JSOU Report: Countering the al-Shabaab Insurgency in Somalia: Lessons for U.S. Special Operations Forces by Graham Turbiville, Josh Meservey, and James Forest
In this report, the authors argue that al-Shabaab’s current prospects have probably never been so low. Â This work provides a meaningful context to al-Shabaab and the Somali milieu. Â Al Shabaab has been pushed from all of its major strongholds by a robust international effort, and its violent Salafism has alienated many Somalis. Â But it still has teeth. Â It continues to harass coalition forces, as well as ordinary Somalis, with improvised explosive devices, suicide bombings, and assassinations. Â Its tactics reflect a strategic decision made by its leadership to fight a guerrilla war, a familiar role for a group that thrived by waging an anti-Ethiopian insurgency in the emid-2000s. Â This monograph is a useful resource for anyone who wishes to know more about the conflict in the Horn of Africa.