Somalia, African Union forces capture senior al-Shabaab Commander Salaad Cusmaan Macalin
The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and the Somali National Armed Forces captured a senior al-Shabaab commander during a joint operation in the southern region. The AU mission said the suspect, identified as Salaad Cusmaan Macalin, also known as Sahm, was apprehended on Thursday on the...
Kenya prepares strategy to counter terrorism and extremism as tensions soar in neighbouring Somalia
The government reiterated its commitment to inclusive, whole-of-society approaches that combine security operations with community engagement, strategic communication and international cooperation to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
Away from Al Shabaab attacks and contraband sugar and narcotics, Garissa is emerging as Kenya’s ‘capital’ of smuggled fuel from Somalia
Garissa has also become a corridor for hard drugs trafficking such as bhang, ingredients used in shisha, cocaine and heroin are also peddled in large quantities into Kenya from Somalia through the same corridors, which link the Kenyan town to the Somali capital Mogadishu, Kismayo Port and other towns along the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia.
Why humanitarian agencies often confide al-Shabab would be a more efficient partner than the Somali government
Despite this apparent governance success, al-Shabaab faces a crucial paradox: legitimacy without popularity. While Somalis may recognise the group’s administrative competence and align with its ideology up to a degree, it appears most do not want to live under al-Shabaab rule.
Kenya embraces artificial intelligence in defence and military despite inherent risks
National Defence University-Kenya Deputy Vice Chancellor, Centre for Security and Strategic Studies, Maj-Gen Joyce Sitienei, stated that Africa must be an ‘active architect’ in developing ethical frameworks for military AI.
Health minister tells former deputy president era of ‘one community is more important than others’ is gone
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also alleged that President Ruto met with senior Al-Shabaab militants during a visit to Mandera, remarks that have been widely condemned by top government officials, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Irrigation canals project in Kenya’s Taita Taveta County stalls after US president funding cuts
In Kenya, residents of Taita Taveta County say they are now more vulnerable to flooding than they had been before, as half-finished irrigation canals could collapse and sweep away crops. Community leaders say it will cost $2,000 to lower the risk – twice the average annual income in the area.
Elders in terror-prone northeastern Kenya meet to evaluate ethnic relations in fragile region rocked by clan hostilities
In the coming days, the elders plan to launch a community sensitisation campaign and a peace caravan led by religious leaders (ulamaa) to spread messages of reconciliation and unity. There will also be a coordinated effort to mobilize support for the safe return of displaced persons to their homes and villages.
West African militaries reduced to sitting ducks as resurgent Islamic States attacks in northeast Nigeria take worrying trend
In January, ISWAP overran an army base in Mallam Fatori near the Niger border, seizing weapons and killing the commanding officer. Events started to accelerate in March, especially in southern Borno, with attacks in Wajiroko, Kumshe and Katafila, among others.
Al-Shabaab is 18 years old: six factors behind the Somali militant group’s resilience
The west and its African partners have focused on the “hearts and minds” approach to counterinsurgency in Somalia. Building democratic institutions and democracy is part of this strategy. But these are institutions that don’t always function in a war zone, and fail to have the intended effects.
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