The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2018 to 2025 Africa
Terrorist group(s) Somalia, in 8 editions.
The entry for Somalia published Terrorist group(s) in 8 editions of 36, from 2018 to 2025. The text changed in 4 editions. Each is shown as published. Terrorist group(s) in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 4
- the first edition with it
- 2018
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Terrorist groups - home based” (2018 to 2019) and “Terrorist group(s)” (2020 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024Published as “Terrorist groups - home based”
- al-Shabaab:
- aim(s): discredit and destabilize the Federal Government of Somalia and target any countries or entities that support Somalia's fight against al-Shabaab; establish Islamic rule across Somalia
- area(s) of operation:
- a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that maintains strongholds in rural areas in the south, where it controls a large swathe of the Lower and Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle regions;
- responsible for numerous high-profile bombings and shootings throughout Somalia and in the northeast in Puntland State (April 2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Somalia:
- aim(s):
- replace the Federal Government of Somalia with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia;
- replace al-Shabaab as the dominant armed opposition to federal authority in Somalia
- area(s) of operation:
- directs operations, recruitment, and training from Puntland, the semiautonomous region in the northeast;
- conducts sporadic attacks against African Union and Somali Government personnel throughout the country (April 2018)
al-Shabaab: aim(s): discredit and destabilize the Federal Government of Somalia and target any countries or entities that support Somalia's fight against al-Shabaab; establish Islamic rule across Somalia
area(s) of operation: a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that maintains strongholds in rural areas in the south, where it controls a large swathe of the Lower and Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle regions; responsible for numerous high-profile bombings and shootings throughout Somalia and in the northeast in Puntland State (April 2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Somalia:
aim(s): replace the Federal Government of Somalia with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia; replace al-Shabaab as the dominant armed opposition to federal authority in Somalia
area(s) of operation: directs operations, recruitment, and training from Puntland, the semiautonomous region in the northeast; conducts sporadic attacks against African Union and Somali Government personnel throughout the country (April 2018)
Published as “Terrorist groups - home based”
- al-Shabaab:
- aim(s): discredit and destabilize the Federal Government of Somalia and target any countries or entities that support Somalia's fight against al-Shabaab; establish Islamic rule across Somalia
- area(s) of operation:
- a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that maintains strongholds in rural areas in the south, where it controls a large swathe of the Lower and Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle regions;
- responsible for numerous high-profile bombings and shootings throughout Somalia and in the northeast in Puntland State (2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Somalia:
- aim(s):
- replace the Federal Government of Somalia with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia;
- replace al-Shabaab as the dominant armed opposition to federal authority in Somalia
- area(s) of operation:
- directs operations, recruitment, and training from Puntland, the semiautonomous region in the northeast;
- conducts sporadic attacks against African Union and Somali Government personnel throughout the country (2018)
al-Shabaab: aim(s): discredit and destabilize the Federal Government of Somalia and target any countries or entities that support Somalia's fight against al-Shabaab; establish Islamic rule across Somalia
area(s) of operation: a core al-Qa'ida affiliate that maintains strongholds in rural areas in the south, where it controls a large swathe of the Lower and Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle regions; responsible for numerous high-profile bombings and shootings throughout Somalia and in the northeast in Puntland State (April 2018) (2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) networks in Somalia:
aim(s): replace the Federal Government of Somalia with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia; replace al-Shabaab as the dominant armed opposition to federal authority in Somalia
area(s) of operation: directs operations, recruitment, and training from Puntland, the semiautonomous region in the northeast; conducts sporadic attacks against African Union and Somali Government personnel throughout the country (April 2018) (2018)
- al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia (2020)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Rewritten: too little of the 2019 text remains to mark the changes.
al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia (2020)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
The same text in 3 editions, 2021 to 2023.
al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia (2020)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
The same text in 2024 and 2025.
al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T the Terrorism reference guide
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Somalia: Terrorist group(s).” The World Factbook, 2018–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/somalia/terrorist-group-s.