Al-Shabaab (militant group)

Al-Shabaab, also called Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, is a Sunni Islamist group based in Somalia. It fights in the Somali Civil War and controls parts of south and southwestern Somalia, calling that area the Islamic Wilayat of Somalia. The group has allied with al-Qaeda and works with other militant groups in East Africa.

Al-Shabaab began in the mid-2000s during a time when Ethiopia invaded Somalia. It grew by fighting against foreign forces and later became strong in many areas. Many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, call it a terrorist organization and have worked to stop its activities.

From 2011 to 2013, forces from the African Union and the Somali government took back much of the land controlled by Al-Shabaab, including the capital city, Mogadishu. Even with losses, the group kept power in rural areas and continued to attack cities. Al-Shabaab has carried out many deadly attacks in Somalia and nearby countries like Kenya and Ethiopia. By 2022, it was thought to have between 7,000 and 18,000 fighters.

Name

Al-Shabaab is also known as Ash-Shabaab and Jaysh al-Usra in Somalia. The name "Al-Shabaab" means "the youth" in Arabic. Since 2011, the group has called its area in Somalia the Islamic Wilayah of Somalia.

Organisation and Structure

Al-Shabaab started as a group of young fighters within a larger organization in Somalia. After Somalia was invaded by Ethiopia in 2006, Al-Shabaab became independent and fought against the Ethiopian forces. Many of its early leaders had training in Afghanistan and believed strongly in their religious views.

Al-Shabaab wants to create an Islamic state in Somalia and opposes any foreign influence or government that does not follow their strict religious rules. They see outside countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States as enemies trying to control Somalia. The group has changed in size over the years, with estimates of its fighters ranging from a few thousand to about 18,000.

The group is led by a small council and has different departments for tasks like military actions, teaching, collecting taxes, and local governance. They try to include people from various backgrounds, though some clans are more represented than others. Some members join because of the pay or because they believe in the group’s message, and unfortunately, many young people, including children, have been involved. Women mainly support the group in roles like recruitment and gathering information rather than fighting.

History

Main article: Timeline of al-Shabaab-related events

Al-Shabaab began in Las Anod in 2003. That same year, the American Central Intelligence Agency started secret operations against the Islamic Courts Union by supporting Somali leaders who opposed them. This was to stop Somalia from becoming a place where dangerous groups could hide.

In 2006, Ethiopian forces invaded Somalia. This invasion caused many people to support Al-Shabaab as a resistance group. The group grew quickly and started controlling areas. By 2008, it had about 2,000 fighters.

Al-Shabaab focused on fighting the Somali government and used bombings and kidnappings. By 2009-2010, it controlled much of southern Somalia. However, its harsh ways and loss of support led to challenges.

In the following years, Al-Shabaab lost some areas but continued to fight using smaller attacks. They also faced internal disagreements and losses of leaders. Despite these challenges, the group remained active.

In recent years, Al-Shabaab has regrouped and continued its efforts in Somalia. The group has been involved in several major attacks and has faced military actions from different countries. As of 2025, Al-Shabaab launched a large military offensive, aiming to capture more areas and eventually the capital, Mogadishu.

Propaganda strategy

Al-Shabaab uses different ways to share its messages with people. In rural areas of Somalia, they often talk directly to people in meetings or over the radio. They have their own radio station, Radio Andalus, where they broadcast in several languages. They also made a television news channel and created films to share their views.

The group uses the internet and social media to spread its messages. They have used websites, Facebook, and Twitter to share videos and updates. They have talked to people online and used these platforms to share information and build support. Even when some of their accounts were closed, they kept creating new ones to continue sharing their messages.

Local governance strategy

In the areas it controls, Al-Shabaab tries to manage the local population by offering services, such as solving disagreements using special courts. Some people in Somalia even go to these areas to solve problems because they don’t trust the government’s services. The group has sometimes said that its rules helped improve Somali grain production and helped farmers, but it has also been accused of hurting people in harsh ways.

Residents of Tortoro celebrate with Lower Shabelle governor Abdulkadir Mohamed Sidi after the town's liberation from al-Shabaab, June 2015.

