Saturday March 29, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Former Somali intelligence chief Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir has urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene a national forum and develop a unified national plan to combat terrorism, emphasizing the need for unity across political divides as Somalia faces a persistent insurgent threat.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Fahad Yasin called for President Mohamud to set aside political differences with the opposition and extend an open invitation to all stakeholders, including former officials and critics, to contribute ideas and strategies that could help the country.
"We are ready to put aside any differences of opinion and share with you any advice and examples that can save the country," Yasin wrote. "It is time to show unity and solidarity that can bring about a national plan to counter terrorism that threatens the existence of the nation."
Yasin, who previously served as the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), urged the president to call for an unconditional national forum focused on solutions, not blame.
"Mr. President, this is not the time to blame each other, but rather the time to unite. We hope that you will be the elder of the nation and put aside everything that divides the country and the people," he stated.
The call comes as the Somali federal government, backed by clan militias and international partners, ramps up a military campaign against the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group. While government forces have reclaimed swathes of territory in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states, Al-Shabaab remains entrenched in rural areas and continues to carry out deadly asymmetric attacks.
One such attack took place last Tuesday when a roadside bomb targeted President Mohamud's convoy near Villa Somalia in Mogadishu. Although the president was unharmed, the incident underscored the group's continued operational reach.
Al-Shabaab, officially designated a terrorist organization by Somalia, the United States, and the United Nations, has waged an insurgency for over 15 years, aiming to overthrow the federal government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
President Mohamud has spent the past week on the front lines in Middle Shabelle, personally overseeing operations and meeting with clan militias and military commanders to sustain the momentum of the counterinsurgency campaign.