Price of Terror: Al-Shabab bombings cost up to $80K

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali businesses are unwittingly financing Al-Shabab’s bombing campaigns in Mogadishu, which can cost up to $80,000 per operation, the Banadir region’s police chief revealed Thursday. This illicit funding, often extracted through extortion, fuels the deadly attacks plaguing the Somali capital.

Speaking at a national prosecution conference in Mogadishu, Police Chief Macallin Mahdi stated that Al-Shabab primarily funds its operations by extorting money from business owners in major commercial hubs, including Bakara Market, Suuq Ba’ad, and Hamar Weyne.

This money is used to finance the manufacture and transportation of explosives, frequently smuggled into Mogadishu from the Lower Shabelle and Jubaland regions.

“The infiltration of these explosives into the city requires substantial financial support,” Mahdi said. “Each operation involves between $10,000 and $80,000, and the vehicles carrying the bombs pass through at least nine intermediaries before reaching their target.”

Extortion network fuels violence

Mahdi noted that many business owners comply with the extortion demands out of fear of reprisal. However, he warned that the money they provide directly fuels attacks that harm innocent Somali civilians.

“Without strong legal consequences, these financial networks will continue to enable deadly attacks,” he added, calling for the judiciary to establish specialized detention facilities for business owners found guilty of financially supporting terrorist organizations like Al-Shabab and ISIS (Daesh).

Security experts say Al-Shabab’s reliance on extortion has long been a central pillar of its financial strategy.

Efforts to disrupt the group’s financial networks have intensified in recent years, with Somali authorities conducting operations against businesses suspected of facilitating the militants’ operations.

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, has been waging a deadly insurgency in Somalia for over a decade, seeking to overthrow the internationally-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.

A Long-standing problem

The group’s sophisticated extortion racket has been a critical source of revenue, allowing it to sustain its operations despite military pressure from Somali forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The Bakara Market, mentioned by Chief Mahdi, is one of the largest open-air markets in Somalia and a vital economic hub. Its sheer size and daily volume of transactions make it a lucrative target for Al-Shabab’s extortion schemes.

Previous reports by the United Nations and other organizations have detailed how the group uses a combination of threats, violence, and even a parallel taxation system to collect “taxes” from businesses operating within the market and other areas under its influence or control.

The police chief’s statement that each bombing operation can cost up to $80,000 highlights the significant resources Al-Shabab dedicates to these attacks.

This figure likely includes the cost of materials, construction of the improvised explosive devices (IEDs), transportation, bribes, and payments to individuals involved in the operation.

The mention of “nine intermediaries” underscores the complex logistics involved in moving explosives into Mogadishu, likely a measure to evade security checkpoints and minimize the risk of interception.

Lower Shabelle and Jubaland, identified as source regions for the explosives, have historically been strongholds of Al-Shabab.

However, the group has lost control of significant towns in recent years. The porous borders and ongoing insecurity in these regions facilitate the movement of weapons and explosives.

Chief Mahdi’s call for specialized detention facilities for business owners complicit in financing terrorism signals a push for a more aggressive legal approach.

This aligns with broader efforts by the Somali government to combat Al-Shabab’s financial networks, including working with international partners to track and freeze assets linked to the group.

Many believe cutting off the group’s access to funds is crucial for maintaining long-term stability in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia.

The success of these efforts will depend on the government’s ability to enforce the law, protect businesses from extortion, and provide alternative economic opportunities in areas vulnerable to Al-Shabab’s influence.

A broader, multifaceted approach is needed to address the root causes of instability and weaken the group’s grip on communities.