ReliefWeb

WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST?
Al-Shabaab killed more than twenty people in its first major assault in the capital Mogadishu since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s return to power. A new government formed, and tensions rose over possible presidential term extensions in South West and Jubaland states.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?
President Mohamud’s honeymoon period is over. Al-Shabaab’s attack on the capital has eroded the security forces’ confidence, while state-level term extensions are straining the relationship between Mogadishu and federal member states, providing an early test for Mohamud’s reconciliation agenda.

JULY TRENDS
President Mohamud went on a regional tour to reset foreign policy. At home, a deadly firefight erupted between Puntland state security units, while Al-Shabaab militants targeted Ethiopian police units near and across the border with Ethiopia.