The CTC Sentinel published in May 2018 a study titled "'Deutsche Schabab:' The Story of German Foreign Fighters in Somalia, 2010-2016" by Christian Jokinen.
For the non-Somali Germans who joined al-Shabaab, Somalia was a secondary option after failed attempts to reach other jihadi arenas. For the majority of those who joined the group from Germany, al-Shabaab turned out to be an unwelcoming host organization, with the majority of German recruits opting to escape Somalia.