Somali Civil War (2009–present)

The ongoing phase of the Somali Civil War began in 2009 and is concentrated in southern and central Somalia, primarily between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), assisted by African Union peacekeeping forces, and the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, which pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012.

During the insurgency that followed the 2006 Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, al-Shabaab rose to prominence and made major territorial gains. Several weeks before the end of the military occupation, Islamist insurgents had seized most of the south and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was on the verge of collapse. In early 2009, Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia and former Islamic Courts Union leader Sharif Ahmed was elected president TFG, marking a new phase of the civil war. Al-Shabaab and allied Islamist groups continued fighting against the new TFG and the African Union mission (AMISOM) throughout 2009 and 2010, weakening the frail TFG further.

By 2010, al-Shabaab reached its peak operational capacity as it absorbed other factions and began embracing drastic changes in the types of attacks they utilized. That year the group merged with Hizbul Islam and also carried out the Kampala bombings in response to Ugandan support for AMISOM.

In August 2011, al-Shabaab withdrew from Mogadishu and lost the significant control it had established in the city since the insurgency began in 2007. While the group continues to carry out operations in the capital, the 2011 withdrawal marked the end of a strong insurgent presence. The Kenyan invasion of southern Somalia aimed at al-Shabaab, Operation Linda Nchi, began in October 2011. Coinciding with the operation, the Ethiopian military redeployed into Somalia in large numbers for the first time since 2009.

In 2012 the FGS was formed, and it was becoming increasingly clear that a military victory would not resolve the conflict, and during that same year al-Shabaab pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. In 2014, ENDF troops in Somalia were formerly integrated into AMISOM.

Despite the growing challenges, al-Shabaab still controls large swathes of territory in southern Somalia. It remains influential in many rural areas, and it now prioritizes guerrilla and terror attacks over territorial acquisitions. The Islamic State in Somalia (ISS) and Hizbul Islam have also carried out attacks against both factions. In 2013 Hizbul Islam renounced violence against the government, but as of 2023, ISS remains active in northern Somalia. In 2023, the Las Anod conflict broke out in the northern part of Somalia between SSC-Khatumo and the Somaliland Army.