Al-Shabaab Funding Assessment

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies published in June 2017 a report titled "Al-Shabaab Financial Assessment" by Yaya J. Fanusie, a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, and Alex Entz.

The report concludes that al-Shabaab probably will see its funding grow in years to come as AMISOM draws down its support for the government of Somalia. Al-Shabaab's funding comes primarily from an extensive taxation system.

Expose on Kenya Defence Forces in Somalia

The nonpartisan watchdog organization Journalists for Justice, a project of the International Commission of Jurists in Kenya, published in November 2015 a detailed report titled "Black and White: Kenya's Criminal Racket in Somalia."  The devastating study looks at the conduct of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), who are part of the AMISOM operation in Somalia, in two areas: (1) sugar smuggling and financial enabling of al-Shabaab and, (2) human rights violations. 

The findings of the journalists included widespread human rights abuses by the KDF inside Somalia.  They also concluded that rather than taking the fight to al-Shabaab, the KDF is in garrison mode, sitting in bases while senior commanders are engaged in corrupt business practices with the Somali Jubaland administration and al-Shabaab, especially the trade in charcoal and sugar. 

Foreign Policy published on 12 November 2015 comments on the report titled "Report: Kenyan Military 'In Business' with Al-Shabab" by Ty McCormick.  According to McCormick, the report breaks new ground by exposing the extent of the KDF's involvement in the sugar trade and by illuminating the murky supply chain that runs from al-Shabaab territory, through the Kenyan controlled port of Kismayu, past corrupt border guards and into Kenya, greasing palms at every step along the way.