MOGADISHU—Somalia’s former National Security Advisor and Foreign Minister, Abdisaid Muse Ali, has caused stir, stating that the militant group Al-Shabab “is the only effective force capable of defending somlia against Ethiopian aggression.”
Speaking when he appeared on a political show at the BBC Somali, Siciid accused the Ethiopian government of haboring “expansionist ambitions” and labelled Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as a “radical extremist.”
“There is no military power in Somalia other than Alshabab that can withstand Ethiopia’s proactive expansion” Siciid claimed during the interview.
When asked if he considered Alshabab a terrprist group, Mr. Said rejected the global designation and suggested that the international community, notably the United States, “no longer prioritizes counter-terrorism campaigns.”
The remarks of the former foreign minister have been met with widespread outrage, with political analysts in Somalia urging the current government led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to arrest Siciid and press charges against him.
“These comments are incredibly reckless and jeopardize the progress the government has made in the fight against terrorism,” Ali Yare Wardhere, a Somalia-based political analyst, told Kulan Post.
“For a former high-ranking official to suggest handing over the country’s defense to Al-Shabaab is deeply troubling and unacceptable.” Mr Ali, who was also the deputy mayor and head of security in mogadishu city, noted.
Siciid, who served as both National Security Advisor and Foreign Minister under Farmajo administration, is seen by many as undermining the current government’s efforts in the ongoing war against Al-Shabaab insurgency.
Both the offices of the President and the Prime Minister are yet to comment on the matter.
However, sources within the administration indicate that the comments are being taken “very seriously and may prompt legal action against the former official.”
The controversial remarks by Siciid is set to further complicate Somalia’s fragile political landscape and its security cooperation with neighboring countries in the fight against the Al-Shabaab threat.
