US airstrikes in Somalia kill 15 al-Shabab fighters
FOX NewsMAR 26 2023
Al-Shabaab's recent attacks prove that the extremist group remains resilient and Africa's most capable terrorist organization. Even international support, a clan rebellion, and both a popular backlash and recent US military re-engagement have failed to change the fact that al-Shabaab maintains territorial control over vast swaths of central and southern Somalia. As long as there are no serious negotiation efforts and many Somalis and non-Somalis benefit more from war than peace, there is no end to the forever war against al-Shabaab.
The latest attacks are a setback, but they cannot disguise the fact that the Mohamud government has achieved considerable success in the fight against al-Shabaab in recent months. Added to this are international support and growing resistance from clans and the enraged population. Therefore, it is surely no coincidence that al-Shabaab now suddenly seems open to negotiating with the government. Mogadishu is on the right track, and there is now every reason to hope that the extremists won't be able to withstand external and internal pressure much longer.