REFLEXIVE PEACE PRACTICE (RPP) PROJECT

Somalia's security situation remained critical during the week of 21–25 September 2026, marked by a continued US airstrike campaign against Al-Shabaab, including a 24 September strike near Qumbi in Jubaland. The broader strategic picture continued to be shaped by the Federal Government's early-September pivot back toward a community-fighter-supported counter-insurgency model, adopted after a serious setback in which Al-Shabaab claimed the deaths of 178 soldiers in central Somalia. The underlying 'managed conflict' stalemate persisted, with continuing structural uncertainty over AUSSOM's funding beyond 2026 remaining a key risk to the durability of current security arrangements.