BARIIRE, Somalia, (Horn Life) – Somali Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi on Friday accused unnamed foreign powers of directly supporting the described as a foreign-backed plan to empower extremist groups in the country.
“We know clearly that foreign states are supporting al-Shabaab in an attempt to take over Somalia,” Fiqi said. “Fortunately, our government has managed to counter those e plans.”
Fiqi did not name the countries he alleges are behind the support, but his comments follow recent reports suggesting possible cooperation between al Shabaab and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are aligned with Iran.
The defence minister said the Somali government had invested significant effort in disrupting foreign interference and extremist financing, calling the military’s recent gains a “major success” in protecting national sovereignty.
He added that Somalia would continue its military operations against al- Shabaab and any external actors aiding the group, to ensure long-term security and stability.
Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked group, has been waging an insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for over a decade, despite repeated offensives by Somali forces and African Union troops.
