Al-Shabaab, the Islamic terrorist group in Somalia, is facing defeat as the country’s president declares a new offensive with the assistance of American forces.
Somalia has been in a state of turmoil for decades, and in the mid-2000s, the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab took control of much of the country. The group aligned with al-Qaeda, prompting a coalition of African nations and the United States to intervene militarily. U.S. troops participated in operations against al-Shabaab until 2021, when President Donald Trump ordered a withdrawal. However, President Joe Biden ordered U.S. forces to return in 2022 to assist in the fight against al-Shabaab. In April 2023, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared that al-Shabaab is on the verge of defeat, and a joint attack with American forces will soon deal the group a death blow. Al-Shabaab has faced recruitment and support crises, and the upcoming offensive aims to take advantage of these weaknesses.