The Al-Qaeda aligned Al-Shabaab’s recent attacks in Somalia underlines the threat the terrorist group continues to pose in the county and beyond.
Shabaab has claimed two major attacks on foreign troops operating in Somalia. One attack targeted U.S. operated military base in Baledogle, outside Mogadishu, while the second attack, the terrorist group hit Italian troops on patrol mission inside the capital Mogadishu.
Shabaab using a car bomb rammed onto the gate of the military base operated by U.S. Special Forces and Somali Forces claiming dozens of casualties.
ATTACKS
This is not the first time attack Al-Shabaab has targeted the American troops in Somalia. In 2018, one U.S. Special Forces soldier was killed in combat with Shabaab while a Navy SEAL was also killed in combat with the jihadists in 2017.
A joint Forward Operating Base manned by U.S., Somali and Kenyan troops in Bar Sanguuni has repeatedly been targeted by Shabaab fighters.
Shabaab has also previously attacked Italian troops operating in Somalia in the past. In Oct. 2018, the Al-Qaeda branch claimed a suicide bombing on another convoy of Italian troops inside Mogadishu. Two civilians were killed in that blast.
The Somali based group has remained resilient and a persistent threat to Somali government and neighboring countries despite efforts by both the African Union and the U.S. to defeat it over the past decade.
CHANGED TACTIC
These notable attacks suggests the group has changed tactic, morphed and has perfected besides sharpened its ability to strike in more heavily fortified areas.
The group has in the past and even recently exhibited its ability to attack heavily guarded complexes including Presidential palace that houses a number of embassies in Mogadishu. Shabaab routinely has staged raids on hotels and government facilities in Mogadishu.
Over the years of its militancy in Somalia, Shabaab has launched attacks on AU and Somali forces from across the regions of Somalia, and despite joint counter-terrorism operations against the group, it has been able to maintain well-coordinated active, small cells.
The group’s recent successes have proved contrary to recent opinions that it was seriously weakened and on the verge of defeat.
