The Danab Brigade: Somalia's Elite Commando Force Taking on Al-Shabaab

Somalia is a country that consistently ranks near the top of lists detailing war-torn conflict zones, brutal civil wars, and failed states. Between the de facto independent government in the northern Somaliland region, the autonomous state of Puntland at Somalia’s outermost tip, the fragile Somali central government, and the continued resurgence of the jihadist terror group al-Shabaab, the nation remains profoundly broken. It often appears to be very far away from ever finding its footing as a coherent sovereign state. But among the carnage and the chaos, one group of elite special operators stands out. This is not a group on loan from the United States, Europe, Russia, China, or anywhere else on Earth, but a unit made up of Somalis directly loyal to the Somali National Army. They are called the Danab Brigade. Armed with the best weapons foreign aid can buy, a distinctive sky-blue beret, and a wealth of tactical knowledge taken directly from the instruction of American Navy SEALs, they operate as an enigmatic and deadly force across the deserts of Somalia. This military unit possesses a unique history and purpose, navigating a complex operational landscape in a state constantly spiraling toward total collapse.

Key Takeaways

Formed in 2013 by the private contractor Bancroft Global Development, the Danab Brigade began with 150 recruits at Baledogle Airfield.
Danab strategically recruits from multiple Somali clans to avoid factionalism and prevent the perception of acting as an occupying army.
The brigade's training is deeply inspired by US Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, focusing on urban and rural asymmetric warfare.
In late 2023, the Danab Brigade dismantled al-Shabaab control over three districts in the Somali province of Galmudug.
Despite leading the liberation of over 100 towns, Danab struggles to hold territory due to the weaknesses of the regular Somali military.
The brigade sustained heavy losses prior to a 2023 graduation, losing over a hundred commandos in a single month of combat.

A Half-Century of Civil War and the Rise of Al-Shabaab

The history of the Danab Brigade cannot be understood without context, and specifically, without a clear understanding of the turmoil Somalia has endured over the last half-century. While Somalia has not known much peace since it first gained its independence in 1950, the most difficult years began in 1969, when Muhammad Siad Barre rose to power in a coup following the assassination of the nation’s prior president. Through famine and mass starvation in the 1970s, and war with Ethiopia and its Cuban allies through the 1980s, Somalia narrowly survived the Barre years. When he was overthrown in 1991, the entire nation descended into deep chaos. For the following several years, Somalia experienced perpetual civil war between a wide range of warlord and militia factions. A United States-led intervention tried and failed to put a stop to the violence. Even after the Somali government technically managed to consolidate, the war only continued, with intermittent flares in bloodshed proving more than enough to keep the entire fractured nation on a knife’s edge. However, since the mid-2000s, no armed group in Somalia has been quite so devastating as the al-Shabaab organization. With a name translating to "the Youth," and a history tracing back to popular guerrilla resistance against an Ethiopian invasion of Somalia in late 2006, the group rapidly radicalized through the late 2000s. An Islamist and fiercely Somali-nationalist group, al-Shabaab claims to represent the interests of the entire Somali diaspora, even outside Somalia's own borders. The group aspires to create a new, larger Somali state under Islamic law, spanning across the Horn of Africa. The organization declared allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012 and has long relied on suicide attacks and brutal violence to fight against the Somali government. It is known for its harsh imposition of Sharia law on the areas of Somalia that it controls, and for its continued resilience against counterattacks by the Somali government, even when that government is supported directly by foreign powers. Al-Shabaab maintains a presence all over Somalia, holding significant territory in the south, and operating bases even in Somaliland and Puntland, where the central government in Mogadishu wields almost no power.

