Al-Shabaab’s Changing State in Somalia

What began as an plan in July 2011 to push al-Shabaab from its bases in the capital Mogadishu turned quickly into a larger scale operation–with the help of Kenyan and Ethiopian forces and proxy militias–to force al-Shabaab out of all its strongholds in South Central Somalia.Today, al-Shabaab continues to be on the run, as they continue to be pursued by the Somali National Army (SNA) and its allies in AMISOM.Though al-Shabaab still controls many small towns, it has lost significant territory overall–including cities such as Beledweyne, Baidoa, and most recently its economic hub of Kismayo, which has deprived it of tens of millions of dollars in revenue from port taxes on commercial activities and easy access to receive military equipment..more