ABSTRACT
This chapter provides background on the Horn of Africa and is predominantly focused on the Somalia-based terrorist and insurgent group al-Shabaab. It chronicles al-Shabaab’s progression from a small group of extreme militants to a dangerous al-Qaida-linked insurgent and terrorist group controlling large parts of southern Somalia and conducting terrorist attacks in neighboring countries. The chapter argues that despite suffering setbacks, al-Shabaab will likely remain an enduring threat to Somalia and the region in the foreseeable future. Al-Shabaab’s survival can be attributed to a combination of key factors discussed in this chapter, including redirection, asymmetric warfare tactics, fear and extortion, collusion, exploitation of grievances, and a strategy of stalemate.