The Birth of the Danab Brigade at Baledogle Airfield

Against al-Shabaab's rising tide, international onlookers understood that a new approach was necessary if the fragile government was going to prevent a complete al-Shabaab takeover. The solution came by way of the United States, which was at that time deeply embroiled in Afghanistan, coping with the Syrian Civil War and the broader repercussions of the Arab Spring, and working to create points of stabilization as bulwarks in the evolving War on Terror. In Somalia, America's vision was ambitious but precise in terms of what Mogadishu would need to prevent the security situation from deteriorating further. America's choice to support the Somali central government was driven much more by urgent necessity than preference. Backing the regime was viewed as a better alternative than kicking off a whole new round of large-scale civil war. In order to ensure Mogadishu's survival, the United States decided to provide a highly trained group of loyal Somalis who were capable of standing up to al-Shabaab in a direct firefight and emerging victorious. This group would have to include members of many Somali clans, rather than just one, and its members would need to work together in service to the Somali state instead of their own clan leaders. They required rigorous training to stand up to al-Shabaab militants, who were the most fearsome fighters in the country, and they needed exceptional bravery to hold their ground against an enemy with a deservedly terrifying reputation for brutality. The initial training and selection processes were carried out not by the US military, but by a private military contractor known as Bancroft Global Development. Previously known as Landmine Clearance International, Bancroft had gained a strong reputation for training hardened units in war-torn nations, eventually making Somalia its primary focus. The first cohort consisted of 150 recruits, who began the process at Baledogle Airfield, located about 90 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu, in October 2013. After a grueling six-month training course, the recruits who survived Bancroft's curriculum were inaugurated into the first class of commandos. The group was given the name Danab, meaning "lightning." By the end of 2014, the unit had swelled its ranks to include roughly five to six hundred commandos in total, wasting no time getting to work.

Multi-Clan Recruitment and Elite Commando Training

In the early days of the Danab Brigade, the Somali military was not an institution that attracted the average citizen. The military was only loosely held together by a few loyal officers and was hardly more of a formidable force than the country's patchwork of independent militias. Recruits largely came from the poorest demographics across Somalia, enticed by the opportunity to earn a small but reliable income. When Danab got its start, it brought together the relatively few Somali soldiers who had been willing to distinguish themselves beyond basic expectations. Since then, non-military recruits have also been welcomed, undergoing a crash course in basic training as part of their rigorous selection process. All recruits are heavily scrutinized for physical fitness, political affiliation, and socioeconomic background. Biometric data is collected and evaluated to ensure candidates have not committed any known human rights violations. In recent years, Somalia has begun targeting more experienced combat veterans for recruitment, especially as the government wages a more active counteroffensive. Highly educated Somalis are in particular demand, further shaping perceptions of the unit as representing the best personnel Somalia has to offer. Women were officially allowed to qualify for Danab by 2021, and a dedicated handful have since joined the group’s ranks. Equally important is the group’s emphasis on recruiting from multiple Somali clans to avoid the intense factionalism that permeates Somali politics. By weighing clan loyalties against individual merit, Bancroft and the United States have kept Danab from appearing as an occupying army or an extension of whatever faction wields influence in Mogadishu. Danab recruits from clans representing a range of Somali federal states, with the ultimate goal of deploying locally trusted brigades in each state. During selection, recruits face an ordeal deeply inspired by US Army Rangers, Special Forces operators, and Navy SEALs. Soldiers receive intense training in urban and rural warfare, focusing on asymmetric tactics. They learn to navigate the Somali savannah, engage in close-quarters combat, and conduct raids and helicopter insertions against enemy camps. By the 2020s, Danab's own commandos took over the majority of training duties, processing batches of about 350 recruits at a time to slowly expand their ranks to an estimated strength of two thousand troops. US Africa Command and Special Operations Command Africa now maintain a direct presence at Baledogle, expanding the headquarters into a functional command center that coordinates activities across Somalia.

Combat Operations, Joint Raids, and Heavy Tolls

The Danab Brigade's operations are often shrouded in mystery, partly owing to the intensely secret nature of their missions and the communications blackouts that still exist over much of modern Somalia. However, it is known that Danab began its work rapidly after its first platoons graduated. In 2017, Danab operators deployed on the ground alongside members of SEAL Team Six during a high-stakes raid on a part of the Shebelle River called Barii. The target was an al-Shabaab leader colloquially known as Mahad Karate. The mission was ultimately unsuccessful and claimed the life of a Navy SEAL, Senior Chief Petty Officer Kyle Milliken. Two other SEALs were wounded, though none of the accompanying Danab commandos were hit in the firefight. Despite the tragic outcome, Danab did not bear the blame for the American casualties, and the United States soon began advocating for an expanded version of the brigade. In the following years, Danab launched regular self-run operations against al-Shabaab across a broad swath of territory in Somalia’s central and southern reaches. Frequently, they are joined by US close air support, artillery fire, and joint terminal attack controllers on the ground. Turkish forces have also assisted with training elements of the force. Over the years, Danab’s combat medics have grown markedly more proficient, saving lives and returning commandos to the fight. The commandos have adapted specifically to al-Shabaab’s combat approach, countering savannah surprise attacks, truck bombs, RPG ambushes, and waves of suicide bombers. Since the start of the 2020s, Danab has engaged in a broadening offensive. The group reportedly cleared roughly ninety percent of al-Shabaab targets in designated operational areas since mid-2022. In late 2023, Danab dismantled al-Shabaab control over three districts in the Somali province of Galmudug, and reports indicate the unit has led the liberation of well over 100 towns and villages. However, Danab has taken heavy losses in the ongoing fight. The 2023 training class was rushed across Somalia just after graduation to replenish two battalions that had seen over a hundred commandos killed the month prior. Despite these losses, the unit continues to operate effectively, often utilizing standard AK-47s and relying on intelligence from US military advisors who monitor from drones and reconnaissance aircraft.

