Latest news with #al-Shabab
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
US Africa commander highlights terror growth in Sahel and competition with China for influence
A top United States military general warned Thursday that terror groups in Africa are ramping up their ability to conduct attacks in the U.S. Gen. Michael Langley, the four-star Marine General who leads U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), said the Sahel region of the continent is now the "flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability. It is the epicenter of terrorism on the globe." Several terror groups have expanded drastically in the last three years. Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, is three times the size it was in 2022, he said, and has spread across Mali, Burkina Faso, and parts of Niger, which the U.S. military pulled out of last year. Isis Increasingly Unopposed Following Us Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Collapse Of Syria Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, a faction affiliated with Al-Qaeda, is now four times the size it was in 2022, expanding mainly in Burkina Faso. "We're keeping a good eye on this because they could have the capacity to attack the homeland," Langley said in a call with reporters. Read On The Fox News App "Throughout my travels across West Africa and through dialog here at the conference, the concerns shared by my peers match my own," he added. "One of the terrorist's key goals now is access to the west coast of Africa. If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores." Lone Wolf Attacks Surge In The West As Terrorism Intensifies Globally He noted that the terror groups engage in illicit activity like smuggling, human trafficking and arms trading, which fund their nefarious actions and destabilize the region. U.S. forces over the weekend conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab in Somalia. The East African country has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and al-Shabab. The U.S. is in a race with China and Russia to gain influence and trust with the local governments of several African nations to help protect citizens from terror groups. Langley said there is an increasing concern about the number of African soldiers going to Beijing for military training and replicating a U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) program. "They're trying to replicate what we do best in our IMET program," said Langley. "And then they also said they're going to increase security and training in a number of countries. So, they're trying to replicate what we do."Original article source: US Africa commander highlights terror growth in Sahel and competition with China for influence
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
US conducts airstrike against Al Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia
U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab over the weekend in Somalia. The airstrike by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) targeted an area nearly 40 miles northwest of Kismayo, Somalia, where al-Shabab was reportedly located. According to a press release from AFRICOM, al-Shabab "has proven both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces." "AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabab's ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad," the press release read. Trump Takes Swipe At Biden, Says Us Will Support Somalia Against Houthis No further details about units and assets were released to ensure continued security of operations. Read On The Fox News App The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and al-Shabab. U.S. Africa Command reported in April that it had carried out four airstrikes: three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets. Trump Says He Ordered Airstrikes On Isis Leaders In Somalia For years, the U.S. has helped Somali forces with airstrikes and other support against the al-Shabab extremist group. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in March, drafted a letter to Trump offering the U.S. exclusive access to air bases and seaports, which reignited tensions between the government of Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, the Associated Press reported. Isis Increasingly Unopposed Following Us Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Collapse Of Syria In the letter, Somalia offered "exclusive operational control" over the Berbera and Baledogle air bases and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso to "bolster American engagement in the region." One of the ports, Berbera, is in a key city located in Somaliland, whose long assertion as an independent state has not received international recognition. Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. It maintains its own government, security forces and currency and has held elections. Fox News Digital's Paul Tilsley and The Associated Press contributed to this article source: US conducts airstrike against Al Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia
22-05-2025
Nairobi court finds 2 men guilty of aiding al-Shabab militants in 2019 hotel attack
NAIROBI, Kenya -- Two Kenyan men charged with facilitating the 2019 attack on a luxury hotel complex that left 21 people dead were found guilty on Thursday and will be sentenced next month. Judge Diana Kavedza, while sitting a court in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, ruled that the prosecution had proved that Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali and Mohamed Abdi Ali sent money and helped acquire fake identification documents for the militants who died during the DusitD2 hotel complex attack. Al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred six years after 67 people were killed at Nairobi's Westgate Shopping Mall and four years after 147 students died at Garissa University in the north of the country. Based in neighboring Somalia, Al-Shabab have vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia to fight it since 2011, and continue to stage attacks in Somalia and Kenya. Kenyan authorities said all five attackers died during the Dusit attack. The prosecution presented 45 witnesses during the trial. On Thursday, the judge ordered a probation report to be prepared within 21 days and set sentencing for June 19. A third suspect, Mire Abdulahi, who had been charged alongside the two men had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced. Foreign nationals, including an American and a Briton, were among those killed in the 2019 attack.
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Nairobi court finds 2 men guilty of aiding al-Shabab militants in 2019 hotel attack
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Two Kenyan men charged with facilitating the 2019 attack on a luxury hotel complex that left 21 people dead were found guilty on Thursday and will be sentenced next month. Judge Diana Kavedza, while sitting a court in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, ruled that the prosecution had proved that Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali and Mohamed Abdi Ali sent money and helped acquire fake identification documents for the militants who died during the DusitD2 hotel complex attack. Al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred six years after 67 people were killed at Nairobi's Westgate Shopping Mall and four years after 147 students died at Garissa University in the north of the country. Based in neighboring Somalia, Al-Shabab have vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia to fight it since 2011, and continue to stage attacks in Somalia and Kenya. Kenyan authorities said all five attackers died during the Dusit attack. The prosecution presented 45 witnesses during the trial. On Thursday, the judge ordered a probation report to be prepared within 21 days and set sentencing for June 19. A third suspect, Mire Abdulahi, who had been charged alongside the two men had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced. Foreign nationals, including an American and a Briton, were among those killed in the 2019 attack. ____ Follow AP's Africa coverage at:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Nairobi court finds 2 men guilty of aiding al-Shabab militants in 2019 hotel attack
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Two Kenyan men charged with facilitating the 2019 attack on a luxury hotel complex that left 21 people dead were found guilty on Thursday and will be sentenced next month. Judge Diana Kavedza, while sitting a court in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, ruled that the prosecution had proved that Hussein Mohamed Abdille Ali and Mohamed Abdi Ali sent money and helped acquire fake identification documents for the militants who died during the DusitD2 hotel complex attack. Al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred six years after 67 people were killed at Nairobi's Westgate Shopping Mall and four years after 147 students died at Garissa University in the north of the country. Based in neighboring Somalia, Al-Shabab have vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia to fight it since 2011, and continue to stage attacks in Somalia and Kenya. Kenyan authorities said all five attackers died during the Dusit attack. The prosecution presented 45 witnesses during the trial. On Thursday, the judge ordered a probation report to be prepared within 21 days and set sentencing for June 19. A third suspect, Mire Abdulahi, who had been charged alongside the two men had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced. Foreign nationals, including an American and a Briton, were among those killed in the 2019 attack. ____ Follow AP's Africa coverage at:
