Issue Brief on “Growing Threat of Transnational Terrorism in Africa: The Case of Al-Shabab in Somalia”

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Despite a decade long international “war on terror”, the threat and ability of conducting complex attacks by transnational terrorist organizations has evolved and somewhat shown resilience. The recent bomb attack killing over 300 people in Mogadishu is a horrific reminder to the international community of the very existence of the global terrorism franchise, pioneered by Al-Qaeda and now Daesh or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al-Shabab.

In order to counter this threat, there is a need for an effective synchronization of counter-terrorism efforts at a multi-sectoral level under an integrated policy approach. There is also a need for a localized approach. The African Union along with international partners (including the United Nations) need to confront indigenous reasons, cause and means which are being exploited by terrorist organizations like Al-Shabab, and also to stop them from collaborating with this fluid network of transnational terrorism.

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