The British and American strategies in fighting Al-Shabaab in Somalia

Mohamed El-Dabouly

The Horn of Africa has recently witnessed an upsurge in the operational activity of Al-Shabaab Movement both inside Somalia and in neighboring countries such as Kenya.

Finally, the expansion of Al Shabaab’s operational activity was no longer limited to terrorist attacks by car bombs and attacks on military checkpoints. It extended to include intelligence activities and planting of intelligence elements within the security services.

In the midst of these developments in the field of the movement in the Horn of Africa, British efforts have emerged to fight against the expansion of Al Shabaab movement.

These efforts were in providing technical and logistical support to the countries of the region and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In addition to, the British efforts, to combat the movement, by intensifying air raids against the strongholds of the organization in Somalia.

The United States and Britain strategies in dealing with Al Shabaab movement, has resulted different implications:

Shabaab has managed to launch a lot of attacks of different types during the last two weeks in Mogadishu and the southern states.

On Friday, August 31, 2018, Afgoye in Shabelle State was invaded by the movement’s militia, killing three soldiers and injuring six others. At the same time, the Kenyan border on Somali August 29, 2018 witnessed attack by the movement’s fighters on one of the border points; killing five soldiers of the Kenya Defense Forces.

In the recent period, news reported about the ability of Shabaab movement to penetrate the security services, both in Somalia and in neighboring countries, after the detection of the Kenyan security forces arrested “Karutha Githaiga” commander and former officer in the General Services Unit (GSU) during an attempt to infiltrate the Somali border and Kenya and contact The deputy director of Somali intelligence, “General Abdullah Abdullah.

Finally, Deputy Defense Secretary Mark Lancaster promised that his country would train the Kenyan troops operating within the African Union’s military mission in Somalia.

The British pledge was made during a visit by the President of the United Nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Theresa Mei of Kenya. British support for Kenya comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s threats to withdraw its troops from Somalia.

The international community has reduced the amount of support given to AMISOM. The EU has reduced the amount of support given to AMISOM by 20% sat in 2017 the gradual reduction of forces mission, and the transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali security forces.

The United States has not been absent from recent developments in the Horn of Africa, which is witnessing a growing presence of al Shabaab.

On August 2018, the US Army Command in Africa (AFRICOM)  announced of killing elements of the movement in an air strike, carried out in the territory of central Juba, south of Mogadishu about 40 km.

In the end we can say Al-Shabaab has managed to adapt somewhat to military and security pressures, and penetrate it. In the past two weeks, the strikes have hit many different targets, both in Kenya and Somalia, underscoring the weakness of international efforts to confront the movement.