Al-Shabaab Continues Anti-China Campaign, Publishes Report on Chinese Influence Expansion in East Africa

Al-Shabaab is one of the world’s most dynamic jihadist organizations and has taken a decidedly anti-China stance in its propaganda and through attacks on Chinese nationals throughout the region. On January 23, for instance, Al-Shabaab militants raided a China Communications Construction Company worksite in Kenya and detonated explosives, also setting fire to eight of the firm’s vehicles. In 2019, Shabaab attacked Chinese work facilities in Kenya, and, in February 2020, the group was repelled during an attempted attack on a Chinese construction site near the Kenya-Somalia border.