Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa (Somalia), GROUPS - AFRICA - ACTIVE

Group Formation
Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa was founded in 1991 following a split from the Islamic Scholars Assembly of Somalia. The main body of the group is comprised of Sufi clerics, and is not engaged in militancy. However, since late 2008, this body of clerics has demonstrated that it is able to draw upon the active support of a significant number of loyal fighters, who carry out actions in their name - although it remains unclear whether such actions are explicitly ordered or directed by the clerics themselves. There has been confusion regarding Ahlu Sunna's leadership structure since its founding, and the group has been beset by leadership rivalries from the beginning. On 22 February 2009, the group announced the formation of the Administration of Central Somalia - a parallel administrative structure in its de facto area of territorial control, which roughly equates to the Galguduud province in central Somalia - and announced that this administration would be led by Sheikh Omar Sheikh Muhammad Farah. However, on 15 March 2010, Sheikh Muhammad Sheikh Hassan - described as the group's spiritual leader - was responsible for signing a power-sharing agreement with the Somali government. A formal statement by the group in mid-April seemed to clarify the relationship, as it named Hassan as the group's overall chairman while stating that Farah would henceforth act as the group's spokesman. Despite this, the United Nations special envoy for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, stated on 12 April 2011 that Ahlu Sunna appeared to have no unified leadership, and

Aims and Objectives
Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa was initially formed with the objective of de-legitimising the radical Islamist theology promoted by militant groups such as Al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya (AIAI). Its opposition to such groups took non-violent forms, with clerics preaching in favour of a rejuvenation of traditional Sufi religious orders and values. To this end, the group sought to unite the three main Sufi religious orders in the country: the Qadiriyya, the Salihiyya, and the Ahmadiyya. Today, the group's objective remains the defence of traditional Sufi values in the face of the more radical and militant interpretations of Islam being espoused by various Somali jihadist groups. However, in recent years, the strategies adopted by Ahlu Sunna have had to adapt to meet the more direct challenges posed by the emergence of ever more extremist groups, such as Shabab and Hizbul Islam. Since early 2009, the efforts of such jihadist groups to establish hard-line Islamist administrations in towns and regions across Somalia have been accompanied by a concerted campaign against Somali Sufis - whom they regard as apostates - which has seen the desecration of many sacred Sufi shrines, attacks on Sufi religious ceremonies, and the forceful suppression of Sufi customs. In turn, Ahlu Sunna has abandoned its non-violent stance, and has mounted an armed resistance to the encroachment of the jihadist groups into its areas of influence. Nevertheless, Ahlu Sunna statements continue to stress that they do not believe in attaining their goals through violent means. While Ahlu Sunna has established parallel administrations in

The complete article appears in the following publication:
Publication Title	Jane's World Insurgency and Terrorism
Publication date	Mar 21, 2012
Section	GROUPS - AFRICA - ACTIVE
Publication synopsis	Jane's World Insurgency and Terrorism profiles every significant terrorist and insurgent movement worldwide with 'at-a-glance' summaries of threat levels, status, founding date, aims and objectives, and leadership. In-depth threat analyses focus on recent attacks, claims of responsibility, targeting and tactics, personnel and recruitment, operational preparedness and limiting factors. The portfolio of profiles for active groups is deepened as new groups emerge to provide the greatest level of coverage and analysis possible. Regular updates of the most active groups allow you to keep track of terrorist activity globally and ensure that notable shifts in doctrine, leadership and capabilities are captured.
In addition to a detailed threat assessment, group profiles also address	Sources of funding Alliances Sources of weapons Organisation and command structure Political and religious affiliation Propaganda techniques Leader biographies Overview of campaign
Different sections provide in-depth detail covering	Groups - Africa - Active Groups - Africa - Dormant Groups - Americas - Active Groups - Americas - Dormant Groups - Asia - Active Groups - Asia - Dormant Groups - Europe - Active Groups - Europe - Dormant Groups - International - Active Groups - Middle East - Active Groups - Middle East - Dormant

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