| Failed State • Authoritarianism, clan wars, famine, piracy, and corruption have marked Somalia’s history. • Labelled a “failed state” by The Fund for Peace in 2011, the UN recognised Somalia’s fragile progress in 2021. • Modern Somalia was formed in 1960, democracy was short-lived till 1969, and experienced authoritarian rule till 1991. • Since 1991, Somalia’s descended into chaos. |
- Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for a massive terror attack in Somalia.
- The group has been waging war against the Somali government for the last two decades.
- In 2006, al-Shabaab, an offshoot of the al-Ittihad al-Islamiya (AIAI) militant group, seized Mogadishu.
- Al-Shabaab, advocating for strict Sharia rule, gained legitimacy as an alternative governance form amidst Somalia’s corrupt government.
- After losing control of Mogadishu and key ports to the Somali government, with help from AMISOM and the Somali National Army, al-Shabaab relocated to rural southern Somalia.
- Al-Shabaab remains a significant terror threat, responsible for over 4,000 deaths, surpassing Boko Haram as Africa’s most dangerous terror organization.
Dig Deeper: Read about various terror groupings associated with various African and West Asian Countries.
