The Islamic State terror group’s small but influential affiliate in Somalia is growing, thanks in part to what the United Nations describes as an “influx of foreign fighters.”
A new report this week by the U.N. Sanctions Monitoring Team for Somalia warns that fighters, including some from countries in the Middle East, have helped the Islamic State’s Somali affiliate, also known as IS-Somalia, to more than double in size to between 600 and 700 fighters.
Read more…
Source: Shabelle Media Netwok News
Sign up for Counter-IED Report Newsletter
Related:
- Somalia offers $30,000 bounty for al-Shabab bomb expert
January 13, 2025
The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has announced a $30,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Yusuf Mohamed Hussein, known as Jeeri-Arab, a senior Al-Shabab operative linked to the group’s bomb disposal unit. In a statement released on Sunday, NISA identified Jeeri-Arab as a key figure in Al-Shabab’s operations in the Banadir region, ...
- FBI CJIS Somalia ABIS RFI FY 2025
January 13, 2025
This sources sought is issued by Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Information Technology Acquisition Unit (ITAU) for Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division’s Somalia Automated Biometric Information System (ABIS). The FBI seeks interested parties with viable solutions capable of meeting the Governments requirements. This RFI will review responses and solution viability to the requirements to ...
- Somalia: At least 18 killed and many injured in ISIS attack in Puntland
January 1, 2025
The death toll from the intense clashes between Puntland security forces and ISIS militants in Somalia’s Bari region has tragically escalated, with the latest reports confirming 18 Puntland soldiers killed following Tuesday’s violent confrontation. The assault, initiated by ISIS militants with car bombs targeting Puntland defenses in Dharjale, escalated into a vicious battle that included close ...
- Somalia concludes explosive management training with Chinese support
December 17, 2024
The Somali Explosives Management Authority (SEMA) on Monday concluded a training program aimed at tackling the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war. Funded by the Chinese Embassy in Somalia, the initiative trained 81 participants from federal member states, including Hirshabelle, Galmudug, Banadir, Southwest, Puntland and Jubbaland. The program focused on building collaboration, technical expertise ...
- Somalia: Explosions target homes with CCTV, injure five In Mogadishu
December 16, 2024
At least five people, including children, were injured in a series of landmine explosions in Galmudug village, Garasbaley district, over the past two nights as the number of the people killed in such attacks are increasing. Witnesses said six explosives were strategically placed outside homes equipped with CCTV cameras. No official comment has been made by ...
- UN Security Council renews sanctions against Al-Shabaab terror group
December 13, 2024
The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution renewing the sanctions against al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia until Feb. 28, 2025. The resolution, submitted by the UK, was unanimously adopted by the 15-member Security Council. It allows authorization for maritime interdiction to enforce the embargo on illicit arms imports, the ban on coal exports, and ...
- Chinese Vessel Hijacked off Somalia
December 5, 2024
Armed men, suspected to be pirates, have hijacked a Chinese fishing vessel off the northeast coast of Puntland, Somalia. At least 18 crew members were onboard at the time of the hijacking. The European Union’s anti-piracy naval force confirmed that the vessel is now under the control of the pirates, who are armed with AK-47s and ...
- Somalia: At least three people killed in blast and shooting attacks
December 3, 2024
At least two people were killed and several others wounded on Tuesday in a bomb attack on a small café in Afgoye town, about 30 km south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Hassan Ismail, a witness, said an explosive device, believed to be remotely controlled, was hidden inside the tea shop, which is frequently visited by ...
- Somalia: Jubbaland Dervish Commander survives Al-Shabaab mine explosion in Gedo
November 25, 2024
Abbas Ibrahim Gurey, the commander of Jubbaland’s Dervish forces, survived an assassination attempt on Monday when a landmine detonated near the Somali-Kenyan border, according to local reports. The explosion, which occurred in the Gedo region, caused significant damage to Gurey’s vehicle but left him and his companions unharmed. Gurey, who heads the local security forces in ...
- Foreign fighters flocking to Somalia to join ISIS
November 22, 2024
The Islamic State terror group’s small but influential affiliate in Somalia is growing, thanks in part to what the United Nations describes as an “influx of foreign fighters.” A new report this week by the U.N. Sanctions Monitoring Team for Somalia warns that fighters, including some from countries in the Middle East, have helped the Islamic ...
