War on Al-Shabaab dominates the Somali cabinet meeting agenda

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who is in the US for UNGA77 asked the Biden administration for more effective support in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

News Keydmedia Online
22 September 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s cabinet held its weekly session on Thursday at the office of the prime minister within the presidential palace in Mogadishu.

Chaired by PM Hamza Abdi Barre, the ministers discussed key issues, including the ongoing anti-Al-Shabaab war and combating the financing of terrorism in Somalia.

In a statement, the office of the prime minister said the cabinet agreed to fortify the national security policy to guide ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab.

The cabinet was briefed defese minister on the military offensive by the SNA along with the local residents against Al Shabaab militants in their strongholds in central Somalia," said the statement.

Also, on the agenda was organizing and coordinating a team led by PM Hamza on the liberation of the country from the group and creating a national agency for CVE.

The new committee will hold meetings on encouragement and expansion of public uprising nationwide as self-organized local residents are now taking part in the war.

Since last month, the Somali army with the support of local militia in the Hiran region regained control of key areas from Al-Shabaab and killed dozens of militants.

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who is in the US for UNGA77 asked the Biden administration for more effective support in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

The country has been at war with Al-Shabaab for nearly 15 years and security experts say the operations did not yield much fruit due to a lack of commitment.

KEYDMEDIA English