Somali Jihadist Group Still a Threat Despite Withdrawal from Capital

Somali jihadist group al Shabaab on Oct. 4 claimed responsibility for a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) that exploded in Mogadishu. Al Shabaab withdrew from the Somali capital in August, but the attack is hardly surprising. Leaders from the transnationalist faction of the jihadist group have continued to espouse their ideology, claiming they would continue attacks in Mogadishu, a city that is very difficult to pacify. Thus, al Shabaab continues to be a real threat.