Grapevine

Al-Shabab in Somalia: Bullets and bombs can’t bury ideologies

In August, Somalia’s prime minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, held a town-hall meeting in the Somali capital Mogadishu to mark the two-year anniversary of the formation of his cabinet.

Naturally, one of the hot-button issues raised at the event was the offensive against al-Shabab, which was launched in the fall of 2022.

“Today, we are not just defending our cities; we are pushing back against al-Shabab in their own territories,” Abdi Barre declared, adding that some 215 villages and towns have been recaptured by government forces.

Indeed, the Somali government has made significant gains in its war on al-Shabab – but the divisive tactics it has used have not only undermined its war effort but also worsened instability in the country, perpetuating bloodshed rather than stemming it.

Arming clan militias was a mistake