Minister Robow: Mogadishu will not fall to Al-Shabaab

2444 Shares

FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail

Sunday March 9, 2025

Somali Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow Ali speaks during a press conference alongside religious scholars in Mogadishu

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow Ali has dismissed fears that Mogadishu could fall to Al-Shabaab militants, declaring that the group has lost its ability to mount a serious threat to the capital.

Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu on Sunday, Robow stated that Al-Shabaab's recent wave of attacks, though alarming, does not indicate the group's resurgence. He rejected comparisons between Al-Shabaab and extremist groups in Syria, insisting that Somalia is not on the brink of collapse.

"Mogadishu is neither Kabul nor Damascus, and Ahmed Diiriye is no Ahmed Sharaac," Robow said. "A leader who isolates himself cannot govern a country. The only way to defeat these Khawarij is through unity and resistance."

Robow, a former senior Al-Shabaab leader, was once the group's deputy emir before formally defecting in 2017. His appointment as Minister of Religious Affairs in 2022 marked a dramatic shift, positioning him as a key government voice against the militants.

His remarks follow weeks of intensified Al-Shabaab operations in central Somalia, where the group has launched its most aggressive offensive in months. The militants temporarily seized multiple towns, including Balcad, which lies just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Mogadishu. Though government forces later regained control, the ease with which Al-Shabaab breached federal defences raised concerns over the country's counterinsurgency strategy.

The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu issued a security alert last week, warning of "imminent attacks" in Somalia, including potential strikes on Aden Adde International Airport. The advisory led to the suspension of all U.S. Embassy personnel movements.

Meanwhile, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud dismissed foreign concerns about the country's security as "propaganda," stating that Somalia is making significant progress against Al-Shabaab. The president vowed to launch more air and ground offensives to root out the militants.

"Victory over this enemy is possible only through unity," Mohamud said. "Stay away from Al-Shabaab-controlled areas—airstrikes are coming."

Al-Shabaab's latest military campaign began on February 20, targeting Middle Shabelle and Hiraan regions with a series of coordinated attacks. The group temporarily captured strategic locations, including El Ali Ahmed, Ali Fooldheere, and Daarunimca. In some cases, militants released photographic evidence of their fighters occupying government buildings before being driven out.

On February 25, Al-Shabaab fighters briefly seized Balcad, a key gateway to Mogadishu, forcing government troops to withdraw. Though Somali forces launched a swift counteroffensive, retaking the town the same day, the incursion underscored the militant group's ability to breach federal defences.

The U.S. military, through AFRICOM airstrikes, has played a crucial role in repelling Al-Shabaab's advances. On March 5, a targeted airstrike in El Ba'ad killed senior Al-Shabaab leader Yusuf Dhegnaas and other commanders. Somali officials hailed the operation as a major blow to the group's leadership.

At Sunday's press conference, Minister Robow was joined by prominent Somali religious scholars, who condemned Al-Shabaab's tactics and called for national unity against the militants.

Robow shared a personal account of the group's brutality, revealing that Al-Shabaab kidnapped his brother's wife during the Islamic month of Sha'ban, abandoning her five-month-old baby in the wilderness.

"Their cruelty knows no bounds," he said. "I urge these heartless individuals to fear Allah and repent."

Sheikh Ali Wajiis, another senior religious scholar, reinforced the religious community's stance against Al-Shabaab, stating that the group has distorted Islamic teachings and falsely claims to represent Islam.

Home
Email

Hiiraan Online