab militants, including highranking officials, military commanders, police. Sep 26, 20 al shabaab has a long history of insurgent and terrorist operations in the region, and it has long possessed the ability to conduct such an attack in nairobi. The alshabaab almujahidiin is an offshoot of somalias recent islamic courts union. The ideology of al shabaab 8 the history of islamism and jihadism in somalia 9 social control mechanisms applied by al shabaab 14 tactical culture 19 the al qaeda affiliation 22 foreign fighters in somalia 26 foreign fighters 19922006 26 noneuropean foreign fighters in al shabaab 31. Al shabaab since it splintered from the islamic courts union icu in 2007, al shabaab has carried out nearly 550 terrorist attacks, killing more than 1,600 and wounding more than 2,100. This report briefly examines al shabaab aka harakat shabaab al mujahidin, or mujahidin youth movement which is an insurgent and terrorist group that evolved out of a militant wing of somalias council of islamic courts in the mid2000s. Historical background to the development of alshabaab.
That is certainly true of al shabaab, which was born out of the islamic court. Despite military pressure and global efforts to starve it of financing, the group continues to operate effectively, allowing it to function as a quasi. This paper examines the funding sources of the terrorist group harakat alshabaab almujahideen. Abstract humanitarian response to the ongoing complex emergency in somalia is being further complicated by the actions of the terrorist group al shabaab. It further shows that alshabaab has not been a static organisation and that it has international connections with other terrorist groups. While at the beginning white foreign jihadists were present alongside al shabaab, over the last year and half there seems to be many more east africans volunteers. Radicalisation and alshabaab recruitment in somalia. The secret history of al qaedas most powerful ally recounts the rise, fall, and resurgence of this overlooked terrorist organization and provides an intimate understanding of. The post above is an attempt to misrepresent the situation by claiming andor insinuating that a atom is the only thing linking somaliland with al shabaab and he is not an al shabaab operative. If al shabaab manages to use the conflicts in the middle east and libya, it can spread further into sahel. Al shababs attack on nairobis westgate shopping mall in september 20 led many to question whether it signified the groups increased focus on international targets. The history and ideology of a militant islamist group, explored the history.
The secret history of al qaedas most powerful allyrecounts the rise, fall, and resurgence of this overlooked terrorist organization and provides an intimate understanding of its connections with al qaeda. Al shabaab literally meaning the youngsters was the radical, hard. Yet it should not be overlooked that al shabaab has also developed an impressive and, thus far, sustainable financing model that relies on the financial control and surveillance of cashflows,1 involving both domestic and external sources. Al shabaab committed targeted killings, beheadings and executions, particularly of those. Sep 22, 20 somaliabased group claiming responsibility for kenya attack is allied with al qaeda. Al shabaab s regional influence can also be dangerous because of the instability of the sahel region. The secret history of al qaedas most powerful ally. Background report alshabaab attack on westgate mall. Alshabaab originated as a militia affiliated with the islamic. Al shabaab continued to extend the area under its control in 2009, banning behaviours that it deemed unislamic and implementing punishments including beheading, stoning, and amputation for offenders. Along with the groups international connections to al qaeda and other islamist networks, harakat al shabaab is heavily involved in local clan structures. Alshabaab literally meaning the youngsters was the radical, hard.
Note that the central seal in the actual flag is not circular. Al shabaab arabic for the youth is an islamic militant group that seeks to create an islamic state in somalia. Inside alshabaab is the definitive history of the somali militant group, rich with newly disclosed details about the groups genesis and its ties to alqaeda. The secret history of al qaedas most powerful ally ebook written by dan joseph, harun maruf. The al shabaab al mujahidiin therefore do not depend on external financing for military hardware.
Al shabaabs american recruits antidefamation league. According to the national counterterrorism center, the groups rankandfile members hail from disparate local groups, sometimes recruited by force. Al qaeda and al shabaab have had a partnership for years, with al shabaab s former leader declaring allegiance to al qaeda in 2012. The group has experienced two dramatic transformations in its short history. In east africa, al shabaab is the biggest threat to the security of the region. However, the al shabaab is not politically organized. Al shabaab has a long history of insurgent and terrorist operations in the region, and it has long possessed the ability to conduct such an attack in nairobi. Harakat alshebab almujahideen the movement of mujahidin youth, or alshebab, is an qaedaal aqaffiliated violent jihadist group based in southern and central somalia. Combining intensive field research with interviews of shabaab leaders, this volume builds a history of the organization while critically analyzing the roots of its resilency.
Al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Al shabaab s draconian tactics, which are imported from outside and are anathema to most somalis, and its foreign component may be its undoing. The history of alshabaab south african history online. Al shababs ideology is typically described as a brand of salafism and wahhabism that supports takfir, the excommunication of apostates or unbelievers.
The short period between being introduced to and joining al shabaab might reflect an emotional and poorly thought through decision in which interviewees experienced two. Generally, the author provides a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of alshabaabs history, ideology, recruitment strategies, successes and failures from 2005 to 2012. In fact, they have surplus which enables them to replenish and supply new recruits. Jones is the latest in a series of al shabaab supporters wanted by the fbi or who have been. Al shabaab, the al qaedaaligned militia in somalia, is experiencing some of the most successful months of its recent history. Not much of his history is known other than to have. There have been numerous reports of al shabaab partnering with boko haram an extremist group that is located primarily in northern nigeria in nigeria, as well as other al qaeda forces in the sahara desert. Yet since its inception in 20062007, al shabab has always issued global rhetoric. An internet search provides many documents whether genuine or not on the intimate. They already have the pattern of islamic state, which uses different regions and countries in order to avoid total eradication. The icu began as a loose grouping of sharia courts that by 2006 had grown into a powerful islamic militia which enjoyed control over much of southern somalia. What the westgate mall attack truly reflects is a change in intent on behalf of al shabaab s leadership, rather than a. The al shabaab civilian infrastructure is comprised of economic, educational, and social units that serve the group at the grassroots level.
Originally the small, youth militia arm of a relatively moderate islamist organization. Al qaeda centrals leadership, including osama bin ladens successor ayman al zawahiri, has pressed al shabaab to change its name to al qaeda in east africa and, in january, offered to make al shabaab a designated regional franchise. The secret history of alqaedas most powerful allyrecounts the rise, fall, and resurgence of this overlooked terrorist organization and provides an intimate understanding of its connections with alqaeda. Jan 01, 20 along with the groups international connections to al qaeda and other islamist networks, harakat al shabaab is heavily involved in local clan structures. In july 2010 al shabaab suicide bombers staged the groups first major attack outside somalia, killing about 75 people gathered in kampala, uganda, to watch a screening of a world cup. The group frequently attacked international targets in somalia, and it conducted a terrorist attack in kampala in 2010 as. In the islamic states weekly al naba newsletter released on november 15, 2018, 46 the group relayed a series of thenrecent events in which several members of its group were killed or arrested by alshabaab in southern somalia. Background report alshabaab attack on westgate mall in kenya. Jun 21, 2016 al shabaabs regional influence can also be dangerous because of the instability of the sahel region. Aqam futures project case study series july 2011 project. Inside al shabaab is the definitive history of the somali militant group, rich with newly disclosed details about the groups genesis and its ties to al qaeda. Using existing research and original interviews, this study outlines alshabaabs history and fundin.