Hearts and Minds: Al-Qaeda’s Visit to Somalia

Abu Abdulla Almuhajir (left) with Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, the al-Shabaab spokesman

Al-Qaeda’s recent appearance at the Ala-Yasir refugee camp in southern Somalia was certainly unexpected. While the camp is located in the large expanse of territory controlled by al-Shabaab, a militant group associated with al-Qaeda, this was not only the first time the organization had spoken publicly in Somalia, but that it had distributed aid in this particular country.

A man claiming to be an American, named Abu Abdullah Muhajir, led the small al-Qaeda unit that distributed rice, dates, flour, milk and clothes, in addition to Islamic books and approximately $17,000 in Somali shillings to more than 4,000 refugees residing in the camp. Muhajir, who identified himself as al-Qaeda’s official representative to Somalia, also arrived with a fully-staffed ambulance and a number of other foreigners, including some with English accents.

Somalia is no stranger to crisis and instability. It has been suffering from civil war and severe internal strife for two decades, and the “official” government is too weak and corrupt to extend its authority beyond the capital of Mogadishu. Although al-Shabaab controls the drought-stricken south of the country, even this semblance of order may soon disintegrate as clans and other militias, often backed by foreign governments, have begun a violent fight against al-Shabaab’s control of the region. In the Ala-Yasir refugee camp, however, al-Shabaab still holds tight control, and with its dismissal of many aid organizations, sometimes as a result of their support for the government, al-Qaeda has evidently made the decision to fill the void.

It seems safe to say that not many are surprised by al-Shabaab’s connections to al-Qaeda being confirmed with the appearance of a small al-Qaeda ‘humanitarian’ unit at Ala-Yasir. What is surprising is the very boldness and public nature of the visit. Announcing that he carried a message from Ayman al-Zawahiri himself, Abu Abdullah Muhajir conveyed the Muslim community’s support for all those suffering from the drought in Somalia. In return, many children told the reporters present that they hoped al-Qaeda would be victorious over all their enemies.

With as many as 4 million people suffering from the current drought, many of whom have been forced to move to refugee camps, a hearts and minds campaign by al-Qaeda is the last thing this already tumultuous and violent country needs. If al-Qaeda is seeking to use small humanitarian units, such as the one that visited Ala-Yasir, as a means to gather support and possible future recruits, this could be an extremely dangerous development for Somalia. Given the current environment in the country, al-Qaeda could very feasibly build up further support if it decides to use the drought to its advantage. While it already has a close ally in al-Shabaab and the foreign fighters supporting it within the country, adding yet another destabilizing element to the equation does not bode well for Somalia’s future.

This unexpected and very public appearance of al-Qaeda in southern Somalia raises three important points that should be examined. First, it shows one of the ways in which al-Qaeda is morphing as a result of its weakening position in Afghanistan. Their appearance at the refugee camp proves once again the dynamic nature of this organization and its ability to spread its ideology among those who live in violent and uncertain environments. Al-Qaeda may have been crippled in South Asia, but it is by no means mortally wounded. There are many other turbulent environments, such as Somalia, that could potentially fall further under al-Qaeda’s sway.

Secondly, al-Qaeda’s visit to Ala-Yasir exemplifies how humanitarian aid runs the danger of becoming a politicized issue, particularly in volatile environments. As Jamal Osman with The Guardian reported, “In Somalia, word goes around quickly on which particular aid organisations are funding certain political groups or clans,” and this often gives al-Shabaab and other militant groups the fuel to demonize some aid organizations while promoting others. As long as al-Shabaab controls southern Somalia, and with it many refugee camps, it and other militant groups have the ability to control which groups can and cannot distribute aid in their backyard. The more voids that are created by expelling aid organizations, however, the greater the likelihood that radical groups, such as al-Qaeda, can arrive to fill the vacuum.

Finally, the mixed nature of this single al-Qaeda unit once again demonstrates the group’s ability to promote its ideology and recruit members from a wide range of countries – including Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Europe, and even the United States. By the time the al-Qaeda representatives arrived at the Ala-Yasir refugee camp, the FBI had concluded that 30 U.S. nationals had joined al-Shabaab, which, as mentioned above, is a loyal and well-established supporter of al-Qaeda. The diversity apparent in groups such as al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda poses serious challenges when tracking and targeting terrorist organizations. The power of any ideology lies in its ability to transcend all boundaries. Al-Qaeda’s ideology has proven that it is no exception, and is even more dangerous because of that.

It is certainly unreasonable to claim that Somalia will inevitably become a training ground for al-Qaeda following its public aid mission to the drought-stricken country.  It is not foolish, however, to train our eyes on Somalia in order to make sure such a development doesn’t happen. Over the years, it has become apparent that al-Qaeda has a strong base of support within the country, particularly within al-Shabaab. Somalia and its people suffer from violence and uncertainty every day, a tragedy which has only been enhanced by a severe and enduring drought, and al-Qaeda has now marked it as a viable market in which it can trade its aid for support. It is an organization in a period of transformation and an adversary with many different faces. What this most recent development simply proves is that we cannot let our guard down because al-Qaeda has proven more than once that it is quick to adapt in order to survive.

Watch a video of al-Qaeda’s visit to Ala-Yasir here.

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