Midweek Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Brief for East Africa (Kenya & Somalia) Shabaab Al-Mujahideen in Period of October 23rd – October 27th: Tracking and Monitoring Al-Shabaab’s Activity in East Africa Region

The Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab continue to stage attacks in East Africa. The militant group notably continue to champion and pursue its insurgency in the Horn of Africa, Somalia and sporadically in Kenya’s NEP and coastal regions.

In the past five days, the Islamists militant group has conducted less than low-scale attacks, all in Somalia regions. In these attacks, the militants as indicated in the previous reviewed attacks have been targeted on local and allied coalition forces. However, villagers/civilians have been caught up in indiscriminate enemy gun fire.

Recently Claimed Attacks (October 23^rd – October 27^th)

• On October 24^th, Al-Shabaab fighters seized several villages in Somalia’s northern region of Sanaag. The villages include Mirici, Masha-Alled and Habasha Aw-Ali, just 10km west of the ancient coastal city of Lasqoray. No casualties were reported.
• On October 24^th, Al-Shabaab attack AMISOM military base in Galgaduud region of central Somalia. Al-Shabaab fighters launched a brief attack on a Djiboutian military base at Dhusamareb airport. No casualties were reported.
• On October 24^th, An Al-Shabaab attempted attack on AMISOM military base in Kulbiyow, Lower Juba was successfully repulsed.
• On October 25^th, Reports from Bay region an attack was carried out on a place where the forces of the South West administration were stationed, at least one soldier was killed and three others wounded in a bomb explosion that was followed by a gun fight.
• On October 25^th, the bomb squad at Southwest administration removed an explosive device from the side of the road near Baidoa and a suspect was arrested. separately, the troops briefly exchanged gunfire with suspected Al-Shabaab militants at Makuuda checkpoint outside Baidoa, Sunday; no casualties were reported.
• On October 26^th, AMISOM military base at Tabto village in Somalia’s Lower Juba region came under brief attack. Overpowered Al-Shabaab fighters fled into the thickets. No casualties were reported.
• On October 26^th, prominent businessman shot dead in Kismayo by a suspected Al-Shabaab assassin. Abdullahi Abdisalam Ahmed from the Amal money transfer services was shot dead by a gunman who escaped the scene according to local reports.

CT & COIN Interventions

In the past few weeks, counterterrorism actors have mounted pressure on the Al-Qaeda aligned Al-Shabaab recording a number of successful operations against the terrorist group.

• Security forces in Baidoa, the interim administrative capital of Southwest, foiled a would-be deadly attack in the town in the latest wave of crackdown against the Islamist militants.
• The officers blocked a possible bomb attack after seizing explosive devices that were being transported in a Tuk-Tuk. The suspects believed to have been plotting an attack within the town, which is prone to frequent Al-Shabaab attacks, two Al-Shabaab suspects were arrested while the third one managed to escape after stabbing an officer with a knife.
• Joint troops descended on Al-Shabaab hideouts in Galgadud in Galmadug state, central Somalia, in the ongoing operations across the country keen to eliminate the Al-Shabaab threat.
• A top Al-Shabaab commander was on Saturday killed in Somalia following a covert operation by the Danab Special Forces. Abdirahman Abdalla alias Abu Ayman, who was in-charge financial matters of Al-Shabaab within Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, approximately 30 kilometers North West of Mogadishu, was killed in intelligence led operation on Saturday morning. His bodyguards were also killed during the military operation.
• A military court in Somalia over the weekend convicted 11 people for taking part in a prison break in the capital Mogadishu correctional facility on August 12 that saw at least 16 people killed. The Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants took responsibility for the attack and break out.
• Police officer reportedly arrested two Al-Shabaab militants in Baidoa town, the interim administrative capital of Southwest State of Somalia following a tip-off from the public. The terror operatives were arrested as they were on the process of planting a landmine on a main street in the strategic city, which is mainly protected by Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The bomb squad subsequently managed to defuse the IED that could have caused casualties if their mission succeeded.
• Joint troops ambushed Al-Shabaab militants near Dinsor town in southern Somalia’s Bay region on October 22. Military sources indicated that nineteen militants were killed during a clearing operation.

Financial Infiltration Concerns

The recent reports on Al-Shabaab infiltration in Somalia’s financial system should be of utmost concern to both local and coalition CT partners. A new report released by the United Nations Sanctions Panel on Somalia has documented that Al- Shabaab remains financially strong in Somalia through a deep infiltration network in Somalia’s financial system.

Al-Shabaab has had several sources of income throughout its history, including varying degrees of support from the Somali diaspora, locals, sponsors, and sustained dawa (induced operations). The report indicate that Al-Shabaab continue to source funds forcibly in small and middle-sized businesses and corporations in exchange that they will be protected.

The report also documents how the Somali-based Al-Shabaab maintains its finances through extortion of civilians semblance as zakat.  Business owners even on government-controlled localities are forced to pay hundreds of dollars per month to the insurgency depending on their size.

The findings of the reports are worrisome as they do not only show the deep infiltration of Al-Shabaab in the banking and financial sector of Somalia but also raises concerns on Mogadishu’s inefficiency on issues policies and measures designed to curb terror-financing in the country.