(05-09-23) MOGADISHU — As tensions rise within Somalia’s armed forces and fighting intensifies against extremist group Al-Shabaab, former director of Somalia’s National Security and Intelligence Agency (NISA), General Abdirahman Mohamed Turiyare, gives an exclusive interview detailing internal conflicts and strategic failures.
According to General Turiyare, disagreements over strategies to combat Al-Shabaab have fuelled tension between the Minister of Defence and the Commander of the Armed Forces. “In times of war, practices differ from those in times of peace. Salary disparities among different branches of the armed forces may have exacerbated the conflict,” stated the General.
He warned that this internal strife poses a significant obstacle to the ongoing war against Al-Shabaab. “The council of ministers needs a solution; the presidency needs a solution. There is a war that cannot continue,” General Turiyare added.
Despite the clear discord, he played down the severity of the internal conflicts. “There is a conflict between the army and the minister, and there is a conflict with the commander, but I think there is nothing serious,” he noted.
On a separate note, General Turiyare acknowledged major errors made after the Cowswayne attack, where Somali forces suffered devastating losses. Military supplies have dwindled, and poor decisions from officers have compounded the situation. “Officers have behaved wrongly and moved the army from positions where they should have been. Among them are officers who were indispensable to the army’s efforts but were not provided the resources they needed,” he revealed.
In a related development, former HirShabelle President Mohamed Abdi Waare, now a special presidential envoy for civilian protection and stabilisation, openly criticised Defence Minister Abdikadir Mohamed Nur. In an interview with Hanoolaato channel, Waare accused Nur of “overstepping” his role by “interfering” with troops and army commanders, leading to confusion among officers in the war against Al-Shabaab.
The government has yet to comment on either General Turiyare’s or President Waare’s statements, both of which have ignited fresh debates among policymakers and security experts alike.
As internal disputes reach high-ranking officials, concerns are growing over the efficacy of Somalia’s ongoing war against Al-Shabaab, drawing a spotlight on the urgency for cohesive leadership.
Halqabsi News
