The violence in Kenya is developing into a familiar pattern. The frequency of al-Shabaab (AS) sympathizer attacks remains steady, but the retaliatory violence by Kenyan security forces and civilians should be of great concern to observers. On 18 November 2012,… Read More ›

Kenya
Al-Shabaab’s Changing State in Somalia
What began as a plan in July 2011 to push al-Shabaab from its bases in the capital Mogadishu turned quickly into a larger scale operation–with the help of Kenyan and Ethiopian forces and proxy militias–to force al-Shabaab out of all… Read More ›
In Somalia, Kenya Must Avoid Political Landmines
Three days after al-Shabaab’s most significant “tactical withdrawal” to date, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), its counterparts in AMISOM, Ras Kamboni, and the Somali National Army (SNA) finally entered the port city in the first week of October to fill… Read More ›
Al-Shabaab, Jubbaland, and the Future of Kismayo
A flurry of reports are filling news outlets on the ongoing advance of Somali government troops and international forces toward the port of Kismayo, as they move to oust the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab from its most lucrative source of… Read More ›
AQEA Publishes 2nd Issue of Swahili-English Jihadi magazine “Gaidi Mtaani”
New Swahili/English magazine Gaidi Mtaani (Terrorist in the Street) was first posted in April 2012 in Jihadi forums used for material published by al-Qai’da in East Africa (AQEA)–a group with long ties to al-Shabaab. The publication reflects al-Shabaab and their affiliates’… Read More ›
Kenya Defense Forces Officially Integrate into AMISOM to Save Money
According to a press released published yesterday: The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) today assumed formal command of the Kenyan forces in Southern Somalia at a colorful ceremony held at the Kenyan Department of Defense headquarters in Nairobi. A… Read More ›