Failed state phenomenon and terrorism: The case of Somalia and al Shabaab

Determining the conditions that trigger the terrorism or create an appropriate environment for the aggravation of terrorism in the period when terrorism gains a global character is of vital importance for ensuring a sustainable peace environment. Failed states, defined as a flawed version of the nation-state model, constitute unsafe areas and crisis zones where terrorist groups can nest. The most threatening factor in world peace is the inevitable rise of terrorism and the spread of the destructive effects of the failed state rather than the arms race between states. In Somalia, where the tribal community structure is dominant, the central authority has weakened throughout the country since 1991. The country, which failed in the transition from colonial heritage to the modern state, has become synonymous with concepts such as civil war, hunger and terror. In Somalia, the state mechanism is flawed, the large part of the population is deprived of political and economic rights, or the lack of control of airports and borders created conditions for terrorist groups to use the territory of the country as an operational base. The failure to develop an effective anti-terrorism and intelligence strategy in Somalia directly threatens individual security. This study analyzes the phenomenon of failed state, which can become a safe haven for terrorist organizations that have become increasingly complex in the globalizing world,within the framework of the concept of value-dependent human security. The political, social and economic factors affecting the state failure of Somalia, where the weak state structure has been observed for more than twenty years, and the environment of violence and chaos have been examined. The ideology of the organization and its actions are analyzed in line with the social dynamics that affect the emergence and spread of the al-Shabab terrorist organization, which poses a direct threat to the security of individuals in Somalia. Key Words: Failed State, Human Security, Somalia, Terrorism, Al Shabaab