Who are Somalia's al-Shabab?

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</span> <div id="" class="bbccom_slot " aria-hidden="true"> <div class="bbccom_advert bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript"> /*<![CDATA[*/ if (window.bbcdotcom && bbcdotcom.slot) { bbcdotcom.slot('sponsor_section', [1,2,3,4]); } /*]]>*/ </script> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> /*<![CDATA[*/ if (window.bbcdotcom && bbcdotcom.show) { bbcdotcom.show() } /*]]>*/ </script> </div> <div class="container--primary-and-secondary-columns column-clearfix"> <div class="column--primary"> <div class="story-body"> <h1 class="story-body__h1">Who are Somalia's al-Shabab?</h1> <div class="story-body__mini-info-list-and-share"> <ul class="mini-info-list"> <li class="mini-info-list__item"> <div class="date date--v2" data-seconds="1427976780" data-datetime="2 April 2015">2 April 2015</div> </li> <li class="mini-info-list__item"><span class="mini-info-list__section-desc off-screen">From the section </span><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world/africa" class="mini-info-list__section">Africa</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="story-body__inner"> <div class="media-placeholder lead-video-placeholder" id="75609432" data-media-type="video" data-media-meta="{"duration":"PT1M","available":true,"image":{"height":360,"width":640,"href":"http:\/\/news.bbcimg.co.uk\/media\/images\/75593000\/jpg\/_75593173_03a6eb90-ea36-43ae-9222-5677dcfce209.jpg","altText":"Al-Shabab fighters (file photo)","copyrightHolder":"AP","originCode":"mcs"},"mimeType":"application\/xml","href":"http:\/\/playlists.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-27892523A\/playlist.sxml","externalId":"p0215rv7","caption":"Al-Shabab remains a potent threat in East Africa","allowOffSiteEmbedding":false,"live":false,"entityType":"Version","durationInSeconds":60}"></div><p class="story-body__introduction">Islamist militant group al-Shabab is battling the UN-backed government in Somalia, and has carried out a string of attacks in neighbouring Kenya. The group, which is allied to al-Qaeda, has been pushed out of most of the main towns it once controlled, but it remains a potent threat. </p><h2 class="story-body__crosshead">Who are al-Shabab?</h2><p>Al-Shabab means The Youth in Arabic. </p><p>It emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia's now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled Mogadishu in 2006, before being forced out by Ethiopian forces. </p><p>There are numerous reports of foreign jihadists going to Somalia to help al-Shabab, from neighbouring countries, as well as the US and Europe.</p><p>It is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters.</p><div id="" class="bbccom_slot mpu-ad" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="bbccom_advert bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript"> /**/ if (window.bbcdotcom && bbcdotcom.slot) { bbcdotcom.slot('mpu', [1,2,3]); } /**/ </script> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> /**/ if (window.bbcdotcom && bbcdotcom.show) { bbcdotcom.show() } /**/ </script> </div><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26343248" class="story-body__link">Al-Shabab: Striking like mosquitoes </a></p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-24379013" class="story-body__link">What drives al-Shabab?</a></p><figure class="media-landscape full-width no-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="line break" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/66239000/gif/_66239292_line2.gif" width="624" height="1"></figure><h2 class="story-body__crosshead">What is al-Shabab doing in Kenya?</h2><figure class="media-landscape full-width has-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="Injured man after grenade attack in Nairobi, Dec 2013" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/74896000/jpg/_74896621_f776c258-6e44-4f63-b2fc-dca0f465bc7a.jpg" width="624" height="351"> <figcaption class="media-caption"> <span class="media-caption__text"> Al-Shabab is suspected of links to grenade attacks across Kenya </span> </figcaption></figure><p>Al-Shabab has staged numerous attacks in Kenya, most recently sending gunmen to storm the university in Garissa, near the border with Somalia.</p><p>The biggest attack was on Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre in 2013 when at least 68 people died.</p><p>In Westgate, and other attacks, its fighters have spared Muslims, while killing those unable to recite verses from the Koran.</p><p>There are also regular gun and grenade attacks attributed to al-Shabab both in border areas, where many Kenyans are ethnic Somalis, and in Nairobi.</p><p>Kenya has sent its troops into Somali territory, where they have joined the African Union force battling the militants.</p><p>Al-Shabab has also set up a recruiting network in Kenya, especially around the port city of Mombasa, which has a large Muslim population.