East Africa’s Terrorists Should Concern the West
Al-Shabaab, first designated as a terrorist organization in 2008, has since merged with al-Qaeda and is described as their largest African affiliate. The group is primarily based in Somalia but has infiltrated and carried out attacks in many of Africa’s Eastern nations. Furthermore, Al-Shabaab has made several direct threats towards the U.S. and most recently after the death of their leader Ahmed Godane, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike earlier this month. Godane is thought to have trained with the Taliban prior to founding al-Shabaab, proving to have an even deeper tie with Middle Eastern terror groups.
Following the drone strike, Fuad Mohamed Khalaf Shongole, a high level al-Shabaab official was quoted several times asserting that the U.S. will wait and see “shocking news” and that “many Americans will be killed in New York and Washington. This is real. Men have already been prepared.”
In addition to these threats, as retaliation, al-Shabaab targeted a Somali senior national security officer, ambushed his car, and executed him. This comes only a month after the ruthless murder of his predecessor.
Terrorist organizations have spiked dramatically in the post-9/11 era; thirty-six according to the U.S. State Department. With much of the world focusing on terrorism in the Middle East, terrorist organizations in Africa are gaining strength. A network of powerful groups has increasingly infiltrated the Northern region of Africa. This new wave includes Al -Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al-Mulathamun Battalion, Ansar al-Shariah, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad in West Africa (TWJWA), with splinter groups like Ansaru and Ansar Dine growing at a rapid pace.
With a few exceptions, these terrorist organizations have limited their activity to regions and African countries in close proximity to them. However, it will not be long before their capabilities allow them to reach beyond the African continent. This is especially true since several of these groups have made threats to expand globally and have the means to fulfill their extremist intentions.
Al-Shabaab has made threats towards the West in the past, but they were not carried out. However, most of these threats were voiced before their merger with al-Qaeda. Since forming an allegiance to al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab’s attacks have increased in scale; this includes the Westgate Mall attack in Kenya. It is thought that al-Shabaab has been able to recruit more foreign fighters than any other al-Qaeda affiliate, which illustrates the global reach the group has and the possible influence of pledging its allegiance to al-Qaeda. Finally, the pledge to al-Qaeda allows for greater resources in terror Intel and advising which could assert al-Shabaab as an extremely dangerous network in the near future.
Al-Qaeda also has the potential to increase al-Shabaab’s financial needs. The group previously built a large portion of their wealth through the charcoal trade, but has been unable to maintain it since Kenyan forces pushed them out of the port of Kismayo. However, Al-Shabaab still has control of several smaller ports and finances themselves through charities, extortion, individual donations from countries like Yemen and Qatar, possible donations from Eritrea, and wealth acquired from the ivory trade.
Al-Shabaab seems to be on the path towards an attack outside of its African targets; and if its leader’s threats are any indication, it could likely be the West. It is crucial that Western countries work closely with the African nations that are affected to extinguish this threat before al-Shabaab is able to plan and execute another major attack.
