UN warns al-Shabab remains the main security threat in Somalia and Kenya
Edited By: Tendai Zola
The United Nations has warned that the extremist group al‑Shabab continues to pose the most immediate and serious threat to peace and stability in Somalia and the wider region, including neighboring Kenya, despite sustained military pressure.
In a report released on Wednesday, UN experts said that al-Shabab has retained its capacity to carry out complex and asymmetric attacks, even as Somali forces and their international partners intensify operations to weaken the group. Affiliated with al‑Qaida, the group continues to combine violent operations with a sophisticated system of extortion, forced recruitment and propaganda.
The report cited, among other incidents, an attempted assassination of Somalia’s president in Mogadishu on March 18, highlighting the group’s continued ability to strike high-profile targets in the capital.
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend the mandate of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia until 31 December 2026. The force, which includes 11,826 personnel, is considered central to efforts to stabilize the country amid persistent threats from al-Shabab.
The report also underlined the group’s sustained activity in Kenya, particularly in counties bordering Somalia. According to UN experts, al-Shabab has carried out an average of six attacks per month in Kenya this year, including bombings, kidnappings and cross-border raids.
In addition, the panel expressed concern over the growing presence of the Islamic State in Somalia. While still smaller than al-Shabab, its expansion was described as an emerging and serious risk to regional security.
