Al-Shabaab: The veiled truth

(Minneapolis,  August 19,  2010 Ceegaag Online)

Al-Shabaab: The veiled truth

By: Mohamud Shalab

Al-Shabaab is the most powerful and fearsome Islamic insurgency group. Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, as they are commonly known in Somalia, are a Muslim militant organization based in the southern part of Somalia. They are not the type of military who ensure peace in a country but instead they bring destruction and terror. This group is responsible for waves of assassinations, bombings, and suicide attacks. They targeted and killed many Somali political elites, mostly liberals, military veterans, Islamic scholars and so forth. UN workers and NGO relief agencies are facing constant threats and harassment while they are trying to provide aid to the helpless Somalis. The cities that Al-Shabaab managed to takeover resulted in death caused by starvation and malnutrition. Innocent civilians were viciously murdered, and women and children were used as human shields.  They launched missiles in populous areas and forced families to flee their homes in search of refuge 

Al-Shabaab now controls half of the Somalia. Unknown countries and institutions found and provide the group with financial support and logistics.  Al-Shabaab poses great danger and a climate of fear to neighboring countries and the world in general. They are expanding and spreading their power to new places like the northeast region of Somalia called Puntland. It is a relatively stable environment. Their intentions to wreak havoc on this peaceful place should not be tolerated. Therefore international communities must become more aware and the public must attempt to act on this issue. Al-Shabaab’s actions to take over Puntland are no more tenable. However, there is still a possibility this military operation could be thwarted and disrupted. The Somali council of Islamic Scholars attempted to correct Al- Shabaab’s wrong doing several times. They recommended that they lay down their weapons and join the reconciliation table as they have betrayed their own people, but misfortunately they were unable to get through to them.

Al-Shabaab’s tactics and Motivation have transformed over time. They experienced a lot of bloodshed. History offers ample evidence that war and conflicts wasted many human lives and material resources. It is a horrible catastrophe. Diplomacy and peace making efforts would be more firm and effective and surely yield substantive results. Our religion represents broad tolerance, co-existence, mutual rights and respect with one another. Al-Shabaab’s ideology and strategies go against Somali tradition and norms.

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