Disrupting Al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa: A Multi-Dimensional Approach

Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization operating in the Horn of Africa, has been a significant threat to regional stability and security. To effectively counter this threat, it is essential to adopt a multi-dimensional approach that targets various aspects of the group’s operations.

Disruption Dimensions

Commodities

To disrupt al-Shabaab’s financial networks and operations, several commodities are targeted:

Charcoal
Bank accounts
Imports
IED components
Weapons
Sugar
Rice
Dried lemon
Flour
Cooking oil
Wildlife
Poaching
Diaspora remittances

Nodes

Al-Shabaab’s operations rely on a network of nodes that facilitate funding, trade, and other activities. Targets include:

Sources of funding (delivered by sea)
‘Informal ports’
Trade from ports
Transit points
Borders
Suspicious vessels

Disruption Activities

Strategies

To disrupt al-Shabaab’s operations, various strategies are employed:

Sanctions
UNSCR annex
Freeze assets
Anti-laundering
Awareness raising among stakeholders
Counterterror finance
Intel mapping
Research

Operations

Maritime patrol
Capacity building Kenya Navy to undertake surveillance and intercepts
Training and mentoring Somali national forces
Intel mapping
Border control
Monitoring
Detaining dhows

Broader Disruption Needs

To effectively disrupt al-Shabaab’s operations, it is essential to address broader issues:

Corruption

Fighting corruption within Horn of Africa law enforcement entities is crucial before effective disruption is possible.

Parallel Government

Including in disruption activities the fight against al-Shabaab’s role as a parallel government to effectively deal with the underlying problem.

Holistic Systems Approach

A broader picture that focuses on extortion and service delivery that al-Shabaab can effectuate, addressing conditions that allow them to operate.