Al-Shabaab militants pose the biggest threat to peace in Somalia and the region, says UN expert
UNITED NATIONS: The al-Shabaab militant group remains the greatest immediate threat to peace and stability in Somalia and the region, particularly Kenya, United Nations experts said in a report released on Wednesday.
Despite continued efforts by Somali and international forces to curb operations by al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab, “the group's ability to carry out complex and asymmetric attacks in Somalia remains undiminished,” experts said.
They said the threat stems not only from al-Shabab's offensive capabilities (including in the capital Mogadishu, where it attempted to assassinate the president on March 18), but also from its sophisticated extortion operations, forced recruitment, and effective propaganda methods.
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to extend the authorization of the African Union's “assistance and stabilization” force in Somalia until December 31, 2026. The force includes 11,826 uniformed personnel, including 680 police officers.
Experts said the extremist group posed a serious threat to neighboring Kenya, with “a range of attacks ranging from attacks with improvised explosive devices, primarily targeting security personnel, to attacks on infrastructure, kidnappings, raids and livestock theft”.
This year, al-Shabab carried out an average of about six attacks a month in Kenya, mostly in Mandera and Lamu counties, which border Somalia in the northeast, the committee said.
Experts said al-Shabab's goal remains to remove the Somali government and “exclude foreign forces from the country and establish a Greater Somalia that joins all Somalis across East Africa under strict Islamic rule.”
The panel of experts also investigated Islamic State activities in Somalia and reported that fighters to join the extremist group are being recruited from all over the world, with the majority coming from East Africa. As of the end of 2024, the group known as ISIL-Somalia had more than 1,000 fighters, at least 60% foreign fighters, they said.
“Although smaller in number and financial resources than al-Shabab, the group's expansion has posed a significant threat to the peace and security of Somalia and the wider region,” the panel said.
