Under fire from Somalia's al Shabab A road in Somalia has become a deadly battleground between African Union troops and the Islamist group al Shabab. Al Shabab came to wider international prominence for its attack on Nairobi's Westgate Shopping Mall on 21 September but the group had already been waging war in Somalia for a number of years. The BBC's Mark Doyle was given special access to the front line of the battle, where his convoy came under attack.