Somalia

The secret Houthi plan to move missiles, drones beyond Red Sea

The Houthis have moved weapons toward the coast to expand their area of operations and target western navies operating in the area.

U.S. military kills Hezbollah Brigades fighter in strike in Iraq

The U.S. military killed a fighter from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah Brigades in an airstrike in western Iraq on Nov. 21. The Hezbollah Brigades fighter had previously attacked U.S. troops at the Ain al-Asad...

Shabaab claims several al-Qaeda leaders present during infamous ‘Black Hawk Down’ incident

In a newly released video – touted as a documentary by Shabaab – the Somali jihadi group claimed that as many as 10 al-Qaeda leaders and figures were present during the infamous ‘Black Hawk Down’...

How Hamas Angled for Russia-China Support

Moscow and Beijing have their reasons to hope for Hamas’ survival.

U.S. offers $5 million reward for Shabaab’s deputy emir

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Abukar Ali Adan, the deputy leader of Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in...

Shabaab hosts massive pro-Palestine protests in southern Somalia

A few days after publicly supporting the Hamas-led invasion of Israel, Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s branch for East Africa, hosted massive pro-Palestine protests in its strongholds in southern Somalia’s...

Al-Qaeda’s North and West African branches respond to the Hamas-led invasion of Israel

In a joint statement released online, al-Qaeda’s branches in North Africa and West Africa, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), respectively,...

Shabaab celebrates Hamas-led invasion of Israel, calls people to jihad

Joining other al-Qaeda branches around the world, Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s branch for East Africa, expressed jubilation for the Hamas-led invasion of Israel in a new statement. Shabaab thus joins al-Qaeda’s...

Shabaab responds to FDD’s Long War Journal study on its suicide bombings

Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, responded to FDD’s Long War Journal’s recent study on its suicide bombings through an article published on its Shahada News Agency. While...

Somalia suffers worst month on record for suicide bombings

In September 2023, Somalia suffered the most suicide bombings (and attempts) in a single month since Shabaab began utilizing the tactic in 2006. At least 14 attempted and successful suicide bombings were...

U.S. designates Islamic State financier in Somalia

On Thursday, the United States government sanctioned Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the financial emir for the Islamic State’s Somali Province (or Islamic State-Somalia, ISS). In this capacity, Yusuf was responsible...

AFRICOM launches ‘self-defense’ airstrikes against Shabaab in Somalia

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) killed five members of Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in a “self-defense airstrike” in central Somalia on July 19. AFRICOM has launched four self-defense...

Analysis: Shabaab takes advantage of slowed counter-offensive

Somalia’s large counter-offensive against Shabaab is currently stalled and its much touted next phase continues to be delayed. In response, Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, seeks to gain...

US adds $5 million bounty to the Islamic State’s leader in the DRC

Yesterday, the United States’ State Department’s Rewards for Justice program placed a $5 million bounty on Musa Baluku, the emir of the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province in the Democratic Republic...

Analysis: U.S. Military kills key Islamic State leader in Africa

The United States announced yesterday that it conducted a special operations forces (SOF) raid on a hideout of the Islamic State’s branch in Somalia. During the raid, the SOF troops killed Bilal al-Sudani,...

U.S. military strikes Shabaab in central Somalia

The U.S. military targeted Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in a pair of strikes in central Somalia over the past several days. The first attack took place on Jan. 20 near the town of Galcad...

State places $10 million bounty on Kenyan Shabaab commander

Just a few days after placing a similar bounty on Maalim Ayman, the head of Shabaab’s Kenyan military wing, the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program is now also offering $10 million for...

U.S. offers $10 million bounty for top Shabaab military commander

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program announced today that is offering a $10 million bounty for information leading to the capture and prosecution of Maalim Ayman, a Shabaab military...

FDD’s Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: The Year in Review

Another long hotel siege ends in Mogadishu

Somali forces have finally ended yet another long hotel siege in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu, almost twenty four hours after it began. The siege, which was upon the Villa Rays Hotel just meters from...