After ISS leader remarks, will Daesh target Al-Shabaab in Somalia?

Ahmed Adel

A video published by ISIS terrorist Abdel Qader Mumin on Telegram has announced a declaration of war on al-Qaeda branches in Somalia, as he urged terrorists to carryout armed operation against Al-Shabaab militant group.

The appearance of Mumin raised many questions, especially that the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced him dead in April 2019.

Daesh in Somalia (ISS), or Abnaa ul-Calipha (Sons of the Caliph), emerged in 2015 as a splinter group of al-Shabaab. It is affiliated to Daesh. It operates in the mountainous areas of Puntland in the north and has claimed responsibility for several terrorist attacks across Somalia.

The ISS is led by Mumin a Somali-born British citizen who returned to Somalia in 2010 to join al-Shabab, before dissenting to join Daesh.

In August 2016, the United States listed Mumin on the terrorism list, describing him as the leader of Daesh in East Africa, labeling him a global terrorist.

This was not the first warning of its kind, as in November 2018, Daesh warned Al-Shabaab that it would obstruct and hinder its operations in Somalia, accusing the terrorist group of killing a terrorist who wanted to join Daesh in Somalia and arresting two others for the same reason.

Since his split from Al-Shabaab, Mumin has been residing in Puntland, northeastern Somalia, currently, he is facing a number of challenges including the killing of a number of his recruits by Al-Shabaab.

The defeats that Daesh faced in Syria and Iraq in December 2017 gave the terrorist organization enough motive to change its designation, especially towards Somalia in Africa. Around 20,000 Puntland residents have fled their homes after Daesh chose it a center for the so-called Islamic caliphate in Somalia.

A few days after the death of al-Shabaab’s leader Ahmed Abdi Godane in September 2014, Daesh surfaced in Somalia after Al-Shabaab’s influence receded before African and government forces.

Daesh militants headed directly to the north-eastern region of Somalia, with more attacks in the capital Mogadishu, as of the 39 terrorist attacks it carried out in 2018, it carried out 23 operations in  Mogadishu.

In December 2018, Al-Shabaab declared war on Daesh after its leaders found out that Daesh wanted to drive a wedge between the rows of Al-Shabaab to join its so-called caliphate.

Islamist Movement researcher Abou el Fadl Al-Isnawy told The Reference that the announcements by the ISS leader only seek to declare the existence of Daesh in Somalia and raise the morale of its militias.

He further affirmed that Mumin clearly declares war against the Somali state and the US existence in Somalia, while shaking up Al-Shabaab’s stature.