Apr 25, 2017 the african militant organization alshabaab, which means the youth, is an international terrorist group with connections to alqaeda in central asia and the middle east. Al shabaab is a multiethnic militant group out of somalia that uses many terrorist tactics in attempts to gain control over the country of somalia. The organisation known as alshabaab originally emerged from the islamic courts union icu movement in somalia. Al shabaabs history with humanitarian assistance critical. Pdf on apr 4, 2014, james forest and others published countering the. Alshabaab is a multiethnic militant group out of somalia that uses many terrorist tactics in attempts to gain control over the country of somalia. Witnesses say that alshabaab beheaded civilians during the attack. Jul 15, 2011 al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to prominence in the midst of somalias decadeslong anarchy. In an audio message released in june 2014, sheikh mohammed dulyadeyn, a senior alshabaab commander said. Background report al shabaab attack on garissa university in kenya on thursday, april 2, gunmen attacked garissa university in eastern kenya, near the border with somalia. Nov 15, 2017 why alshabaab targets kenya and what the country can do about it. Al shabaab center for strategic and international studies.
Why alshabaab targets kenya and what the country can do about it. Harakat al shabaab is somalias infamous though underresearched militant islamist. Harakat al shabaab is somalias infamous though underresearched militant islamist group. Alshabaab in somalia is a judicious and timely study of a poorly understood militant islamist group. Amid the outrage against alshabaab, its important to recognise that terrorism does not happen outside of history. The group has experienced two dramatic transformations in its short history. According to mathew thomas 20, al shabaab originated from the remnants of the islamic court union icu also known as al ittihad mahakem al islayiya, which used to be a union of different islamic militant groups in somalia after the collapse of the government in 1991. Alshabaab or alshabab ashshabab is an arabic phrase meaning the youth. Aug 01, 2012 harakat al shabaab is somalias infamous though underresearched militant islamist group. That is certainly true of alshabaab, which was born out of the islamic court. The fight against al shabaab in somalia in 2016 january 19, 2016 in10432. Alshabaab terrorists propaganda and the kenya government. The african militant organization alshabaab, which means the youth, is an international terrorist group with connections to alqaeda in central asia and the middle east.
This book explores the history of the somalia based al harakat al shabaab from 2005 to 2012, offering the first indetail history of one of the most important al qaeda affiliates today and the first to conquer large territories. Pdf this article sets out to explore the evolution, operational strategy and transnational. The alshabaab is based in east africa and controlled some urban areas in yemen and southern somalia. As aweys importance grew within the icu, he passed leadership of al shabaab on to one of his followers, aden hashi ayro. The jihadist group claims to have killed 61 in the assault though somali officials put the death toll at 38.
Al shabaab, the al qaedaaligned militia in somalia, is experiencing some of the most successful months of its recent history. Jihad involving ethiopia more than kenya but had little stamina for the global jihad. The alshabaab is regarded as one of the most dangerous african terrorist organizations. Alshabaabs threat against moderate muslim preachers has been evident since before 2011, but their tactical response seems to have begun in december 20, with the assassinations of two men in malindi, accused of giving information to local and international security agencies. Though al shabaab is starting to gain some recognition, the historical conditions. Al zawahiri approved and welcomed al shabaab as al qaedas somaliabased affiliate in a 15minute video response, stating today, i have glad tidings for the muslim ummah that will please the believers and disturb the disbelievers, which is the joining of the shabaab al mujahideen movement in somalia to qaeda al jihad, to support the jihadi. Al shabaabs formal links with al qaeda were announced in february 2012 when new. An armed policeman searches for alshabaab gunmen during the deadly. Kenya has experienced 100 terror related attacks in three. Kenya steps up the war against al shabaab before its elections. Ronan farrow talks to people in nairobi about the 20 alshabaab attack on the westgate mall and talks to peter pham, director of the. Academic journal article parameters alshabaab in somalia. The history and ideology of a militant islamist group. The organisation known as al shabaab originally emerged from the islamic courts union icu movement in somalia.
