Event: Somali armed militant group Hakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen staged an attack on AMISOM forces killing a number of soldiers and in return, AMISOM forces repulse the militants and killing the attackers.
Sources confirm that prior to the attack, there were a number of suspected individuals working with a section of clan elders from lower Shebelle region as the rebel’s informants.
This was confirmed after Al-Shabaab spokesman Sheihk Ali Mahamud Rage who claimed responsibility for the attack and further warned they were on a mission to recapture several towns in central Somalia.
Al Shabaab Traces in Somalia Still a Major Threat
Al Shabaab’s presence in Somalia is still evident in as much as AMISOM troops in Somalia working with Kenya Army Border Operations Special unit are successfully liberating towns from this group.
The group’s informants based in villages in Somalia and some may have infiltrated into Kenya are still providing crucial information to these groups.
Suspected people include men and women who are disguising themselves in full-face veils, young recruits who are seeking refuge in mosques and clan elders in Somalia.
Assessment
Fighting remaining elements of Hakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen militants off Somalia, which is their main operational base still poses a great challenge for AMISOM troops.
The group had established strong community based informants who feed them with information to help in those planned attacks.
Areas prone to further attacks by the group include areas about 100 kilometers from the porous Kenya-Somali border, areas along the coast of Somalia and central Somalia and military camps.
Al Shabaab plans to attack more towns in Somalia and military camps in search of guns, ammunition and probably abduct soldiers who will be forcefully recruited to join the Mujahideens.
Al Shabaab attack on AMISOM forces where they killed apostate soldiers and confiscated ammunition and battle wagons is an indication that the group is in dire need of arms and manpower.
