Locations affected by this alert: Addis Ababa, Benghazi, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Mombasa, Nairobi, Somalia, Tripoli

Summary
Members of US Navy SEAL Team SIx - the same unit that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Pakistan hideout in 2011 - reportedly carried out a raid on a house in the port town of Baraawe (map), Somalia, pre-dawn Oct. 5. The counterterrorism operation targeted a known high-level Al-Shabaab commander related to the deadly attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sept. 21, but the SEAL members were reportedly forced to abort the mission to seize the terrorist suspect after a fierce firefight. It was unclear if the senior militant died in the attack, but several other Al-Shabaab members were killed. The likely target of the operation was Sheikh Moktar Ali Zubeyr, also known as Ahmad Abdi Godane. Baraawe is located 179 km (111 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu and 231 km (144 miles) north of the port city of Kismayo.

Several hours after the Somali assault, the US Army's Delta Force reportedly carried out a raid in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, successfully capturing a Libyan Al-Qaeda leader. Pentagon officials identified the suspect as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al-Libi - wanted for the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that left more than 220 people dead. The US military is reportedly holding him in a secure location outside of Libya. US officials said there were no US casualties in either of the Somali or Libyan missions.

Al-Shabaab may attempt to launch retaliatory attacks against Somali government and African Union installations and personnel, particularly in Mogadishu, over the coming days. Militant cells or groups sympathetic to Al-Shabaab across East Africa may also carry out attacks. The threat is highest in countries committing troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia, namely Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Burundi. Al-Qaeda militants could also conduct terror attacks in Libya, especially in Tripoli and Benghazi, in response to al-Libi's capture.

Background and Analysis
US forces have carried out special operations in Somalia in the past. In early 2013, a US Navy SEAL team rescued a US citizen and Danish national after they were held hostage for three months by a gang of pirates. In 2009, a SEAL team killed one of the leaders of Al-Qaeda's Kenya cell in Baraawe. The US military also uses drones to survey Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda activity in-country and occasionally carries out drone strikes on high-profile targets.

Both the Somali and Libyan operations underscore the efforts the US is willing to put forth to weaken the leadership of Al-Shabaab and other Al-Qaeda-linked groups, especially after the Westgate Shopping Mall attack. Government authorities in the region are already operating under a heightened terror alert, but could institute additional security measures over the coming days. Expect security to be highest around international airports and border crossings, as well as near popular shopping areas, particularly those frequented by foreign nationals. 

Advice
Consider limiting exposure to identifiable targets. Do not linger near entrances to hotels, restaurants, or other sites where foreigners tend to congregate. Shop and dine during off-peak hours. To the extent possible, try to avoid crowded public areas, and minimize nonessential movement after nightfall. Exercise maximum caution if operating in any aforementioned country and limit exposure to potential terror targets, such as government buildings, markets, transport centers, major intersections, and other crowded sites.