Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa Please submit all media inquiries to [email protected] 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 14 Jul 2024 It is likely Somalia will still require foreign troops’ assistance for at least the next couple of years in order to avoid a security reversal. The East African Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa 25 Aug 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 Apr 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 Omar Mahmood Senior Analyst, Eastern Africa Latest Updates Our Journeys / Africa 07 June 2024 The Roots of Somalia’s Slow Piracy Resurgence Podcast / Africa 07 February 2024 Somalia, Somaliland and the Explosive Port Deal Podcast / Africa 06 November 2023 Somalia’s Stalling Fight Against Al-Shabaab and America's Wobbly Strategy Podcast / Africa 24 March 2023 Somalia’s Latest Battles Against Al-Shabaab Podcast / Africa 11 January 2023 Somalia's Offensive Against Al-Shabaab Podcast / Africa 30 June 2022 A Strategy for Exploring Talks with Al-Shabaab in Somalia Load more