Current Events: Shabab resurgence in Somalia

Up until October 3rd, 2011, the capital city of Somalia which is Mogadishu was considered a safe haven for Somali's that did not want to partake in any of the violence that was going on in Somalia. Mogadishu was a highly fortified government compound in one of the few neighborhoods that the Somali transnational government controlled. On the Tuesday morning of October 4th, 2011 the capital city was turned into a war zone when a car bomb exploded right outside the compounds gates, which killed dozens of people. Many of those who perished were student waiting on exam results. This put fear in the hearts of many who think it was the Shabab Islamist group's (based in Somalia) comeback party. The Shabab were driven out of Mogadishu several months prior and were continuing to lose ground. Unfortunately for Somalia that have been in crisis after crisis since 1991 and things do not seem to be getting any better for them. The Shabab has vowed to continue their guerilla warfare and also has pledged their allegiance with Al Qaeda. The Shabab claims they were attacking young men who were going to Sudan to be trained as spies but in reality these young men were only hoping to get a scholarship to go to Sudan or Turkey for school (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/world/africa/truck-bomb-kills-dozens-in-somalias-capital.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Mogadishu%20bombing&st=cse).

But in the past week or so, the Shabab seemed to be regrouping. On Friday, hundreds of Shabab fighters poured into Dhobley, a market town on the Kenya border, setting off an intense battle. The Shabab briefly occupied the town before a Kenya-backed militia was able to push them out. Then on Monday, the Shabab struck a town in central Somalia, Dhusamareb, withdrawing after inflicting casualties.Despite the millions of dollars pumped into it, Somalia’s transitional government is still weak and divided, and the Shabab control most of southern Somalia, imposing draconian measures in its areas, banning music, Western dress and even bras, calling them all un-Islamic. Last month, Shabab leaders awarded schoolchildren assault rifles and grenades as prizes for a quiz show.The Shabab are also widely blamed for causing Somalia’s famine. Much of the Horn of Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia and other parts of Somalia, has been hit this year by one of the worst droughts in decades. But just about the only areas where that drought has spelled famine, as defined by certain thresholds of death and malnutrition rates, are Shabab-controlled areas.The Shabab have refused to allow many Western aid organizations into their territory and have even blocked famine victims from fleeing to seek help (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/world/africa/truck-bomb-kills-dozens-in-somalias-capital.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Mogadishu%20bombing&st=cse)