Somalia: Successful action against al-Shabaab

Islamic oppression Somalia | 13 October 2022

Senior al-Shabaab leaders have been killed.

The ongoing Somali National Army (SNA) offensive has not been unsuccessful. As reported by the Gulf of Aden Security Review (GASR) on 7 October 2022, the most recent operation resulted in the death of al-Shabaab's spokesman, Ali Dhere, on 6 October. On the same day, the SNA rounded up al-Shabaab militants in the city of Beledweyne, Hiraan region. GASR also reported on 3 October 2022 that US Africa Command (AFRICOM) killed Abdullahi Nadir, a senior al-Shabaab leader, with a drone strike on 1 October in south-western Somalia. He managed al-Shabaab’s finances and was first in line for leadership succession.

Despite such developments, al-Shabaab has still been able to launch serious attacks over recent weeks, the largest of which was reported by All Africa (accessed 11 October 2022): “Somalia was shaken by three bomb blasts on Monday, October 3, 2022 - in which over 40 people, including senior government officials were killed. Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the blasts.” According to a report by Somalia Dispatch on 30 September 2022, al-Shabaab militants also executed six men in a public square in Kuunyo Barow district of Lower Shabelle region. They were accused of being spies working for US intelligence and the Federal Government of Somalia.
World Watch Research Analyst Yonas Dembele comments: “This latest offensive against al-Shabaab could dislodge the group as long as it is well coordinated and the pressure can be sustained. But it is very difficult to maintain this level of coordinated attack over a long period of time. The group is capable of lying low to let the storm pass, only to resurface several months later with deadly attacks in other regions or countries. For the Christian community in the country and region, al-Shabaab continues to pose a serious threat.”