Somalia — Al-Shabaab Insurgency
Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency against the Somali Federal Government and AMISOM/ATMIS peacekeeping forces since 2006. Despite military setbacks, the group controls significant rural territory, runs parallel taxation systems, and conducts regular terrorist attacks in Mogadishu, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa. It is the largest active jihadist organization in sub-Saharan Africa by territorial control.
Dossier summary
Current conflict profile
Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency against the Somali Federal Government and AMISOM/ATMIS peacekeeping forces since 2006. Despite military setbacks, the group controls significant rural territory, runs parallel taxation systems, and conducts regular terrorist attacks in Mogadishu, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa. It is the largest active jihadist organization in sub-Saharan Africa by territorial control.
Persistence drivers
Why this conflict persists
Al-Shabaab persists through clan-based recruitment in regions where the federal government provides no services, control of taxation on trade routes and agricultural land, ideological appeal in areas of extreme poverty, and governance failures that make the group the de facto authority in parts of Lower and Middle Shabelle.
Human and economic impact
Displacement, fatalities, and economic pressure
The live side tables for actors, displacement timeseries, economy rows, forecasts, events, and timeline are currently empty for this conflict, so this static dossier uses the verified inline conflict record.
Outlook
Risk and spillover assessment
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