Al shabab al arabi club beirut, a lebanese association football club. But since kenya took alshabaab head on in somalia, the attacks have become more frequent and more widespread by the day, piling in its wake graveyards across the country. Shaul shay research fellow, ict june 2014 the views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the international. Modern history of al shabaab while much of the icus leadership quickly fled the ad. Kenyas alhijra remains a persistent threatespecially to somalias immediate. Ethiopia, a part of the antishabaab coalition, is somalias ancient. Alshabaab originated as a militia affiliated with the. The alshabaab faces multiple internal divisions over clan, leadership, tactics, and ideology which a new unity government can exploit to convince parts of the al. A compelling and deeply researched history of alshabaab that lifts the veil on one of the worlds most dangerous and resilient terrorist groups. The attack on the westgate shopping mall in nairobi has officially left at least 59 dead.
On june 8th, alshabaab fighters attacked a military base in puntland, a semiautonomous region in somalia. The article argues that alshababs latest westgate attack in kenya should be. Sep 23, 20 alshabab, or the youth, is an alqaidalinked militant group and u. Rather it is a wellstructured organization composed of several independent components. Pdf countering the alshabaab insurgency in somalia. Aqam futures project case study series july 2011 project.
An armed policeman searches for alshabaab gunmen during the deadly westgate shopping mall terrorist attack in nairobi in. Background report alshabaab attack on garissa university in kenya on thursday, april 2, gunmen attacked garissa university in eastern kenya, near the border with somalia. Radicalisation and alshabaab recruitment in somalia iss paper 266 september 2014 3 lost their fathers or mothers. Despite military pressure and global efforts to starve it of financing, the group continues to operate effectively, allowing it to function as a quasi. Beginning in 2006, the group waged an insurgency against somalias transitional federal government tfg. Al shabaabs foreign threat to somalia by david shinn david shinn is an adjunct professor in the elliott school of international affairs at george washington university. Al shabaab claimed that its attacks in kenya were meant to force kenyan troops to. Harakat alshabaab almujahideen more commonly known as alshabaab. Alshabaab and boko haram ebook by john maszka author. The alshabaab terrorist organisation are largely thought to be behind these last two attacks and were thus the main focal point of this discussion.
Background report alshabaab attack on garissa university. Oct 04, 20 amid the outrage against al shabaab, its important to recognise that terrorism does not happen outside of history. Jun, 2017 on june 8th, alshabaab fighters attacked a military base in puntland, a semiautonomous region in somalia. A survivor is carried away from the scene of the alshabaab.
The history and ideology of a militant islamist group 1st ed. This research sought to uncover the answers to the following questions. Alshabaab and the battle for somalia center for security. A brave attempt to both historicize and scrutinize alshabaab, it is a mustread for anyone wishing to understand a group that has unleashed havoc in parts of africa. The ensuing years were marked by governance weakness, interclan war fare, and warlord control over much of somalia. The al shabaab is regarded as one of the most dangerous african terrorist organizations. The history and ideology of a militant islamist group 20052012.
The impact of restricting and depleting alshabaabs financing 27. Radicalisation and alshabaab recruitment in somalia. These attacks killed more than 1,400 people and wounded more than 5,800 others. Notably, al shabaab has denied responsibility for the past attacks in nairobi, blaming them instead on its supporters. In his book, dr hansen divides al shabaabs history into five distinct phases. Stig jarle hansen is to be lauded as an expert on somalia who gets beyond the echo chambers of conferences and the agendas of websites, wading instead into the real world of somali society and the critical role that alshabaab plays in it. The attack comes on the heels of somali authorities recent. While the tfg was being formed in kenya, major changes were. Stig jarle hansen is to be lauded as an expert on somalia who gets beyond the echo chambers of conferences and the agendas of websites, wading instead into the real world of somali society and the critical role that al shabaab plays in it. Alshabaab, the al qaedaaligned militia in somalia, is experiencing some of the most successful months of its recent. Roland marchal senior research fellow at cnrs sciencespo. The rise of a jihadi movement in a country at war harakat alshabaab al mujaheddin in somalia roland marchal senior research fellow at cnrs sciencespo paris march 2011 this report is independent and does not represent the views of her majestys government.
Hansens remarkable book attempts to go beyond the media headlines and simplistic analyses based on alarmist or localist narratives and, by employing intensive. In may 2012, as part of the process of completing the 2011 roadmap for ending the transition, clan elders nominated the members of the house of the people of the federal parliament. Foreign service, including as ambassador to ethiopia and state department coordinator for somalia during the international intervention in. Al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to. Al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to prominence in the midst of somalias decadeslong anarchy. Amisom operations against al shabaab were enhanced in 2015 by u. Al shabaabs history with humanitarian assistance katherine zimmerman the united nations recently declared that there is a famine in lower shabelle and bakool regions and nearfamine conditions throughout southern somalia. The history of alshabaab south african history online. That is certainly true of al shabaab, which was born out of the islamic court. The history and ideology of a militant islamist group jarle hansen, stig on.
