OSINT SUMMARY
Wednesday 11th November 2015, Al Shabaab a terrorist group is on the verge of fragmenting and disintegrating after it immerged a section of its members want to align with Islamic State terrorist group.
The Wednesday clash between rival factions of the Al Shabaab is an indicator of the threat the Somalia Islamist group is facing as members split over whether to stay within Al Qaeda faction or pledge bayat (oath of allegiance) to the Islamic State leadership.
Fierce fight erupted when Al Shabaab fighters attacked hideout belonging to pro-Islamic State faction fighters near Saakow in the Middle Juba region whereby nine militants from both sides were killed.
At least eight other fighters were wounded during the inter-militants clash. Among the killed was one of the commanders of the pro-Islamic State faction.
Infighting within the Somalia based Al Shabaab is imminent with a section of its fighters calling the group to end their long time relation with the Al Qaeda terrorist group and pledge their loyalty to the Islamic State.
This move has been rejected by the top leadership of the Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahideen movement. Citing the group’s spokesman Ali Dheere, the group sent a stern warning to its members saying that the group will not allow disunity.
In his speech, Dheere said those who are dividing their unity must be fought and stopped saying Al Shabaab is the only “legitimate” Islamic authority in Somalia and in East Africa.
Islamic State which seems much interested in destroying Al Qaeda and wooing its members to shift alligience this week released a video which showed group of Al Shabaab fighters in Somalia’s Puntland region pledging bayat to the Islamic State emir, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
Though in his speech Dheere did not mention Islamic State by name, it is obvious Islamic State is their rival faction the only threat which might make Al Shabaab terrorist group become extinct in the coming days.
The Al Shabaab misfortunes continues to unravel with U.S. State Department on Tuesday 10th November 2015 announcing a reward of 27 million US dollars to information that may led to capturing of six top most Al Shabaab leadership including its current emir Abu Ubaidah.
