Jaysh Ayman

Jaysh Aymanr (Arabic: جيش أيمن)
Flag of Jaysh Ayman
Leaders	Maalim Ayman Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi
Dates active	2013 – Present
Active regions	Boni Forrest Nairobi Lamu County Mandera County Wajir County Garissa County
Ideology	Salafi jihadism Islamic fundamentalism
Size	≈300 fighters
Part of	al-Shabaab
Wars	the Somali Civil War Insurgency in Northern Kenya

Jaysh Ayman (Arabic: جيش أيمن), also known as al-Hijra (Arabic: الهجرة), is a Salafi jihadist group consisting of both Swahili-speaking foreign fighters and fighters from Somalia that has been active in Kenya against the government in northern Kenya.^[1]^[2] The group is an affiliate of al-Shabaab and its leader is Maalim Ayman.^[3]^[4]

References

↑ "Jaysh al-Ayman: A 'Local' Threat in Kenya - Jamestown". jamestown.org. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
↑ "Overseeing al-Shabaab's Kenyan Resurgence: The Ascendance of Jaysh al-Ayman Commander Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi - Jamestown". jamestown.org. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
↑ "MAALIM AYMAN | Security Council". main.un.org. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
↑ "Reward Offered for Maalim Ayman". Voice of America. 2026-04-01. Retrieved 2026-08-05.

Al-Shabaab militant groups

Background

Related groups

Al-Qaeda	Arabian Peninsula (Yemen) Islamic Maghreb (North Africa) Indian subcontinent Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (Mali)
Al-Shabaab (Mozambique)
Islamic State Mozambique Province

Conflicts

War in Somalia (2006–2009)

al-Shabaab attacks

2008	Hargeisa–Bosaso bombings Battle of Beledweyne February 2008 Bosaso bombings
2009	African Union base bombings in Mogadishu Beledweyne bombing
2010	2011–2014 terrorist attacks in Kenya Kampala bombings Battle of Beledweyne Muna Hotel attack
2011	Mogadishu bombing Battle of Beledweyne
2012
2013	Beledweyne attacks Mogadishu Turkish embassy attack United Nations compound attack in Mogadishu Westgate shopping mall attack
2014	Hotel Amalo attack Villa Somalia attack Kenya attacks Mpeketoni attacks
2015	Ministry of Higher Education attack Islamist attacks Battle of Baure Battle of Janale Battle of Leego Central Hotel attack Garissa University College attack Garowe attack Jazeera Palace Hotel bombing Makka al-Mukarama hotel attack Garissa ambush Sahafi Hotel attacks
2016	Galkayo bombings Baidoa suicide bombing Battle of El Adde Daallo Airlines Flight 159 Mogadishu bombings January February June November car bombin
2017	Mogadishu bombings (14 October) Mogadishu bombings (2 January) Golweyn ambush Mogadishu attacks (28 October) Battle of Af Urur Battle of Kulbiyow Dayah Hotel attack
2018	African Union base attack in Bulo Marer Mogadishu attacks (February) Mogadishu bombings (July)
2019	Kenya bus shooting Nairobi DusitD2 complex attack Mogadishu bombings 22 July 24 July 28 February 4 February December
2020	Afgooye bombing Galkayo bombing Mogadishu army base bombing Mogadishu hotel attack Battle of Shabeelow Camp Simba attack
2021	Golweyn ambush Awdheegle and Bariire attacks Battle of Wisil Mogadishu bombings June March November
2022	Mandera attack Somali Ministry of Education bombings Mogadishu bombing (April) Beledweyne bombing Hayat Hotel attack Somalia attacks (March) Somalia attacks Beledweyne bombings Beledweyne attack Siege of the Villa Rossa Hotel
2023	Beledweyne bombing Jaalle Siyaad military academy bombing Mogadishu hotel attack Mogadishu tea shop bombing Battle of Buulo Mareer Buloburde and Jalalaqsi bombings Mahas bombings
2024	Busley army base attack El Dher attack Mogadishu bombings Lido Beach attack Market bombing Prison attack SYL Hotel attack and siege Tea shop bombing Top Coffee bombing
2025	Beledweyne hotel attack Garissa attack Godka Jilaow prison attack Jaalle Siyaad military academy bombing Mogadishu military base bombing Shabelle offensive Attempted assassination of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Category

Militant Islamism in Sub-Saharan Africa
Ideology	Jihadism Salafi jihadism Pan-Islamism
Phenomena	Islamic extremism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic terrorism
Organisations	Al-Shabaab Islamic Courts Union Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya Hizbul Islam Boko Haram Ansaru Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa Al-Mulathameen Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Ansar Dine Al-Mourabitoun Katiba Macina Ansarul Islam Katibat Salaheddin Ansar al-Sharia (Mali) Ansar al-Sharia (Mauritania) Allied Democratic Forces Islamic State Islamic State – Sahel Province Islamic State – West Africa Province Islamic State – Central Africa Province Islamic State – Somalia Province Islamic State - Mozambique Province Ansar al-Sunna (Mozambique)
Leaders	Ali Yassin Mohamed Hassan Dahir Aweys Fuad Qalaf Abdul Qadir Mumin Mokhtar Belmokhtar Abou Zeid Abdelmalek Droukdel Abubakar Shekau Ahmad Diriye Mohammed Yusuf Iyad Ag Ghali Amadou Koufa Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi Sedane Ag Hita Ibrahim Malam Dicko Djaffar Dicko Musa Baluku
Events	War in the Sahel Mali War Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso Jihadist insurgency in Niger Somali Civil War (2009–present) Boko Haram insurgency Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
Part of Islamism Militant Islamism in MENA region South Asia Southeast Asia