How Terrorist Groups Like Al Shabaab And ISIS Recruit Fighters In East Africa

The al Qaeda affiliated terrorist branch in Somalia, Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahedeen, has shown tenacity in its ability to conduct activities and maintain an active presence in the East African region despite active counterterrorism campaigns. Al Shabaab has morphed to adapt challenges posed by the operations by the Local military, African Union mission as well as other international allies. The Somali-based branch of Al-Qaeda has sharpened its focus on East African countries recruiting hundreds if not thousands of fighters.

The objective of the recruitment, radicalization and subsequent indoctrination to Islamist violence is a strategy by Al-Qaeda to amass members besides fight to control territory citing ISIS entry in the region (ISIS in Somalia). Al-Shabaab has mastered the art of manipulating Islam religion to fit its desire, atrocious activities and to lure Muslim Youth and others who may wish to convert, into the militia group.

Al-Shabaab recruitment, especially in Kenya and the larger East African region, is facilitated by the porous border, insecurity, poverty in Muslim communities living in these areas, and increasing radicalization drives by the terror group.

Kenya Security Intelligence estimates that about 1000 Kenyan youths are members of the violent Al-Shabaab extremist group based in Somalia. Al-Shabaab recruitment poses a threat to security overtly to the East Africa region.

Motivating Factors that foster al Shabaab recruitment in East Africa

1. Poverty is the leading cause of radicalization among youths who feel that they

ought to do anything to get out of dearth. Intelligence reports and studies have shown that most radical people, especially in East Africa, are radicalized by the terror organization with the promise of a better life and redemption from the shanty slums and the life of turmoil. Destitution among youths allows them to desert their moderate religious and political morals to adopt and practice radical views in exchange for a small pay usually embellished by recruiters.

2. Unemployment and hopelessness are also a trigger factor that deludes the youth that fighting alongside al Shabaab is a form of employment with utopian rewards for both them and families back home. Al Shabaab recruiters tap into the large pool of unemployed youths seeking to make a living to escape destitution in return for a monthly payment to be disbursed to their families back home.
3. Historical injustices and alienation of certain people and communities especially because of religious differences with the majority as well as on ethnic lines can be viewed as a critical point of entry for the al Shabaab recruiters. The Muslims being the minority in the region and especially with Islam being associated with terrorist attacks, youths and people are alienated by neighbors and strangers. This alienation breeds a sense of emptiness that creates a conducive environment for the indoctrination usually associated with the promise of community and belonging unified by a common cause in Somalia.
4. The al Shabaab has charismatic leaders and Sheikhs that are effortlessly able to sell the ideologies while pinpointing how the recruits have been oppressed and as such luring them to Somalia through motivation media and sermons. Al Shabaab has released very evoking videos online and sermons by Sheikhs that sympathize with and use them as ways to lure and pump up the recruits to join them both fighting in Somalia as well as across the East African Region.
5. Fight for Muslim Land: Al-Shabaab has capitalized in claiming to be fighting for Muslim grievances in Kenya and Somalia and East Africa region at large. Through radical Sheikh and teachings, they inspire youth to join and fight to liberate their lands. For example, this Muslim land narrative has seen youth in Muslim-dominated regions like Northern Kenya; Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa, Coastal counties; Lamu, Kwale and Kilifi hands of these militants.

Methods Of Al Shabaab Recruitment In East Africa

• Propaganda videos: The group is known to promote online propaganda to radicalize and then lure the gullible youth by misinterpreting the Qur’an to serve their particular ideology. Lately, the terror group has published several videos with teachings, calling on youths to do hijra. The videos are aimed at justifying their heinous acts terrorism as the true will of Allah and that the fighters will be rewarded with martyrdom. Additionally, groups like ISIS have used Amharic a local language in Ethiopia in their pursuit to lure fighters to join in the fight and even conduct attacks.
• Criminal gangs: Criminals are adequately motivated by the financial gain of any operation and as such despite al Shabaab being recently broke, they have managed to lure crooks with the promise of greener pastures, bail money as well as financial independence and freedom.
• Radicalization through social media and misconstrued Islamic teachings in madrassas: Al-Shabaab has used social media to recruit young unemployed people, the terror group also uses other ploys to enlist its members. One of them is to lure teenagers with well-paid jobs.
• Radical Teachers/Sheikhs: Mosques in the region have act as ample breeding points for these youths who seek religious guidance only to be imparted with radical teaching s that lead to them seeking militant training. For example, radical ‘sheikhs’ such as Aboud Rogo, Makaburi and Ahmed Iman Ali have significantly contributed to Kenyan youths joining the Al-Qaeda franchise in Somalia. Ideological pursuit by the so-called ‘Sheikhs’ is a narrative propagated by Al-Shabaab to do hijra for a reward (martyrdom) has become a norm in their teachings.
• Al-Shabaab’s use of Kiswahili in its propaganda videos: The depiction of Swahili-speakers in its media propaganda is indicative of the insurgent movement’s desire to attract more recruits from East Africa, where Kiswahili, the language of an estimated 35 million people, is widely spoken.
• The exploitation of local grievances and vulnerabilities: The group has also exploited local grievances, attracting impoverished young people across faiths in Kenya who feel the government has failed them. The extremists promise hefty pay for local fighters who have largely remained unemployed or poorly paid. They target those below 30 years, the biggest population and one which has been greatly affected and impacted by unemployment.
• Daughters of Al-Shabaab: Al-Shabaab targets to recruit women to their camps seeing as female recruits are especially appealing for Al-Shabaab because they’re less likely to draw suspicion. They [women] are now being used to gather intelligence, to collect information, they’re being used as spies. Recent attacks by the al Shabaab have been conducted by women who infiltrate and serve as suicide bombers or the inside-person for attacks, especially in secure locations.