Saturday, July 5, 2025 — Horn Africa News (HAN)
Mogadishu — Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, has issued a strong condemnation of Somali business owners accused of directly or indirectly financing the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. The minister described such actions as a grave threat to national security at a critical time in the country’s fight against extremism.
Minister Fiqi highlighted that the Federal Government has already taken significant steps to weaken Al-Shabaab’s operational capacity, including shutting down communication equipment and restricting goods previously exploited by the group to carry out attacks. Despite these efforts, he expressed concern that some businesses continue to provide financial support to the militants.
“It is deeply regrettable that Somali businesspeople are providing funds to Al-Shabaab, at a time when the government and the Somali people have sacrificed both lives and resources to defeat this group,” Minister Fiqi said during a press briefing in Mogadishu.
He announced that the government is finalizing strict legal measures aimed at holding accountable anyone found to be collaborating with Al-Shabaab. The minister warned that business owners who support terrorism — whether directly or indirectly — will face legal consequences.
The Ministry of Defence urged all Somali business owners to refrain from any actions that could aid terrorist groups, emphasizing that such support undermines the country’s hard-won progress towards peace and stability.
Somalia continues to face a precarious security situation, as government forces battle Al-Shabaab militants across various regions. The Somali government has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring stability, law, and order by intensifying operations to eliminate extremist groups that have destabilized the nation for more than a decade.
