Ethiopian authorities apprehended most of the assailants, but Godane and al-Afghani managed to evade capture and within a couple months fled to southern Somalia, where the absence of a functional government was conducive to their activities.
[9] Using the money acquired from their heist, Godane and al-Afghani managed to infiltrate the Islamic courts in order to recruit people to their cause of Salafi jihadism.
He was allegedly involved with the murders of several aid workers in Somaliland including a British couple Dick and Enid Eyeington, he was then sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison for terrorism related charges.
[7] During this period, Godane assumed command of a significant number of al-Shabaab fighters and played a pivotal role in the ICU's successful campaign to defeat local warlords and capture Mogadishu.
A compromise was reached where both groups agreed on appointing Ahmed Godane, an outsider who hails from the northern Isaaq clan as the head of military forces in the strategic city of Kismayo, Lower Juba.
[11] Following the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in 2009, al-Shabaab was able to achieve relative stability in the areas under its control by implementing a strict interpretation of Sharia law, focusing on carrying out punishments for specific offenses such as murder, theft, robbery, adultery, fornication, and espionage.
This stringent legal code had economic implications, leading to increased commerce and trade in areas under al-Shabab's influence, including major cities like Baidoa and Kismayo.
Local insurgent authorities also initiated public works projects, including bridge and road construction, irrigation canal development, and famine relief distribution in 2011.
In his first statement on June 2, 2008, as the head of al Shabaab, Godane pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and vowed that his group would launch a direct attack against the United States.
[12][13] In January 2010, Godane, speaking on behalf of Al-Shabaab, released a statement reiterating his support for al-Qaeda and stated that they had "agreed to join the international jihad of al Qaeda".
[16] Godane faced internal criticism due to the failed "Ramadan Offensive" in August 2010, characterized by poorly planned mass infantry attacks in Mogadishu on SNA and AMISOM positions, causing significant insurgent casualties.
His ascent to the peak of power was achieved through a gradual yet persistent consolidation of control within the group, strategic maneuvering to outshine rivals, and significant backing from key segments of al-Shabaab, notably the Amniyat network.
A few months later, he achieved a significant media victory when al-Shabaab militants seized control of Nairobi's upscale Westgate Mall, confounding Kenyan security forces for several days.
This event highlighted the group's resilience and its capacity to continue major attacks in Mogadishu, indicating that the Godane-led al-Shabaab would remain a significant player in the country despite territorial losses and other setbacks experienced since the spring of 2011.
[17] U.S. authorities hailed the raid as a major symbolic and operational loss for Al-Shabaab, and the Somali government offered a 45-day amnesty to all moderate members of the militant group.
[5][21] On the 26th June 2017, Al-Shabaab published a documentary on Godane, titled 'The March of Steadfastness of Sheikh Mukhtar Abu Al-Zubair' (Arabic: الوثائقي مسيرة الصمود الشيخ مختار أبو الزبير).