(27 Apr 2025) NAIROBI (Halqabsi News) – Former Foreign Minister and ex-National Security Adviser, Abdisaid Muse Ali, has claimed that international intelligence agencies have embedded operatives within Al-Shabaab as part of covert surveillance operations.
Speaking at a security forum in Nairobi focused on combating terrorism threats in Somalia, Abdisaid said the infiltration strategy was primarily aimed at monitoring Al-Shabaab’s activities and preventing potential threats to foreign nations.
He warned, however, that this tactic inadvertently sustains the group’s survival. “The presence of highly skilled operatives posing as Al-Shabaab members, with expertise in digital finance and advanced technologies, may unintentionally strengthen the group,” Abdisaid stated.
He emphasised that most foreign intelligence services are driven by their national security interests, not by concern for Somalia’s stability. “Their primary objective is to shield their homelands, not to help Somalia achieve lasting peace,” he said.
Abdisaid also called for a unified national counterterrorism strategy to address both direct and indirect support mechanisms that enable Al-Shabaab’s persistence. He urged closer cooperation between Somalia’s internal security institutions and international partners to dismantle these covert networks.
The forum, attended by regional security experts, highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by Al-Shabaab and the complex external factors that complicate efforts to defeat the militant group.
Halqabsi News
