Somalia Takes On Al Shabaab

The government of Somalia has announced that the army has regained from Al Shabaab the control of the port of Harardhere, 500 kilometers northeast from the capital Mogadishu and the neighboring city of Galcad. This is one of the most outstanding victories of the army in its long lasting fight against the Islamic Jihadist group.

In retaliation, Al Shabaab shot and killed five people in central Somalia. Al Shabaab, The Youngs in Arab language, is a yihadist group
attached to Al Qaeda from its very beginning, more than ten years ago. It has been threatening and attacking the army and the government of Somalia over this period and it has also carried out attacks in some resorts and hotels in the neighboring Kenia. Al Shabbab aims at creating an Islamic caliphate in the southern and central parts of Somalia. Its influence and attacks on the
northern parts of the country, Somaliland, is almost nil.

Somalia, 17 million people is 2021, is a very poor country, whose GDP was in 2021 7.600 million USD; some estimates show that at least 40% of the GDP comes from money transfers from residents abroad. The national army, quite weak, is being supported in its fight against Al Shabaab by the Transition Mission of the African Union, while the European Union Training Mission is helping the army to improve their capabilities and coordination.

In the general schedule, the Somalian army will take care of the fight against the yihadists on his own from 2024 on. The political landscape of Somalia consists of many clans, whose militias control small areas. The local militias of Harardhere have fought alongside the army and they have been the key in regaining of the port and Galcad. Some analysts suggest that Hassan Sheik, the president of Somalia, should ask for the support of local militias to fight and defeat Al Shabaab, though some political drawbacks may prevent him from doing that.