Is Somalia's Islamist Al Shabab Group Defeated?

What Does Al Shabab's Withdrawal From Somalia's Capital Mean? -- Christian Science Monitor

The Islamist group Al Shabab withdrew from Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu, this weekend, but whether that is a sign of success for the African Union mission and Somalian government is unclear.

On Saturday, al Shabab, southern Somalia’s Islamic rebel movement, pulled out of the capital Mogadishu. For months, Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and approximately 9,000 troops from the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) had been battling al Shabab block by block in the city. In July, Boubacar Diarra, the head of AMISOM, argued in Foreign Policy that the battle for Mogadishu demonstrated what the force could accomplish with donor support. Diarra did not reveal what AMISOM’s strategy would be after taking Mogadishu, except to say that if donors provided the means to increase the force to 20,000, AMISOM could drive al Shabab out of Somalia. Now that the conquest of Mogadishu is at least momentarily complete, a moment of truth has come for the TFG and AMISOM. What comes next?

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More News On Al Shabaab And The Famine In Somalia

Al-Qaida-linked rebels pounded in Somalia -- UPI
Al-Shabaab changes tactics, withdraws from Somali capital -- CNN
Spokesmen: Islamist militia leaving Somali capital -- Washington Post
Shabaab withdraws forces from Mogadishu -- Threat Matrix
Somali Gov't, AU Troops Patrol Mogadishu after al-Shabab Retreat -- Voice of America
Somali Forces Drive Militants out of Mogadishu -- NTD Television
Somali refugees pack capital after rebels quit -- Reuters
UNHCR Humanitarian Airlift Arrives in Mogadishu -- Voice of America
Somali famine: First UNHCR airlift arrives in Mogadishu -- BBC
UN refugee agency makes emergency aid flight to Somalia -- CNN
Somalia: UN agency airlifts emergency aid for famine-hit people in Mogadishu -- UN News Centre
Dispatch from Mogadishu: Looking for Militants in Somalia's War-Torn Capital -- Alex Perry, Time
Withdrawal of Islamic Insurgents a ‘Golden Opportunity,’ says Somali Government Official -- Voice of America
Analyst Warns al-Shabab Retreat is Not Victory -- Voice of America
Al-Shabaab has withdrawn from Mogadishu – but what happens now? -- Mark Tran, The Guardian
Why Somalia Matters -- Rev. Larry Hollon, Huffington Post