Nairobi Attack Reveals Al-Qaida’s Influence in Horn of Africa

September 24, 2013

The attack by al-Shabab militants on Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall has raised fears that the group is broadening its aim beyond winning control of its homeland, Somalia. Security analysts say al-Shabab has morphed from a regional militant group to a terrorist organization closely aligned with al-Qaida.

Al-Shabab released a photo Tuesday, which they say shows militants from the group inside Nairobi’s Westgate mall. It’s not clear when it was taken.

The choice of a ‘soft target’ is a hallmark of the group, says Sajjan Gohel, security director at analyst group the Asia Pacific Foundation in London.

“The chances of inflicting maximum damage are more likely. It also precipitates the fear factor because terrorism becomes visualized. The chances are it’s being recorded; with new media people can even film events. That is the oxygen of publicity for the terrorist groups and for al-Shabab in particular, this fit into their agenda,” said Gohel.

Al-Shabab says it carried out the attack as revenge for the presence of 4,000 Kenyan troops in Somalia, who are fighting the militants under the African Union banner.

The group carried out a suicide bombing in the Ugandan capital Kampala in 2010, killing 76 people. Uganda also has thousands of troops in Somalia.