Somalia: Ex-Spy Chief Accuses Defence Minister of Political Intimidation

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia's former National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) director, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, widely known as Sanbaloolshe, has sharply criticized Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi over remarks directed at opposition politicians, accusing the government of resorting to political intimidation.

In a statement posted on social media on Saturday, Sanbaloolshe said the minister's comments amounted to attempts to intimidate political opponents, adding that he and other opposition figures had endured difficult circumstances in the past and would not be deterred by government threats.

"Fear does not break people who have already learned resilience," Sanbaloolshe said, insisting that the defence minister's remarks would not prevent the opposition from maintaining its political stance.

His response came after Fiqi said the government had shown "leniency" toward some opposition figures and accused them of seeking to provoke unrest and instability in the capital, Mogadishu.

The exchange marks the latest escalation in an ongoing political dispute between Somalia's federal government and several opposition leaders, who remain divided over electoral arrangements and the country's broader political direction.

GAROWE ONLINE