Who is Somalia’s new controversial Intelligence chief Yasin Farey?

Yasin Farey has no educational background or military skills and his colleagues in NISA call him "the unwise man". He was appointed by the outgoing President Farmajo as the Director of the most powerful security agency in Somalia? This is his story.

Report Keydmedia Online
9 September 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Keydmedia Online has looked into the mysterious death of NISA's cyber-security expert Ikran Tahlil within the spy agency which now came under the spotlight. 

During the investigation, KON learned that top NISA leadership members, including Yasin Abdullahi Mohamud alias [Yasin Farey], who was promoted to the intelligence head by Farmajo.

Who is Yasin Farey?

Farey in his 30s hails from Abgaal, a sub-clan of Hawiye that is dominant in the Middle Shabelle region, Somalia. His friends say he didn't attend school during his childhood, uneducated.

He has joined NISA during the tenure of his close relative Gen Abdirahman Mohamud Turyare, who served as the director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency 2014-2016.

A senior intelligence official who didn't want to be named said to Keydmedia Online: "I met him for the first time at Turyare's residence in Mogadishu, where he used to work as doorkeeper before joining NISA."

Farey is described as a "reserved and inarticulate man" who always loved much to serve his superiors. He is transparent but is not smart and wise enough to take decisions independently.  

Farmajo appointed him on Tuesday mid-night as new acting NISA director in a controversial presidential decree after having seen that he is the most loyal service member to Fahad Yasin.

He became the chief of security of Yasin, from where he was promoted to the senior ranks of NISA. Despite having no skills and the capacity of a competent soldier, Farey was in charge of spying on his clan politicians and business leaders.

During the latest clashes between the opposition and pro-Farmajo forces in Mogadishu, Farey has earned a senior rank for his role in the attack on former presidents at Ma'ida hotel in April.

Farey carried out the raid on Farmajo's predecessors during an anti-extension protest in Mogadishu early this year without hesitation after Ibrahim Badiyow rejected Fahad Yasin's strike order.

Sources within NISA told Keydmedia Online that Farey attempted to flee to South Africa from Mogadishu but changed his mind after Abdullahi Kulane [Kulane Jiis] convinced him to stay.

Kulane Jiis assured Yasin Farey to seek protection from Farmajo after involving the murder of Ikran Tahlil, NISA's cybersecurity expert who was abducted June 26 this year from her house.

Keydmedia Online compiled early this year an inclusive investigative video report on the crimes of Fahad Yasin, which is entitled "Who is The father terrorism in Somalia". It went viral.

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