Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
28 November 2022 | 9:40 pm CAT

Fighters from the al-Shabab armed group have attacked a hotel used by government officials in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, according to police and government officials, with security officials saying the gunmen were wearing “suicide” vests. The attack has claimed at least four lives.

Discussing the attack and current situation with Radio Islam International, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Martin Plaut, said after the collapse of the 1991 President, there have many attempts to unite the country. All of which have been unsuccessful thus far.

There are talks which surround Al-Shabab being allied to Al-Qaeda.

According to Plaut, President Hassan Sheik Mohamed pledged total war to eliminate the Al-Shabab with the assistance of the Americans who fund some Somali groups combating the Al-Shabab. At the same time, attacking from time to time using missiles and drone strikes as well.

Meanwhile, the Al-Shabab has a lot of support from inside the Somali community, including people from outside the country. The establishment goes back to 2007.

“The Al-Shabab are very influential in terms of been attacked, their retaliation entails mass killings of families and clans,” says Plaut.

Listen to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Martin Plaut on Radio Islam’s podcast.