Al-Shabaab and the Grim Realities of Somalia’s Forever War
Modern War InstituteJan 06, 2023
On Sunday, at least five civilians were killed and 16 others injured when fighters from the al-Shabaab militant group stormed a regional government office in the capital Mogadishu, the Somali Information Ministry said.
The attack by the al-Qaeda-linked group reportedly began with a suicide bombing before the armed men entered the building and exchanged fire with security forces.
Al-Shabaab's recent attacks prove that the extremist group remains resilient and Africa's most capable terrorist organization. Even international support, a clan rebellion, and both a popular backlash and recent US military re-engagement have failed to change the fact that al-Shabaab maintains territorial control over vast swaths of central and southern Somalia. As long as there are no serious negotiation efforts and many Somalis and non-Somalis benefit more from war than peace, there is no end to the forever war against al-Shabaab.
The latest attacks are a setback, but they cannot disguise the fact that the Mohamud government has achieved considerable success in the fight against al-Shabaab in recent months. Added to this are international support and growing resistance from clans and the enraged population. Therefore, it is surely no coincidence that al-Shabaab now suddenly seems open to negotiating with the government. Mogadishu is on the right track, and there is now every reason to hope that the extremists won't be able to withstand external and internal pressure much longer.