IntelBrief: Somalia Continues to Deteriorate as Al-Shabaab Gains Ground

Bottom Line Up Front

• Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab, a jihadist militant group active in Somalia and throughout the broader Horn of Africa, is experiencing a resurgence.
• S. Army Gen. Steven Townsend told Congress that “we may be backsliding” and that the departure of U.S. troops from Somalia has limited Washington’s ability to contain jihadist groups including al-Shabaab.
• By drawing down forces in places like South Asia, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa, the U.S. and allies have allowed terrorist and insurgent groups to rebuild their networks and refine their capabilities.
• While al-Shabaab was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2008, it remains unsanctioned by the United Nations, an issue that Kenyan authorities have been pushing to change for years.