Monday January 30, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs & Reconciliation, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, said that the recent comments made by Al Shabaab's spokesperson Ali Mohamud Rage Ali Dheere highlighted the hypocrisy of the group.
In a Facebook
post, the minister said that Dheere went to extreme lengths to appear sympathetic to the plights of ordinary Somali entrepreneurs when his group was directly responsible for destroying their businesses.
"Ali Khawaarij used to say "Alhamdulillah" (Praise the lord) when he (Al Shabaab) demolished hotels and homes. Did that property not belong to the Somali people? The animals he used to steal for their false zakat, the people's cars they burned or stole or the homes blown up by landmines because they could not pay the extortion fee. What about the hundreds of other aggressions faced by the Somali people?"
The minister went on to say that Dheere's words highlight the growing discontent inside Al Shabaab and show that the government's offensive is working.
"Is Ali Khawarij oblivious to the reality that the individuals he is addressing are the same folks whose hardships he celebrated - and exclaim "Alhamdulillah." Did he forget, or was he confused by the devastating blows his group (Al Shabaab) has been receiving."
Fiqi's remarks came as the Somali government said it would
publicly reveal millions of dollars of funds confiscated by authorities.
Earlier this month, Somalia announced the closure of over
250 militant-connected accounts in four banks, as well as the closure of approximately 70 mobile phones used for money transfers by the militant