The Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab continues to mount attacks in East Africa region. The Islamist militant group notably has especially targeted Somalia and Kenya in those attacks. The group’s activity continues to pose threat and significant burden on the countries of the Horn of Africa still battling with challenges of containing global coronavirus pandemic.
A few incidents of terror events have been recorded in the past five days. At least four terror incidents reported all targeted at military bases and a military supplies convoy. This is a Significant midweek decline in militant’s activity as compared to past couple of weeks (same period) where the militants have been claiming more than ten attacks. No attack or terror event recorded on Kenya which is also a key target of the Islamist militants.
Its is also notable these attacks especially the ones that targeted military bases in Juba regions of Somalia were successfully repulsed with militants dealing a huge blow where in two attempted attacks, the Al-Qaeda aligned militants lost ten of its fighters.
Recently Claimed Attacks (August 28th – September 1st)
- On August 29th, Jubaland Security Forces (JSF) and Somali National Army (SNA) forces clashed with Al-Shabaab militants in Buale, southern Somalia’s Lower Juba region. Military sources indicate that the attack was repulsed and six Al-Shabaab were killed while several fled nursing gun wounds.
- On August 30th, for a second time in a row, Al-Shabaab attempted to storm a joint military base housing US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Somali National Army (SNA) in Bar Sanguni village near the port city of Kismayo, in southern Somalia’s Lower Juba region. Initial military sources’ reports indicate the joint forces successfully thwarted the attack and killed four Al-Shabaab militants in the botched raid.
- On August 31st, trucks carrying supplies for AMISOM troops were attacked, torched in Awdheengle district of Lower Shabelle. No casualties were reported.
- On August 31st, Al-Shabaab claimed to have attacked an AMISOM military base operated by Ugandan troops in Janale district of Lower Shabelle.
Al-Shabaab remains the primary direct threat to peace and security in Somalia in particular and the Horn of Africa region in general. The uptick in the group’s activity reveals that the region has become a soft flank for terrorist activity in Africa. Though most of the group’s attacks are low-scale raids, they are significant to the group’s survival and relevance.
The militant group which usually increases it attack tempo over the weekend (from Friday to Sunday) saw the group only claim four low scale attacks. This might be as a result of increased COIN operations especially in its main area of operation, that is central and southern Somalia.
CT-Operations and Interventions
Counterterrorism assets continue to mount pressure on Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia. In the latest Al-Shabaab attacks in Lower Juba region of Somalia, joint US and SNA troops repulsed Buale and in Bar Sanguni localities and killed ten Al-Shabaab militants.
US has also increased the number of its airstrike against Al-Shabaab’s positions. In the last eight months, US has conducted 46 airstrikes in Somalia. This is the highest number of air raids against the Al-Qaeda branch in East Africa within the same period of the past years. US has routinely launched airstrikes within rural central and southern Somalia, an area which is occupied by the militants. However, the US Africa Command carried the first-ever raid against ISIS-Somalia militants in Puntland, killing at least seven militants early this month.
US airstrikes so far have killed at least 60 militants this year alone, including some of those who had been on the radar of the State Department. Some of them include Bashir Qorgab, Yusuf Jiis, and the latest victim, Abdikadir Commandos, who was killed on Monday airstrike at Saakow vicinity.
Also, Turkey continue to step up support to the Federal Government of Somalia forces. Beside providing training to SNA special forces (Gor Gor) at TurkSom military facility in Mogadishu, Turkey this past week offered donation of military hardware including 12 military off-road vehicles and 12 armored personnel carriers (APCs) to boost SNA’s operations against the Shabaab.
In a latest development, Kenya counterterrorism assets managed to kill ISIS East Africa terrorist organization chief recruiter Juma Athuman Mwengo in Kwale County in Coastal Kenya ending two years of his search.
Strategic Intelligence (S.I) continues to track and monitor the Islamist militant’s activity in the Horn of Africa region and warns of unchanged militant’s upsurge. This trend if not decisively countered, could deal blows to counter-terrorism gains so far made in the region.
