(09 Mar 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) — Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Roobow, has declared that Mogadishu “will not become like Kabul or Damascus,” asserting that al-Shabab is “weaker than ever before.”
Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu alongside religious scholars, Mr Roobow reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating extremist groups. He described the ongoing military operations against al-Shabab as a “just cause.”
“The ministry, along with Somali scholars, stands firmly behind our national heroes and local forces. It is religiously wrong to spread misinformation about this rightful war,” he said.
Mr Roobow dismissed claims about al-Shabab’s strength, accusing the group of relying on “false propaganda to create fear.”
Sheikh Ali Wajiis, a religious scholar, called for unity in the fight against al-Shabab, stating that the group had “distorted Islam for their own gains.”
Other religious scholars at the press conference emphasised the importance of supporting national and local forces against al-Shabab, calling it a “religious obligation.”
The press conference comes as government forces, supported by local militias, continue their offensive in the Middle Shabelle region, targeting al-Shabab strongholds.
Halqabsi News
