Al-Shabaab claims Somalia political crisis proves US, EU pull strings in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – In a significant rhetorical shift, the militant group Al-Shabaab has for the first time waded into the escalating political dispute gridlocking Somalia. The standoff pits the federal government against an alliance of regional leaders and opposition figures – a feud the insurgents claim is driven entirely by greed over foreign aid and “looted public wealth.”

In an audio message broadcast to mark the Muslim Eid festivities, Al-Shabaab’s veteran spokesman, Ali Mohamud Rageh, widely known as Ali Dhere, seized on the domestic political crisis to argue that the bitter impasse proves the country remains firmly under the thumb of Western powers, specifically the United States and the European Union.

According to the insurgent group, the fragility of Somalia’s sovereignty was laid bare the moment internal political friction surfaced. Ali Dhere alleged that American and European diplomats stationed in Mogadishu swiftly summoned both President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders to the heavily fortified Halane base camp. There, the spokesman claimed, Western envoys delivered a blunt ultimatum: settle the political differences or face a catastrophic withdrawal of all foreign personnel, alongside a total freeze on both direct budgetary support and the vital financial and security assistance anchoring Somalia’s counter-terrorism operations.

The audio address leaned heavily into Al-Shabaab’s long-standing narrative, which consistently frames the internationally backed authorities in Mogadishu as “puppets” of Western and Ethiopian interests. Ali Dhere drew a direct line back to President Mohamud’s election four years ago, asserting that the head of state was summoned to the Halane base on the very night of his victory, only to be called back to the exact same venue years later as his political term expired. This, the spokesman argued, is definitive proof that the presidency serves at the behest of Washington.

However, the timing of this latest intervention is particularly sensitive, dropping just as the domestic political gridlock threatens to spin entirely out of control.

Turning his focus to the economy, the militant spokesman highlighted the deep financial constraints and budget deficits currently crippling the federal government. He noted that Western donors have noticeably scaled back their fiscal commitments, forcing Somali leaders to shuttle between various African and Gulf capitals in a desperate bid to plug the funding gaps. This donor fatigue, Ali Dhere claimed, is a clear sign that the Western powers who instigated the war against the militancy are now backtracking on their commitments.

The critique extended to the African Union peacekeepers operating in the country. The Islamist spokesman alleged that international forces are grappling with severe financial hardship, claiming some units have gone unpaid for two years. He argued that the European Union has deliberately kept the funding crisis off its upcoming legislative agendas, distracted by its own costly geopolitical conflict with Russia, which has left Brussels unable or unwilling to maintain heavy spending on African peacekeeping missions.

In a direct appeal to frontline Somali soldiers, Ali Dhere urged troops to defect rather than lose their lives in what he characterized as a foreign-led “crusade”. To bolster his argument, he pointed to alleged statements from Washington, suggesting the U.S. has openly boasted about fighting global conflicts without risking American lives by relying entirely on local proxies. Somali troops, the spokesman warned, should refuse to act as expendable mercenaries in a proxy war.

The address concluded with a sharp warning aimed at Ankara, targeting Turkey’s expanding military and economic footprint in the Horn of Africa nation. Ali Dhere accused Turkey of plundering Somalia’s natural resources through corrupt, backroom deals struck with President Mohamud. Rejecting the legitimacy of these bilateral agreements, the Al-Shabaab spokesman warned that Ankara would eventually be held to account, vowing that every penny taken would be reclaimed and retribution would be sought for every life lost to Turkish drone strikes and aerial bombardments.

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