"Facing the Crusader Invasion". Al-Shabaab and the armed struggle in Somalia

The Conference on Jihad in East Africa

The official media channel of the Somali jihadist group Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujaheddin, the branch of al-Qaeda in East Africa, Al-Kataib News Channel, published two videos of about 40 minutes, a long statement in several languages (Arabic, Somali, English, Swahili, and Oromo), a fatwa, several photo reports, and an interview with the group’s leader. They documented and communicated the findings and statements from the eight-day conference held by the leadership of the Somali Jihadist group in early May entitled “Activities of the Second Session of the Consultative Meeting on Jihad Issues in East Africa”. In addition to the group’s leadership, the conference was attended by scholars, intellectuals, tribal leaders, notables, shadow governors, security officials, etc.

The meeting hall.

The conference was attended by the group’s spokesman Ali Mahmoud Rage, the military leader Muhammad Ahmed Guled Fartag, Ibrahim Sheikh Ali, Chairman of the Council of Tribal Chiefs (of the al-Shabaab government) the head of the political bureau Hussein Sheikh Ali Fidow, important leaders and officials such as Fouad Muhammad Khalaf Shongole, Ahmed Muhammad Arab, Muhammad Bashar Abd al-Karim, Mahmoud Idali, Hasan Yaqoob, Adan Sunne Warsame, Suldan Ali Mahmud. A total of some 100 members were present, representing all segments of the group and the society under their control.

Group spokesman Mohammed Ali Rage

The central leadership of Al-Shabaab, from right to left: spokesman Mohammed Ali Rage, Emir and leader Abu Ubaidah Ahmad Umar (with blurred face) and advisors Hasan Yaqoob and Ali Mahmud.