Charcoal, Sugar Smuggling Among Major Sources Of Al-Shabaab Funding – Report

A recent report has identified charcoal and sugar smuggling as key sources of funding for Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group that poses a major threat in Kenya.

The report, titled Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment for NPO Sector in Kenya, also highlights that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private donations play significant roles in financing terrorism.

“Open-source reporting shows that terrorism funds are raised through charcoal and sugar smuggled into Somalia, and there are instances where funds are suspected to have originated outside Kenya and were transferred through banks and mobile money operators,” the report states.

Al-Shabaab continues to exploit ungoverned spaces in Somalia to launch attacks on Kenya. The report notes that Kenya’s unmanned and porous border with Somalia has allowed the group to carry out sporadic attacks targeting law enforcement and civilians along the border, using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and vehicle-borne explosives.

Major Al-Shabaab attacks in Kenya include the Westgate Mall attack in 2013, the Garissa University attack in 2015, and the 14 Riverside Drive attack in 2019.

The report also names other terror groups posing threats to Kenya, including Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Al-Qaeda was responsible for the 1998 American Embassy bombing in Nairobi. However, Kenyan authorities note that Al-Qaeda’s influence in the region has waned due to Al-Shabaab’s dominance.

ISIS, with an active affiliate in Somalia, is assessed as a lesser threat to Kenya. According to reports from the United Nations Security Council, the ISIS affiliate in Puntland lacks the capacity for significant operations due to continued attacks by Al-Shabaab.

The report also warns of potential threats from other regional groups, such as the Allied Democratic Forces and ISIS affiliates operating in Mozambique.