This is CBSI on the world.

I'm John Batcher. Bill Rajo, the Senior Fellow Foundation for the Defense of Democracy,

keeps the Long War Journal joins me as my colleague and co-host.

We're to Africa to Caleb Weiss of the Bridgeway Foundation and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy filing at Long War Journal,

the large piece of Africa that remains unsolved is the attacks on Somalia by al-Qaeda and ISIS in different parts

and put land as well in the north of samalia we begin there because the jihad is

alive and last time i remember talking to caleb the al-shabab aspect of al-Qaeda was recruiting

was healthy was aggressive and confident.

Caleb, a very good day to you.

Just to review the year so far, it's a new administration in Washington,

and we come to this with a fresh page, what is to be done.

What is the battle situation right now in Somalia and the battle situation in Portland? Good evening to you, Caleb.

Good evening, John.

Thank you for having me again.

I think I'll break this down first with Shabab.

As you mentioned, that's Al-Qaeda in East Africa.

They, in my eyes, present the larger, both immediate and long-term threat for Somalia

as we mentioned last time Shabab is currently on the offensive in middle Shabell and also

lower Shabell so basically on the northern and southern ends of Mogadish's outskirts.

They are retaken territory that they initially lost in 2022,

but also capturing some other territory that they haven't had in over a decade.

Now, to be clear, like any other asymmetric war, there's ebbs and flows.

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