Was a Kenyan Terrorist Plotting Another 9/11?
On December 16, the US District Court in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment against a Kenyan member of al Shabaab, the Somalia-based, al Qaeda-affiliated terror group. Keep Reading
5 Terrorism Trends to Watch in 2021
2020 emphasized the importance of staying nimble as multiple threats simultaneously unfold. Keep Reading
U.S. Africa Command Stands Up Joint Task Force-Quartz
U.S. Africa Command commander, U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend directed the formation of Joint Task Force- Quartz to oversee Operation Octave Quartz, a mission designated to reposition forces from Somalia. Keep Reading
Kenyan National Indicted for Conspiring to Hijack Aircraft on Behalf of Al Shabaab
Beginning in 2016, at the direction of a senior al Shabaab commander who was responsible for, among other things, planning the 2019 Nairobi hotel attack, Abdullah traveled to the Philippines and enrolled in a flight school there. Keep Reading
Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Target Al-Shabaab Explosives Makers
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab explosives experts in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, Dec. 10. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda’s East Africa Affiliate Will Gain from U.S. Withdrawal, Regional Instability
Al Shabaab, al Qaeda’s East African affiliate, will benefit from the expected withdrawal of US troops from Somalia and growing instability in Somalia and neighboring Ethiopia. Keep Reading
U.S. Troops to Withdraw From Somalia Amid Ongoing Terror Threat
The United States is pulling hundreds of troops deployed to Somalia to battle al-Shabab terrorists even as military commanders admit the threat from the al-Qaida-linked terror group has not been eliminated. Keep Reading
Al-Shabaab Blamed for Killing Family of 7 in Somalia
A family of seven, including four children, were killed in what is believed to be an al-Shabaab attack in Somalia, authorities confirmed Wednesday. Keep Reading
State Department Designates Two Senior Al-Shabaab Leaders as Terrorists
Abdullahi Osman Mohamed, a senior al-Shabaab official also known as “Engineer Ismail,” is the terrorist group’s senior explosives expert responsible for the overall management of al-Shabaab’s explosives operations and manufacturing. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda, Al Shabaab Urge ‘Gallant Knights’ to Globally Emulate France Terror Attacks
Terror groups are using the attacks to incite, with a message of singular purpose trumping credit to one group. Keep Reading
Al-Shabaab’s Improvised Explosive Device Supply Chain Gambit in Somalia
Al-Shabaab ended 2019 with a truck-borne improvised explosive device (IED) attack that killed at least 82 people and wounded dozens more in Mogadishu, Somalia. Keep Reading
ICE Removes Somali Man Convicted of Aiding Terror Group
Mahdi Mohammed Hashi, 31, a citizen of Somalia, was removed by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago Field Office via an ICE Air Operations charter flight without incident. Once in Somalia, ICE officers transferred custody of Hashi to local authorities. Keep Reading
Three Somali Special Forces Killed, U.S. Officer Wounded in Car Bomb, Somali Official Says
Three Somali special forces soldiers were killed and a U.S. officer was seriously wounded in a car bomb on Monday outside the force’s base in the country’s south, a regional Somali government official said. Keep Reading
AFRICOM: Al Shabaab a ‘Dangerous Enemy’ Posing Threat to Region and United States
U.S. Africa Command continues to train Somali forces and support operations with precision airstrikes. In 2020, U.S. Africa Command has conducted 46 airstrikes to degrade the Al-Shabaab terrorist network. Keep Reading
Mogadishu Attack: Political Instability and the Enduring Menace of Al Shabaab
Despite significant counter-terrorism and disengagement efforts, al Shabaab remains very much active and pervasive. Keep Reading
Mogadishu Attack: Somali Troops End Deadly Siege at Elite Hotel
Somali special forces say they have ended a siege at a hotel in the capital Mogadishu that was stormed by armed al-Shabab militants. Keep Reading
Al-Shabaab Claims Deadly Blast at Military Base in Somali Capital Mogadishu
At least seven people were killed when a car bomb exploded at an army base in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday, military and emergency services said. Keep Reading
The Limits of ‘Shabaab-CARE’: Militant Governance Amid COVID-19
While rudimentary health advice has been circulated through these organizations’ official channels, they have also consistently claimed that jihad would itself provide protection and sought to ‘weaponize’ the virus. Keep Reading
Somali Army Remains ‘Incapable’ of Dislodging Al-Shabaab, U.S. Says
Somalia's army remains “incapable” of ousting Al-Shabaab from its strongholds, enabling the insurgents to exercise continued control over large parts of the country, the US State Department said on Wednesday. Keep Reading
Coronavirus
Youth, Violent Extremist Recruitment, and COVID-19 in Kenya
Overstretched militarily and economically – as funds initially earmarked for combating violent extremist groups and healthcare provisions continue to be diverted to deal with the widespread pandemic – many countries fear the potential for the emergence of a new wave of violent extremism. Keep Reading