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Former NISA chief warns of Al-Shabaab’s growing threat to Somalia’s stability
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    Monday March 10, 2025


    Former Deputy Director of Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdisalam Guled, pictured during a recent interview. (Supplied)

    Mogadishu (HOL) — Former Deputy Director of Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdisalam Guled, is sounding the alarm over Al-Shabaab's growing threat, calling on the Somali government to take decisive action to counter the militant group's evolving tactics.

    Guled warned that Al-Shabaab is shifting its methods, aiming to gain public trust while strengthening its territorial hold in central and southern Somalia, particularly in Hirshabelle. The group, he said, is using strategies similar to those seen with the Taliban in Afghanistan and in Syria's conflict, hoping to establish its own governing authority. "They're trying to do what the Taliban did in Afghanistan," Guled noted, stressing the urgency of the situation.

    He added that the Somali government's responsibility is to demonstrate its commitment to protecting the people and maintaining security, especially as Al-Shabaab continues its campaign to seize more territory. The former intelligence official pointed out that this is not just a military threat but one aimed at the heart of Somalia's sovereignty and governance.

    Guled further called on the Somali public to place trust in the government's ability to provide security, despite the ongoing challenges posed by the insurgency. He urged the government to assure citizens that their efforts against Al-Shabaab are effective and ongoing.

    Guled's remarks follow comments recently expressed by Somali Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Mukhtar Robow. Robow, a former senior Al-Shabaab leader, dismissed fears that Mogadishu would fall to the group, stating that Al-Shabaab has lost its capacity to effectively threaten the capital. Robow emphasized that although Al-Shabaab has intensified its attacks, particularly in central Somalia, these actions do not signal the group's resurgence.

    Al-Shabaab has been one of the most resilient and dangerous insurgent groups in Africa. Emerging from the remnants of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in the mid-2000s, Al-Shabaab has maintained a long-standing insurgency against the Somali government. Despite significant setbacks, including the loss of territory in recent years, the group remains a deadly force, particularly in rural areas and along key trade routes leading into Mogadishu. Their ability to adapt, recruit, and execute attacks has kept the government and international forces on high alert.

     





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