Omar Mahmood

Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa

Please submit all media inquiries to media@crisisgroup.org or call +32 (0) 2 536 00 71

Crisis Group Role

As the Senior Analyst for Eastern Africa, Omar conducts field research, provides written analysis, proposes policy recommendations and engages in advocacy efforts.

Professional background

Omar has previously worked as a senior researcher focusing on the Horn of Africa for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Addis Ababa, and as an international consultant covering Boko Haram and the Lake Chad Basin. Prior to that, he obtained his Master’s degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso.

Languages

English (native)
French (conversant)
Urdu (conversant)

Select Publications

Overlapping claims by Somaliland and Puntland: the case of Sool and Sanaag, ISS Africa, December 2019
Competition, cooperation and security in the Red Sea, ISS Africa, September 2019

In The News

25 Aoû 2023

If military pressure is designed to push toward the complete elimination of Shabaab, then I think we'll miss opportunities to resolve this conflict. Reuters

Omar Mahmood

Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa

5 avr 2023

Al-Shabaab continues to mount resistance in parts of central Somalia and fighting al-Shabaab in its southern strongholds will probably be a tougher slog. Financial Times

Omar Mahmood

Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa

1 nov 2022

Things [in Somalia] are likely to get worse before they get better as both the government and al Shabaab are locked into war mode right now. Irish Times