In 2014, it maintained a sizable militant army of around 7,000 to. Alshabab, or the youth, is an alqaidalinked militant group and u. Alshabab, or the youth, is an islamist insurgent group based in somalia. At the same time, alshabaab reflects somalias own history of political islam. Why alshabaab targets kenya and what the country can do. Alzawahiri approved and welcomed alshabaab as alqaedas somaliabased affiliate in a 15minute video response, stating today, i have glad tidings for the muslim ummah that will please the believers and disturb the disbelievers, which is the joining of the shabaab almujahideen movement in somalia to qaeda aljihad, to support the jihadi. The complete, concise history of alshabaab, the group behind the kenyan mall attack. Somalia 20 human rights report executive summary somalia has a federal government. However, the al shabaab is not politically organized. However, the precise extent of that defeat and many of the. Jul 12, 2015 al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Historical background to the development of alshabaab. Thank god kenyan society is divided and facing ethnic clashes between the kikuyu and the luo. Alshabaabs influence on terrorism in kenya between 1970 and 2014 there were more than 440 terrorist attacks in kenya.
Al shabaab s history with humanitarian assistance katherine zimmerman the united nations recently declared that there is a famine in lower shabelle and bakool regions and nearfamine conditions throughout southern somalia. Harun maruf and dan joseph have drawn on their extensive experience reporting on somalia and on interviews with key former figures in alshabaab to produce one of the most important books ever written on jihadi militancy in africa. Kenya steps up the war against al shabaab before its elections fireworks people of lamu and the swahili coast feel trapped between the savagery of al shabaab and the corruption of kenyan officials. The harakat alshabaab almujaahidiin the movement for youth jihadists, a militant organization based in somalia, has long attracted western observers of security and terrorism, and featured in. Due to the importance of al shabaabs islamic base in nairobi, kenyas backlash against that community has been a point of concern in intraal shabaab politics. The alshabaab faces multiple internal divisions over clan, leadership, tactics, and ideology which a new unity government can exploit to convince parts of the al shabaab to abandon the movement and gradually. In may 2012, as part of the process of completing the 2011 roadmap for ending the transition, clan elders nominated the. Background report alshabaab attack on garissa university in. Inside alshabaab is the definitive history of the somali militant group, rich with newly disclosed details about the groups genesis and its ties to alqaeda. The attackers killed 147 and injured 79 before detonating suicide vests when cornered by security forces. The important stories of innovation across the continents wideranging economies. They use many forms of terrorism that include ideological. Its a great introduction for those new to the topic, but its also a landmark work and absolutely required reading for those who study and work to counter terrorism. Al shabaab definitely has a hierarchal structure, since each unit answers to a central leader.
It once held sway over the capital of mogadishu and large portions of the somali countryside, but in. The red cross estimates that some 200 are injured and 49 more are missing. The icu began as a loose grouping of sharia courts that by 2006 had grown into a powerful islamic militia which enjoyed control over much of southern somalia. Dec 19, 2014 alshabaabs threat against moderate muslim preachers has been evident since before 2011, but their tactical response seems to have begun in december 20, with the assassinations of two men in malindi, accused of giving information to local and international security agencies. Aqam futures project case study series case study number 2 july 2011 project directors. The harakat al shabaab al mujaahidiin the movement for youth jihadists, a militant organization based in somalia, has long attracted western observers of security and terrorism, and featured in. Al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Federal parliament members took office i n august 2012. The al shabaab variously spelled shabab and shebaab terrorist group, an al qaedaaffiliated organization with roots in somalia, attacked shoppers in a nairobi, kenya mall this weekend. Originally the small, youth militia arm of a relatively moderate islamist organization that rose to power in somalia in early 2006, al shabaab was radicalized and brought to. The history and ideology of a militant islamist group, 20052012 stig jarle hansen on. Alshabaab and boko haram ebook by john maszka author 84,649 words. Originally the small, youth militia arm of a relatively moderate islamist organization.
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