Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda’s East African branch, has recently expressed its jubilation for the Hamas-led invasion of Israel, aligning with Al-Qaeda branches worldwide in congratulating the Palestinian militants. Notably, this celebration extends to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, Hurras al-Din in Syria, and even the Pakistani Taliban, a significant al-Qaeda ally.
Prior to releasing its official statement, Al-Shabaab had been actively providing updates on the conflict through local radio stations in Somalia.
The group’s statement, signed by its general command, begins by acknowledging the “Al-Aqsa Flood,” referring to the Palestinian invasion, filled with “takbeers, congratulations, and blessings.” Al-Shabaab expresses its apologies for the delayed message to the Palestinian people.
Al-Shabaab extends its salute to the heroes, commandos, and those stationed in the Holy Land, invoking blessings upon them for their dedication to jihad and noble deeds. The group sees the Palestinian assault as a triumph against so-called ‘Crusaders’ and perceives Israel as a ‘bastard entity,’ asserting the ‘weakness and fragility’ of the latter.
Importantly, Al-Shabaab contextualizes the Israel-Palestine conflict within the framework of global jihad. They stress that it is not just a battle of the Islamic factions in Palestine but a fight of the entire Muslim Ummah. The group calls upon Muslims worldwide to offer support to the Mujahideen against the Jews and their allies, highlighting the strength of the nation through its jihadist fronts.
While expressing condolences for their inability to do more to assist the Palestinians due to their ongoing fight in East Africa, Al-Shabaab emphasizes that both they and the Palestinians face a common enemy, and their eyes are on Jerusalem.
Before concluding their statement, Al-Shabaab calls upon Muslims to engage in jihad for the sake of God, as they believe it is the path to glory and elevation for the Muslim Ummah.
This is not the first time Al-Shabaab has involved itself in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as they were part of al-Qaeda’s “Jerusalem Will Never Be Judaized” campaign. Under this campaign, Al-Shabaab conducted several high-profile attacks, including the Dusit D2 hotel attack in Nairobi, the US airfield assault in Baledogle, Somalia, and the attack on a US base in Manda Bay, Kenya. Al-Shabaab vehemently criticized the US’s stance on the conflict and highlighted the issue of Palestine as a concern for every Muslim.
While al-Qaeda and its branches aren’t directly involved in hostilities within Israel or Palestine, they exploit the collective anger among the wider Muslim world over the conflict for their own interests. Notably, they have targeted Israeli and Jewish targets globally in the past, underscoring their intent to leverage the situation. While al-Qaeda supports the hostilities against Israel, this support is primarily directed towards the fighting itself and does not imply doctrinal approval of the factions engaged in the ongoing war.
