This is CBS Island the World. I'm John Batson, joined by my colleague and friend Bill Rajo,

the senior fellow for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, keeping the Long War

Journal. And filing on Long War Journal, we welcome Caleb Weiss of the Bridgeway Foundation

and FD, watching East and West

Africa and the jihadists of the moment. Caleb, it's been too many weeks since we spoke, so we

begin with your most recent filing. Shabab assaulting Mogadishu. What is Shabab's strength these days that they would take on the

major city and what is Mogadishu defended by? Good evening to you, Caleb. Good evening, John.

Thank you for having me again. It has been way too long, so I'm glad to be back. So technically,

most of the fighting has been north of Mogadishu, not necessarily in the

city itself. Over the past, really two to three weeks, Shabab has mounted a large-scale

offensive in two regions, Middle Shabal, which is the region of Somalia, immediately north of

Mogadishu, in Haran, which Haran is, it borders

middle Shabal further in the center of the country.

These are strongholds of Shabab.

They've been strongholds for a decade plus.

When the government in Mogadishu launched its own counteroffensive back in 2022.

These were two regions that saw most of the fighting.

And actually the government forces backed by tribal militias called the Maa Wiesli.

They captured a decent amount of territory from Shabab in those two regions.

However, in the last few weeks,

Shabab seems to be reversing a lot of those gains. Between both regions, Hara and Middle Shabell,

the group has taken over over a dozen towns and villages away from federal forces and tribal

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