US Report: Al-Shabaab accessing finances and recruits, freely moves in Somalia

WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida associates Al-Shabaab remains a major headache for the United States and her allies in Africa despite efforts to degrade the terrorist group, State Department has acknowledged, Garowe Online reports.

For a decade now, the group has masterminded deadly attacks within and outside Somalia, killing dozens of security forces and civilians.

According to the State Department report on counterterrorism for 2018, the militant group still retains access to recruits and resources, a move that strengths her territory in Somalia.

"Al-Shabaab retained safe haven, access to recruits and resources, and de facto control over large parts of Somalia through which it moves freely," reads the report, which was released on 1st November 2019.

With the group threatening regional integration, the report notes, concerted efforts were made by the US and regional powers to neutralize the group.

Besides deployment of military forces through AMISOM, East Africa nations developed a mechanism to limit travels and illicit activities ostensibly targeting Al-Shabaab.

"East African partners undertook efforts to develop and expand regional cooperation mechanisms to interdict terrorist travel and other illicit activities," the US said.

Across the continent, the US observes, Boko Haram remains another biggest threat to counterterrorism efforts given her grip in parts of West Africa.

The group controls parts of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Chad. However, through the US African Command and regional partners, Boko Haram has been significantly neutralized.

Although not familiar with terror-related incidents, South African region experienced a few challenges mainly recorded in South Africa and Mozambique.

"Four individuals were charged, including two with terrorist connections. Also in South Africa, incendiary devices were planted in the Durban area on multiple occasions," notes the report.

To completely vanquish terrorists in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, the US has come with strategic and deliberate efforts that target partnerships with security forces.

State Department acknowledges contributions by the Djibouti government towards defeating terrorism.

However, the US has expressed disappointment in the manner in which the country uses counterterrorism legislation to suppress the opposition.

"The government continued to use counterterrorism legislation to suppress criticism by detaining and prosecuting opposition figures and other activists," the US notes.

Despite cooperation by many East Africa nations in the fight against terrorism specifically waged by Al-Shabaab, Eritrea has been profiled as non-committal.

The Government of Eritrea’s lack of transparency means there was no clear picture of the methods it used to track terrorists or maintain safeguards for its citizens, the report notes.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, has been lauded for transformative leadership geared towards eliminating terrorism.

Sharing the longest border with Somalia, the report notes, Addis Ababa had effectively used the army to monitor activities both along the border and inside Somalia.

"The continuing al-Shabaab threat emanating from Somalia dominated the Government of Ethiopia’s security posture and the Ethiopian National Defense Force’s (ENDF’s) 2018 counterterrorism efforts," State Department said.

Kenya recorded the highest cases of terrorism-related incidents, with most of them targeting security forces and civilians within the North-Eastern region.

The Al-Shabaab militants, the report added, took advantage of the porous border along Kenya-Somalia to wage deadly attacks in 2018 using IEDs.

Security forces, however, remained alert and thwarted some of Al-Shabaab attacks. But the report raises eyebrows on human rights violations among them extrajudicial killings, torture, and disappearances.

"Security services responded to numerous terrorist incidents, while also disrupting Al-Shabaab and ISIS attack planning, recruitment, and travel," reads the report.

"Reports of human rights violations by security forces during counterterrorism operations continued, including allegations of extra-judicial killings, disappearances, and torture."

Somalia also suffered the highest number of internal attacks mainly waged by Al-Shabaab. Mogadishu, despite the heavy presence of troops, experienced most attacks.

The report further exposes the internal conflict between ISIS group mainly stationed in some parts of Puntland, which has declared war against Al-Shabaab.

"ISIS-Somalia, located primarily in Puntland, expanded activities, establishing influence in Mogadishu with an intimidation and extortion campaign while declaring war on al-Shabaab."

The US has continued to support the peacekeeping missions in Somalia by financing most AMISOM operations. Humanitarian groups such as UNSOM are also sponsored by Washington DC.

Across the world, the report established that the US has managed to degrade ISIS, liberating millions of people. Acres of land that was initially occupied by the group have been recaptured especially in Syria and Iraq.

Tehran has been named as the biggest sponsor of terrorist activities in the world. The US has imposed sanctions in a bid to pile pressure on Iran to withdraw alleged terrorism finance support.

Reporting by Abuga Makori in Nairobi; Editing by Omar Nor

GAROWE ONLINE