Thread by @marcowenjones

🧵[Thread] 1/ I have detected a Somalia-focused sockpuppet network spreading pro-UAE, anti-Qatar and anti-Turkish propaganda on Twitter and Reddit. However, their main efforts are criticizing Somalia President Farmajo, and supporting Prime Minister Roble 👉 #disinformation

2/ The network consists of around 30-40 sockpuppet accounts. Like other networks I have documented recently, many of the images feature attractive young millenial/gen z types with fairly professional headshots. They all use Twitter Web App, and tweet in Somali, English or Arabic

3/ Below is a typical sample of a lot of the content from the network. Anti-Farmajo, pro-Roble, pro-UAE, anti-Turkey, and anti-Qatar. The accounts all post banal or trivial influencer-type content between their political posts, for that instagrammable spice 🌶️ #disinformation

4/ I analysed around 3500 tweets from these accounts dating back to around April 2020. The most common word used by the accounts is 'Farmajo', indicating he is the main source of their focus. The accounts were particularly active around the Somali Elections began in late 2021

5/ The network has been active since around early 2020. The below graph shows how they initially focused on criticizing Qatar (pink) and Turkey's (purple) role in Somalia, but has shifted more to talking and criticizing Farmajo (orange). #disinformation

6/ An interesting aspect of this network is that it also active on the r/Somali and r/politics @Reddit . Below are identical images on Twitter and Reddit, but different names. As expected, they post similar content (anti-Farmajo articles/posts ) #disinformation #sockpuppets

7/ There are at least two more of the Somalian disinformation spreaders on Reddit, as you can see below. Some of them also have Facebook profiles (won't post screenshots) #disinformation

8/ Interestingly, after receiving a tip about this network (thanks for that), I looked into it about 3 days ago. Since that time, Twitter has suspended around 16 of the accounts. Actually, Twitter also suspended some of the network back in late 2021, during the elections

9/ However half of the network are still active. Interestingly, 20 of the accounts were easy to find because they blocked me (I had never interacted with them). I also suspected others that hadn't blocked me, many of these were later suspended -thus confirming my suspicions

10/ What's the goal of the network? Well based on a report by @CrisisGroup on 'Somalia and the Gulf Crisis', there was pressure on the Somali government to choose sides, Qatar/Turkey or UAE and co. The network here is clearly aligned with trying to crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-af…

11/ undermine Farmajo and attack the Qatar/Turkey relationship with Somalia. The general discourse is that Farmajo is corrupt, incompetent, disruptive, dishonest while Turkey supports terrorism or wishes to control Somalia. #disinformation #Somalia

11/ To sum up then. Twitter have suspended part of a Somali-focused networked that appears to be attacking Farmajo, Turkey, Qatar, while reflecting UAE foreign policy. The network resembles a similar network I identified a few days ago, but focused on the Muslim Brotherhood.

12/ Given the similar aesthetics, the fact many of them had pre-blocked me, I would say this is part of the same operation, which clearly has different 'files', some focusing in Arabic on muslim brotherhood, others focusing on Horn of Africa and the Somali language.

13/ Anyway, that's all for now, happy Wednesday all!