Somalia: Why Is Al-Shabaab Still a Potent Threat?

The International Crisis Group published on 11 February 2016 a commentary titled "Somalia: Why is Al-Shabaab Still a Potent Threat?" by Abdul Khalif and Cedric Barnes.  The authors argue that al-Shabaab's rural insurgency has exposed AMISOM's territorial overstretch, which in certain areas looks more like "occupation" by outsiders.  Only a durable political settlement will end the al-Shabaab threat.