Overview
U.S. forces targeted and killed an al-Shabab military commander, Abdullahi Haji Da’ud, on May 27, 2016. Da’ud had reportedly coordinated al-Shabab’s attacks in Somalia, Uganda, and Kenya, and had previously served as head of the al-Shabab’s security and intelligence unit, the Amniyat.“Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on U.S. Airstrike in Somalia,” U.S. Department of Defense, June 1, 2016, http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/788062/statement-by-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-us-airstrike-in-somalia. According to the U.S. Department of State, Da’ud had been responsible for recruiting and training al-Shabab operatives, and had planned operations against the Somali government and Western targets. In November 2015, the U.S. Department of State offered an award of up to $5 million for information on Da’ud.“Rewards for Justice - Reward Offers for Information on al-Shabaab Key Leaders,” U.S. Department of State, November 10, 2015, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/11/249374.htm.
In announcing Da’ud’s death, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook stated, “We are confident that the removal from the terrorist network of this experienced al-Shabab commander with extensive operational experience will disrupt near-term attack planning, potentially saving many innocent lives.”“U.S. Airstrike Targets Al-Shabab Leader in Somalia,” U.S. Department of Defense, June 1, 2016, http://www.defense.gov/News-Article-View/Article/788089/us-airstrike-targets-al-shabab-leader-in-somalia;
“Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on U.S. Airstrike in Somalia,” U.S. Department of Defense, June 1, 2016, http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/788062/statement-by-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-us-airstrike-in-somalia.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Al-Shabab
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, non-state actor, religious, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Al-Qaeda affiliated group, Islamist, jihadist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni, takfiri, Wahhabi
- Position(s):
- Senior military planner, recruiter
Al-Qaeda’s Somali-based branch, al-Shabaab, seeks to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state. The group has carried out a score of violent terror attacks, including the September 2013 Westgate Mall attacks in Nairobi, Kenya.
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers.