Does Somalia’s president secretly back Al-Shabaab – or is this a political smear war?
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) Somalia is at it again. In the past 24 hours, the federal government has accused Southwest State President Abdiasis Laftagaren of being an Al-Shabaab agent. Southwest authorities, in turn, allege that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is linked to the militant group, and that former members of the group operate within his cabinet. For […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) Somalia is at it again. In the past 24 hours, the federal government has accused Southwest State President Abdiasis Laftagaren of being an Al-Shabaab agent. Southwest authorities, in turn, allege that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is linked to the militant group, and that former members of the group operate within his cabinet.
For more than a decade, branding rivals as Al-Shabaab has been a familiar tactic in Somali politics. Evidence is seldom presented; the point is influence. Allegations shape perception, justify military manoeuvres, and ratchet up psychological pressure.
In 2024, the federal government claimed Al-Shabaab helped Jubaland troops advance along a 200-kilometre route from Kismayo to Ras Kamboni. It later emerged the troops had travelled by sea, after cutting telecommunications.
Similarly, in 2021, opposition figures, including the incumbent President Hassan Sh. Mohamud, accused then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and intelligence chief Fahad Yasin of collusion with Al-Shabaab, only for the government to respond with its own accusations against opposition leaders.
Two weeks ago, Laftagaren was a trusted ally of Mohamud and deputy chairman of his party. Now, after leaving, he is branded a militant. The incident underscores a simple rule in Somalia: political rivalry often masquerades as counter-terrorism.
The consequence is predictable. The public struggles to distinguish between real security threats and political theatre, and the cycle of mistrust feeds the very instability leaders claim to fight.
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