</p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30419987" class="story-body__link">Al-Shabab cash targets disillusioned Kenyans</a></p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26958455" class="story-body__link">The cleric who predicted he would be killed</a></p><figure class="media-landscape full-width no-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="line break" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/66239000/gif/_66239292_line2.gif" width="624" height="1"></figure><figure class="media-landscape full-width no-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="map showing who controls which parts of Somalia" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/82089000/gif/_82089152_somalia_control_624_v2.gif" width="624" height="351"></figure><h2 class="story-body__crosshead">How much of Somalia does al-Shabab control? </h2><p>Although it has lost control of most towns and cities, it still dominates in many rural areas.</p><p>It was forced out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 and left the vital port of Kismayo in September 2012.</p><p>The loss of Kismayo has hit al-Shabab's finances, as it used to earn money by taking a cut of the town's lucrative charcoal trade.</p><p>Although African Union (AU) forces are trying to squeeze al-Shabab further, the group is still able to carry out suicide attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere.</p><p>Al-Shabab advocates the Saudi-inspired Wahhabi version of Islam, while most Somalis are Sufis. </p><p>It has imposed a strict version of Sharia in areas under its control, including stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves.</p><figure class="media-landscape full-width no-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="line break" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/66239000/gif/_66239292_line2.gif" width="624" height="1"></figure><h2 class="story-body__crosshead">What are al-Shabab's foreign links? </h2><p>In a joint video released in February 2012, former al-Shabab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane said he "pledged obedience" to al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri.</p><p>The two groups have long worked together and foreigners are known to fight alongside Somali militants. </p><p>There have also been numerous reports that al-Shabab may have formed some links with other Islamist groups in Africa, such as Boko Haram in Nigeria and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, based in the Sahara desert.</p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-24587491" class="story-body__link">Africa's militant Islamist groups</a></p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27930414" class="story-body__link">Jihadist groups around the world</a></p><figure class="media-landscape full-width no-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="line break" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/66239000/gif/_66239292_line2.gif" width="624" height="1"></figure><h2 class="story-body__crosshead">What is happening in Somalia? </h2><figure class="media-landscape full-width has-caption"><img class="js-image-replace" alt="a Somali woman in Hudur on May 7, 2014 two months after the town was liberated from Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels by the Ethiopian contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia." src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911im_/http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/200/media/images/74904000/jpg/_74904335_5a26066f-20cd-4e3f-a1a3-0d00f3514d2c.jpg" width="624" height="351"> <figcaption class="media-caption"> <span class="media-caption__text"> This woman lives in a town recently recaptured from al-Shabab </span> </figcaption></figure><p>Somalia has not had an effective national government for more than 20 years, during which much of the country has been a war-zone. </p><p>Al-Shabab gained support by promising people security. But its credibility was knocked when it rejected Western food aid to combat a 2011 drought and famine. </p><p>With Mogadishu and other towns now under government control, there is a new feeling of optimism and many Somalis have returned from exile, bringing their money and skills with them.</p><p>Basic services such as street-lighting, dry cleaning and rubbish collection have resumed in the capital.</p><p>However, al-Shabab continues to stage periodic attacks in both Somalia and neighbouring countries.</p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-22492135" class="story-body__link">Lighting up Somalia</a></p><p><a href="/web/20150403052911/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-19961266" class="story-body__link">Connecting Mogadishu to the web</a></p><p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150403052911/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19112530" class="story-body__link">In pictures: Rebuilding Mogadishu</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="share 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