Description: Somalia’s fractured government faces yet another challenge as Al Shabab’s resurgence in the country has arrived coupled with intensified clashes between militants pertaining to the five semi – autonomous member states. The latest armed confrontations were focused in Beled Hawo town, in the country’s southern Gedo region in the federal state of Jubaland, where militants were attacked by the Somali army. The army is politically aligned with the government in the capital, Mogadishu, and attempted to overtake control of the province from the local militants which left up to 5 people dead and several injured. The Al – Qaeda aligned terrorist group, Al Shabab has also increased presence across the entire territory of Somalia with sporadic ground incursions in several states which were supported by increased aerial attacks and suicide bombs. EU and the US sponsors of the government in Mogadishu have reported that the army lacks the capacity of countering the numerous militant movements and suppressing terrorist attacks despite the vast financing packages which have surpassed $7 billion in the last 15 years.
Impact: Somalia’s deterioration into anarchy and chaos is further aggravated by the increased activities of influential terrorist groups such as Al Shabab. The western supported government in Mogadishu has evident issues in integrating the militant groups under a unified government due to consistent political shifts and power struggles within the five federal states. Al Shabab, alongside other militant groups from the federal states, also strangle the economy and control the numerous streams of revenue which further prevents consolidation of power and governance in the country. The situation is expected to substantially deteriorate in the upcoming period with militants from the five states increasing the pressure on the Mogadishu government through further armed confrontation and military operations, while Al Shabab is also expected to increase attacks and territorial presence significantly influencing the volatile security situation in the country.