(23-09-23) MOGADISHU — Al-Shabaab, the Islamist extremist group in Somalia, on Saturday, issued a statement on an airstrike that targeted Al-Shabaab High-Ranking Leader, Isaaq Abdullahi Mohamed Afey, in Bakool Region on Friday, which some analysts describe as a “desperate” move to rally support, as the group faces sustained military pressure from Somali and international forces.
The group, which has sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda, has been on the back foot in recent months, losing key territories and strategic bases to a combination of Somali troops and American airstrikes in Galmudug, Hirshabelle and South West states.
The latest communique from Al-Shabaab appears to pivot from their diminishing power, focusing instead on allegations of war crimes committed by US and African Union forces. Ahmed Hassan, a security analyst based in Mogadishu, who’s tracked the group’s activities for years, finds their latest words telling. ‘They’re clutching at straws. For the first time in a long time, you sense they’re the ones who are afraid,’ says Hassan.
Furthermore, the statement frames the conflict as a broader war against Islam. However, this narrative faces increasing scrutiny as the group loses the support of Somali people who have been victims of its austere form of Islamic law.
The international community remains steadfast in its support for the Somali government’s efforts to root out Al-Shabaab and establish a lasting peace in the country. General Anood, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, who lost a friend to an Al-Shabaab attack years ago, shares a sense of cautious optimism. ‘Their ideological battles are falling flat. It’s a sign that we’re doing something right,’ he said.
Their latest statement may be filled with the same old rhetoric, but something has changed. Al-Shabaab still poses a real threat, but as Hassan warns us, ‘the cracks are beginning to show.’ In a country longing for peace, that’s a start.
Halqabsi News