- Japan donates equipment to enhance Somali Police Force’s mine action unit
November 22, 2024
The Japanese government has donated critical equipment to Somalia’s Police Force Mine Action Unit, to strengthen its capacity to detect and neutralize explosive devices in the country. Somali Police Chief Brigadier General Asad Osman Abdullahi received the equipment during a ceremony in Mogadishu on Thursday. He thanked Japan for its support, describing the donation as vital ...
- Somalia: Three killed, one injured in explosion in Lower Shabelle
November 18, 2024
In Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, a civilian vehicle triggered a landmine, resulting in the death of three individuals and leaving another wounded, local officials reported Monday. According to the local administration’s statement, the incident unfolded in the Doonka region, on the road between the districts of Wanlaweyn and Afgooye, as the vehicle traveled from Afgooye. The ...
- Somalia: Mortar attack at Mogadishu airport claims lives of 2 African Union soldiers, injures another
November 4, 2024
Two soldiers from the African Union peacekeeping mission were killed and another was injured following a mortar attack inside the perimeter of Mogadishu’s international airport. The airport compound houses the African Union mission, the EU, the United Nations, and several foreign diplomatic missions, including those of the US and UK, which have faced multiple attacks this ...
- Somalia: Pioneering Mine Action for Safer Communities in Puntland
November 2, 2024
Celebrating the contribution of women in the mine action sector! Meet Fatuma, SEMA Operations Officer, who is leading mine clearance in Puntland State to raise awareness about the risks of landmines and enhance humanitarian access to mine affected areas. The Somali Explosives Management Authority (SEMA) plays a crucial role in supporting mine action efforts in Somalia, ...
- China-backed training enhances fight against landmines in Somalia
October 30, 2024
The Somali Explosives Management Authority (SEMA) on Tuesday launched a three-day capacity-building training, focusing on enhanced administration and human resource management to strengthen its fight against explosive devices. Funded by the Chinese Embassy in Somalia, the initiative seeks to boost SEMA’s administrative and operational effectiveness in the crucial areas of landmines and explosive remnants of war ...
- Somalia: Explosion in Mogadishu kills three, injures others
October 26, 2024
A landmine explosion in Mogadishu’s Karaan district killed three civilians and wounded multiple others on Saturday, local sources told Garowe Online. The IED blast occurred in the El Ali Gedi area, with the sound reverberating through nearby areas, though the intended target of the attack remains unknown. Karaan district security personnel investigated the incident but have ...
- From a supported country to a Global Leader in Mine Action: Cambodia’s Goal of a World Free of Landmines
October 25, 2024
Over the 20 years of the Vietnam War and the subsequent conflict, approximately 2.75 million tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodia, and an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines were buried. Following the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) was established by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to ...
- Somalia strives to deepen security ties with Uganda, Burundi
October 21, 2024
Somalia’s president wrapped up official visits to Uganda and Burundi as part of efforts to deepen security ties with the two nations, which have been among the main contributors of African Union peacekeeping forces to his country. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who arrived in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Saturday, met with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni ...
- Somalia: Seven killed in suicide bombing at cafe in Mogadishu
October 18, 2024
Seven people have been killed and six injured after a suicide bomber detonated an unidentified device at a cafe outside a police training school in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. According to police, both officers and civilians were among the victims, who had been drinking tea outside the General Kaahiye Police Academy on Thursday. Al-Shabab, the armed group ...
- Somalia: Bomb blasts in Mogadishu and Lower Shabelle kill six, injure several others
September 29, 2024
Two separate bomb blasts killed at least three people in Somalia on Saturday, officials said, noting that no group had taken responsibility for explosions in Mogadishu and Lower Shabelle, which also left scores of people critically injured. The first blast targeted a restaurant in Mogadishu, killing at least three people and injuring three others, police said. ...
- Somalia: UN launches month-long training to reduce the threat of explosive devices
September 21, 2024
As Somalia advances in its journey towards self-reliance and sustainability in national security, the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) remains critical. Their impact on local communities and national armed forces is devastating: in the last 12 months, about 600 IEDs resulted in about 1,500 casualties throughout the country. The Somali National Army (SNA), with support ...
- UN: 1,500 Somalis killed or injured by explosive devices in 2023
September 20, 2024
At least 1,500 civilians were killed or injured by 600 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Somalia over the past year, the UN reported late Thursday. UN Secretary-General’s Acting Special Representative for Somalia James Swan said that the threat of IEDs remains critical as Somalia progresses toward self-reliance and sustainability in national security. “I think everyone in ...