Sunday October 12, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali National Army (SNA) has seized an armoured vehicle driven by former officer Col. Ali Hubeey, in what officials say is part of a nationwide campaign to recover government military assets and strengthen accountability within the armed forces.
The vehicle, marked with Somali military insignia, was intercepted near Mogadishu’s Liido Beach on Saturday. Hubeey, who previously served in the national army and the Hirshabelle regional forces, confirmed the seizure in a Facebook post, expressing frustration and describing the incident as “an issue that will not end here.”
The operation follows an intensified effort by the Ministry of Defence to enforce tighter control over government-issued weapons and vehicles amid ongoing security reforms. Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi
announced Sunday that unmarked vehicles and unidentified soldiers will no longer be permitted to move freely in Mogadishu or elsewhere in Somalia.
“The government will issue a directive prohibiting any unmarked vehicle or unidentified soldier from operating within Mogadishu or across the country,” Fiqi said, emphasizing that the decision was made to prevent militant infiltration and protect civilians.
The directive comes after a recent
Al-Shabaab attack on the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) compound at Godka Jilicow in Banadir region, where militants used a vehicle disguised with NISA insignia to breach the facility. The incident raised fresh concerns over the misuse of official markings and vehicles to carry out attacks.
“When the Khawarij failed to infiltrate using civilian vehicles, they began disguising themselves in cars resembling those of the government,” Fiqi said. “It was a rare incident, and it will not happen again.”
The Defence Ministry has in recent weeks stepped up inspections to identify and recover military property in private possession, warning that anyone found unlawfully using government assets will face prosecution.
The enforcement drive illustrates the federal government’s push to professionalize the armed forces and restore public trust in national security institutions, at a time when Somalia remains engaged in ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab in several regions of the country.