Al-Shabaab Analysis

Introduction:
While right now the world's attention is mainly on ISIS, Al-Shabaab again successfully sent a clear message to remind the world that it still remains as one of the most dangerous extremist Islamic groups on earth, by bombing a crowded Mogadishu street on 14 October and caused more than 300 casualties, the deadliest attacks in years. This is certainly not the first time this group has attracted huge attention from the international community, it is responsible for two major attacks that killed scores in neighboring Kenya, at Garissa University in 2015 and Westgate Mall in 2013. In this essay, I will analysis its background, objectives, tactics, recruitment and use of media.

Evolution
Initially, Al-Shabaab, a reformist group
But it gradually lost support because of its extremist nature and terrorist tactics, the kidnaps, the indiscriminate bombing. So later, Al-Shabaab turns to use the internet to recruit new members. It has attracted around 1,000 ethnic Somalis from Europe, the United States, and Africa in addition to 200 to 300 non-Somalis. The disenfranchised youth, nationalists, Somalis diaspora and extremists are their main targets. They use local grievances as initial motivators to recruit, portray them as “victims of the West” or “a victim of external aggression and conspiracies” and it is time to defend their home country and return to Islam. This agenda is more in-line with the Al Qaeda ideology, which calls on the faithful to fight Western oppression. It should be noted that the youths recruited by Al-Shabaab are more driven by nationalistic and political ideologies, rather than religious ones, but can easily be converted to a global Al-Qaeda agenda.

While Al-Shabaab still recruits local Somali youths as foot soldiers, it increasingly does so through coercion. They were enticed to join not through ideological appeal, but due either to physical threats or through promised cash bonuses as high as
But the group’s recent attack in Kenya, as well as in a usually recognized as the secure area of Mogadishu, it has demonstrated its ability to successfully carry out a mass attack using the hit-and-run tactics. The war in Somalia has lasted for more than a decade, and with the support of US and AU and the peacekeeping force they back, this country still not gain stability and peace. Even worst, it has become bloodier and more brutal, and Al-Shabaab keeps getting more supporters through internet, and foreign fighters are willing to travel to join it, who seem like the most hardened, committed, and operationally active component of the group. Will hard-line attitude and strong military power win this war? Based on the past experience it is hard to give a positive answer. So maybe it is time to consider negotiation and bring Al-Shabaab to the round