Collaboration In Fight Against Al Shabaab Terror Front In East Africa

Assessments and Analysis
Somali based Al Qaeda affiliate; Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen has continuously posed a security threat to the entire East African region. The terror outfit has conducted attacks on the East African countries and prompted a peace keeping mission from the African Union to Somalia in collaboration with the region defense forces.
The AMISOM troops have been able to conduct series of successful attacks that have decapitated the Al Shabaab in Somalia recapturing towns. However, homegrown terror in the region’s countries has posed a domestic threat to the individual countries.
While it is the role of each country to protect its sovereignty the war against terror cannot be fought singlehandedly. Joint efforts in the region will gradually but steadily stem out the jihadists from the root cause.
A homogenous and cohesive counterterrorism approach in the region that draws from the same scripts is necessary. The approach would incorporate harmonized military tactics among countries, border controls and financial authorities to track the financiers.
The cohesive approach would allow for rapid response to attacks or threats, intelligence sharing as well as a framework to track terrorists and their activities across borders.
East African countries; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Ethiopia are among the members of the region. They have in the past shown and expressed their willingness and coordination in fighting a common enemy as evidenced by their troops in Somalia.
Terrorism especially in the East African region can only be eradicated with complete intolerance, united front against the terror organizations and vigilance both by the governments and citizenry of the respective countries.