Even though Al-Shabaab has sometimes attacked aid workers, it has allowed some aid groups to work in the areas it controls. This is often because the group wants to benefit from the aid. During a serious drought in 2011, Al-Shabaab allowed more aid workers to help, although it still did not agree with some aid groups. The group has also made rules about things like banning certain bags and protecting some trees, saying these help people and animals, even though it is also known for harmful actions. In 2020, Al-Shabaab talked about the COVID-19 pandemic and set up a center to help people who got sick.

Foreign recruitment

Al-Shabaab is known for bringing in fighters from outside Somalia. These include people from Somali communities living abroad, citizens of countries in East Africa, and others from places like the Middle East and Western countries. Some of these foreign fighters have helped the group carry out big attacks and brought useful skills, like making explosives and using special weapons.

Foreign fighters have also helped Al-Shabaab share its messages with the world, creating content in languages like English and Swahili. At one point, between 2011 and 2013, many foreign fighters joined the group, drawing attention from countries like the United Kingdom and the United States. However, over time, the number of foreign fighters has gone down. This is partly because other conflicts, like the war in Syria, drew people away, and also because Al-Shabaab began to focus more on local issues in Somalia. Today, most foreign fighters come from East African countries like Kenya, and they usually hold less important positions within the group.

Relationship with other militant groups

Between 2010 and 2012, a smaller group of Somali fighters called Hizbul Islam joined Al-Shabaab after losing battles. However, in 2012, Hizbul Islam left Al-Shabaab, saying their goals were too different.

Al-Shabaab has worked with groups in nearby countries. In Kenya, it had a unit called Jaysh Ayman made up of both Somali and Kenyan fighters.

In 2012, Al-Shabaab leaders promised to follow another group called al-Qaeda. This meant they worked together on training and sharing ideas. However, Al-Shabaab still made its own decisions most of the time.

Al-Shabaab also had some talks with other groups, but mostly stayed focused on its goals in Somalia.

In 2015, another group called the Islamic State tried to get Al-Shabaab to join them, but Al-Shabaab refused. Some fighters in Al-Shabaab supported the Islamic State and left to form their own group. This caused fights between the two groups. In 2018, Al-Shabaab started a campaign against the Islamic State members in their ranks.

Sources of income and arms

In 2020, it was estimated that Al-Shabaab made about $15 million each month, similar to the Somali government’s income. By 2019, their military spending was around $21 million.

Al-Shabaab gets money in many ways. In the past, they received support from people outside Somalia and other groups. Today, they rely more on local activities. They control trade routes and charge taxes on goods like charcoal, ivory, and sugar. They also get money by taxing businesses and people in areas they control.

Map showing the Horn of Africa with UN recognized countries

The group also gets weapons from many places. Some come from other countries through secret routes. Sometimes, weapons meant for the Somali government end up in their hands.

International response

Terrorist designation

Many countries have officially listed Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization. These include:

Australia (since 22 August 2009)
Canada (since 5 March 2010)
Malaysia
New Zealand (since 10 February 2010)
Singapore (since 18 March 2016)
United Arab Emirates (since 15 November 2014)
United Kingdom (since March 2010)
United States (since 29 February 2008)

Bounties

In 2012, the United States started offering rewards for information about important members of Al-Shabaab. The rewards were part of a program to help capture these individuals. The United States offered large amounts of money for details about key leaders of the group. In response, a leader of Al-Shabaab made a joke offer of rewards for information about important leaders of the United States. The United States said this joke offer was silly. Later, the United States and other countries continued to offer rewards for information about different leaders of Al-Shabaab.

List of leaders

Emirs

Ahmad Diri (2014–present)
Ahmed Godane † (2008–2014)
Aden Hashi Farah Ayro † (2005–2008)

Leading figures

Important members currently in top positions of the group include:

Former members

Past important members of Al-Shabaab include:

Foreign leaders and members

Well-known foreign members of Al-Shabaab have included:

Jehad Serwan Mostafa (United States)
Abu Musa Mombasa (Pakistan)
Samantha Lewthwaite (Britain) (unconfirmed)
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed † (Kenya)
Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir (Kenya)
Omar Shafik Hammami † (United States)
Mujahid Miski (United States)