Who Are Al Shabbab?

A devastating attack in a shopping mall in Nairobi took place on the 23rd of September. Gunmen killed 67 people, according to government sources , in the Westgate Mall. These militants were said to belong to the extremist group originating from Somalia called Al Shabbab. But who are these peddlers of terror? The Al Shabbab is the political wing of the Somali Council of Islamic Courts, which took over much of Somalia in 2006. The government and other interim forces eventually defeated these forces but the group still remained as a terrorist force. They have planned and successfully executed various insurgent and other suicide attacks. According to various sources, they recruit people, sometimes forcibly, to take part in these terrorist attacks. Some claim that young men are forced by circumstances to join this group to conduct their operations rather than because of an ideological support. The Al Shabbab is more nationalistic in nature than other terrorist organisations. They tend to have most of their operations against the TFG (Transitional Federal Government of Somalia). The Al Shabbab has bitter sentiments against the KDF (Kenyan Defence Forces) for being present in Somalia. This animosity has led them to attack innocent civilians in Nairobi. In fact, they have promised to intensify their attacks in Kenya if the KDF does not budge from Somalia. “There will be pools of blood”, one spokesperson for the Al Shabbab stated. President Uhuru Kenyatta stated that the KDF would stay in Somalia until there is order restored in Somalia.