Somalia's al-Shabab join al-Qaeda!!

[hellheaven1987]

Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which controls much of Somalia, has released a joint video with al-Qaeda, announcing the two groups have merged.

Al-Shabab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, known as Mukhtar Abu Zubair, said he "pledged obedience" to al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri.

The two groups have long worked together and foreigners are known to fight alongside Somali militants.

The announcement comes as al-Shabab is under pressure on several fronts.

Source

Greeeeaaat, now Al-Shabab officially becomes the new member of this big family called Al-Qaeda, should NATO launch another ground invasion of Somalia now?

[Jaketh]

I sense drone strikes in their future

[Markas]

Best business merger to come out of Somalia in a while.

[Kanaric]

I sense drone strikes in their future

Too late

[priam11]

With this and the pirates, its like they are begging for a smack.

[nemgod]

With this and the pirates, its like they are begging for a smack.

Funny thing is this group hates the pirates. The 2 will just as likely be fighting each other at times.

IMO this would be a good time to recognise somaliland independence in reaction.

[Toho]

Funny thing is this group hates the pirates. The 2 will just as likely be fighting each other at times.

IMO this would be a good time to recognise somaliland independence in reaction.

why do they hate the pirates though? it would make much more sense to merge with them than AQ.

what does AQ do these days anyways? they dont really do anything these days, their bros at the Taliban seem to be getting hit by all the crap while they (AQ) just chill out in Pakistan.

[Admiral Piett]

al-Shabaab was almost considered a preferrable succesor to the lawlessness from Somalia. There were always rumors that they were AQ affiliated, but now they've just signed their entire movement's death warrant. We can terminate their command now.

[Bobz]

One group of Islamists joins the bigger group of Islamist terrorists. Hardly surprising, it was known exactly where their sympathies lay even since they were formed, same with all the predecessor groups I've lost count of. Feel sorry for the Somalian people, yet more continuing civil war coming their way.

[Kanaric]

Funny thing is this group hates the pirates. The 2 will just as likely be fighting each other at times.

IMO this would be a good time to recognise somaliland independence in reaction.

U make a good point but does that government claim all of Somalia?

[Bobz]

U make a good point but does that government claim all of Somalia?

Outside of the area Somaliland currently controls, they also claim a small border area that is disputed with whoever is in charge of the Puntland region nowadays.

It really is time they received proper recognition though. They are a stable and democratic state, which was not overly affected by the recent famine that devastated the surrounding area, and have plenty of legitimately descending from the former British Somaliland colony. Why we don't support them instead of whatever failed administration down in the capital is really beyond me.

[nemgod]

U make a good point but does that government claim all of Somalia?

The Islamists do and I also think parts of neighbouring countries like Kenya. The government that controls somaliland (as a working decent state) actually only claims the part the British Empire ran and doesn't want the rest of somalia.

[Dr Zoidberg]

I'm sorry but I cannot take a terrorist group seriously when it sounds like something you order from a Lebanese take-away at 3am after a few hours of heavy drinking.... "Yeah, can I get an al-Shabab with extra onion, hold the humus".

[Blaze86420]

I'm sorry but I cannot take a terrorist group seriously when it sounds like something you order from a Lebanese take-away at 3am after a few hours of heavy drinking.... "Yeah, can I get an al-Shabab with extra onion, hold the humus".

Al Shabab means the youth. You're probably thinking of Kabab or something.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Al Shabab means the youth. You're probably thinking of Kabab or something.

They don't have humour where you're from, do they? Of course I was making a reference to the Kabab.

[Caelius]

M'eh....

They're only just confirming what was already known guys....

[Blaze86420]

They don't have humour where you're from, do they? Of course I was making a reference to the Kabab.

Take a chill pill and relax. For a comedian you sure are tense as all hell.

[molonthegreat]

Seems like an incredibly stupid move by Al-Shabab, since now the attention from western intelligence services will be kicked up a notch.

[motiv-8]

I'm sorry but I cannot take a terrorist group seriously when it sounds like something you order from a Lebanese take-away at 3am after a few hours of heavy drinking.... "Yeah, can I get an al-Shabab with extra onion, hold the humus".

I was going to say, "you like eating kids??"

But then I saw the avatar and I said, "of course you like eating kids."

[Armenum]

I'm afraid Somalia may become the next Afghanistan like haven for Al-Qaeda. And Somalia is closer to European targets than isolated Afghanistan. Preventative measures need to be put in now so another war is not waged in order to cleanse yet another country of al-Qaeda.