Somalia stands at a decisive moment in its efforts to achieve sustainable integration of former combatants. Under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s second-term administration, the Federal Government has intensified the campaign against Al-Shabaab on two fronts: military operations across central regions and the systematic targeting of the group’s financial infrastructure. Yet the ideological front shaping community attitudes, building resilience, and ensuring the long-term social acceptance of defectors remains underdeveloped. As a result, the reintegration of low-risk defectors has become a critical vulnerability in Somalia’s broader stabilisation strategy.

Beyond the Battlefield: Advancing a National Strategy for Sustainable Community Reintegration