Saturday August 23, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim
Fiqi has warned opposition politicians against attempting to mobilize the
military or resort to armed conflict, as tensions rise following failed talks
with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Fiqi singled out several former leaders, including
ex-President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khayre and
Mohamed Hussein Rooble, MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, and former Foreign
Minister Ahmed Isse Awad, accusing them of stoking political unrest and
plotting actions that could threaten national security.
“They should not think of taking up arms against the
government to intimidate the government or the people. Anyone who tries to do
so will be met with the full force of the law and the national army,” Fiqi
said.
The warning comes after opposition leaders expressed
concerns over the anticipated electoral process, including the management of
elections and the role of regional states.
A recent meeting aimed at bridging differences between the
government and opposition ended without agreement.
Analysts are divided on the minister’s remarks. Some view
them as an intimidation tactic, while others warn of a genuine risk of armed
opposition returning to Somali politics — a scenario with a troubling
historical precedent.