The Fragile Grip on Liberated Territory and Future Implications

While the Danab Brigade has been largely successful in its combat operations, the group is frequently forced to watch helplessly as its work is undone by the terror group after Danab moves on to the next objective. Fierce as they are, a brigade of roughly two thousand troops lacks the manpower to permanently hold the territory they capture. That holding role falls to the regular Somali military and UN-backed forces, which are simply not capable of holding out against al-Shabaab in force. Danab acts as the tip of the spear in Somalia, but the rest of the spear remains little more than a fragile twig. Until that dynamic changes, Danab’s victories will often be fleeting, serving as propaganda wins and slow attritional progress rather than permanent territorial gains. Danab's standing inside Somalia is also vulnerable due to persistent security deficits and the unreliability of foreign support. Empowered by a relatively weak government in Mogadishu, Danab risks disintegration if the central authority collapses, which could force its members to band together independently or return to their respective clans. Furthermore, Danab exists at the mercy of political realities in Washington. Changing priorities among American political and military leaders could easily result in the withdrawal of vital US support, a risk that runs higher as American involvement across the broader Middle East fluctuates. Yet, for as long as they maintain backing, Danab operators appear committed to liberating Somalia kilometer by kilometer from a violently entrenched enemy. In 2022, BBC reporter Andrew Harding accompanied a convoy of Danab operators and noted that the commandos were lean, confident, and highly motivated to continue the fight. One platoon member detailed a recent operation in the town of Bukure, where Danab killed some sixty al-Shabaab fighters in a day-long battle, pushing several hundred more out of the area. Unable to stand up to Danab directly, fleeing al-Shabaab militants destroyed Bukure's central water tower and set fire to the town, shooting at civilians in a last-ditch effort to exact vengeance. Despite these brutal reprisal tactics, liberated civilians have demonstrated profound faith in the Danab battalion. For the first time in generations, Somalis freed from al-Shabaab control are living with the confidence that they are protected by a homegrown, meritocratic, multi-clan force. If Somalia is ever going to chart a real path toward a better future and pivot toward rebuilding a true nation, it will likely be Danab leading the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the special forces in Somalia?

The special forces in Somalia are the Danab Brigade, an elite unit of the Somali National Army, trained by American Navy SEALs and equipped with advanced weapons, distinctive sky-blue berets, and a wealth of knowledge to combat terrorist groups like al-Shabaab.

How many Delta Force operators were killed in Somalia?

Although the exact number is not specified, it is known that 18 American servicemen, including Delta Force operators, were killed in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, a significant event in the history of US military involvement in Somalia.

Are US troops still in Somalia?

Yes, US forces are still present in Somalia, training Somali troops as part of an urgent fight against al-Shabaab, a subsidiary of Al Qaeda, with the goal of preventing the terrorist group from taking over the country.

Were the green berets in Somalia?

The Green Berets, also known as the US Army Special Forces, have been involved in training and advising Somali forces, including the Danab Brigade, as part of the US effort to build a counter-terrorism combat force in Somalia, with the goal of dismantling terrorist networks and saving lives.

What is the main cause of war in Somalia?

The main cause of war in Somalia is the rise of Islamist militant groups like al-Shabaab, which seeks to create a new, larger Somali state under Islamic law, and has been responsible for brutal violence, suicide attacks, and the imposition of harsh Sharia law on areas under its control.

Is the Blackhawk still in Somalia?

The Blackhawk helicopter, made infamous by the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, is still used by US forces in various parts of the world, but its current presence in Somalia is not explicitly confirmed, although US military operations in the country continue to this day.

Is there a US military base in Somalia?

While there are no large, permanent US military bases in Somalia, the US has a significant military presence in the country, with US forces operating from various forward operating bases and training facilities, working to build the capacity of Somali security forces and combat al-Shabaab.

Does Somalia have a strong army?

The Somali National Army, which includes the Danab Brigade, has been rebuilt and strengthened since its reconstitution in the mid-2000s, with the help of international partners like the US, but its effectiveness and capabilities remain limited, and it continues to face significant challenges in its fight against al-Shabaab.