IntelBrief: Al-Shabaab Attack Demonstrates Continued Resilience in Somalia

Bottom Line Up Front

• A deadly weekend-long siege by al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, at an upscale Mogadishu hotel resulted in 21 dead and more than 100 people injured.
• Despite the airstrikes and increased U.S. troop presence in Somalia, al-Shabaab clearly remains capable of conducting high-profile terrorist attacks directly in Somalia’s capital.
• Al-Shabaab has repeatedly proven that it remains highly resilient and able to embarrass the Somali government, proving to Somalis that the government and security forces are unable to protect them.
• The challenge posed by al-Shabaab is set against the backdrop of deteriorating conditions across Somalia, highlighting that effectively countering the terrorist threat means also addressing food insecurity, severe drought, and ongoing governance challenges.