News:Recently, Al-Shabaab has attacked a military base used by the United States of America(USA) and Kenyan forces in Kenya’s coastal Lamu region.
Facts:
About Lamu Region:
- Lamu Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.It is situated in the Indian Ocean in the East of Kenya.
- Lamu was a trading post for the sultanate of Oman and was once one of the most important locations in East Africa for the slave, ivory and gold trades.
- Currently,it is one of the longest established and best preserved remaining settlements of the Swahili tradition.The name Swahili is derived from Arabic word which means coasts.
- The region is built on coral stone and mangrove timber and is characterized by structural forms such as inner courtyards, verandas and elaborately carved wooden doors.
About Al-Shabab:
- Al-Shabab means The Youth in Arabic.It emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia’s now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts.
- It advocates the Saudi-inspired Wahhabi version of Islam while most Somalis are Sufis.
- It has imposed a strict version of Sharia in areas under its control, including stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves.
