Somalia: President Replaces National Security Adviser Amid Rising Security and Political Tensions

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Weeks after Garowe Online reported the impending resignation of the National Security Advisor Hussein Moalim Mohamud, also known as Hussein Sheikh Ali, the reality has hit after his exit from the presidential advisory team.

For days, there have been speculations about his exit from the advisory team, which comes at a time the country is facing threats from the Al-Shabaab militants, who have made significant gains in recent days across various frontlines.

On Wednesday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced the shake-up in the National Security Advisory team, confirming the exit of Hussein Sheikh Ali, who is seen as his strategic ally given the history they share together which can be traced back for decades.

His position has been taken by Ambassador Awes Hagi Yusuf Ahmed, a veteran diplomat with a proven track record on matters of international relations and diplomacy. Hassan Sheikh thanked Hussein Sheikh Ali for his services to the country.

"H.E. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed Ambassador Awes Hagi Yusuf Ahmed as the new National Security Adviser. The President thanked former National Security Adviser, Mr. Hussein Moallim Mohamud, for his services to the nation," Villa Somalia reports.

On his X bio data, Hussein Sheikh Ali identified himself as "former National Security Adviser" confirming his exit from the presidential team, a move that comes in the middle of political and security challenges in the Horn of Africa nation.

"Somalia needs neither silence nor fury. We need moral clarity that feels — and acts," he said in his latest post on X (formerly Twitter).

The latest changes come at a time the country is struggling with surging Al-Shabaab attacks in central and southern regions, leading to unprecedented takeover of strategic areas such as Adan Yabaal, Moqokori and Mahas in the country.

In the Gedo region, the federal government is also involved in a fierce battle with the regional troops of Jubaland as Abdirashid Janan-led troops try to take over most parts of these vast areas in the country. Puntland state has warned that these confrontations would lead to the destabilisation of the region.

“President Hassan Sheikh will be held accountable for the bloodshed he caused in Raas-Kambooni, Gedo, and Dhahar. The president is fueling conflict between specific clans, which clearly shows that his slogan of ‘Somalia at Peace with Itself and the World’ has proven to be false,” said Puntland’s Deputy Minister of Planning.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is also accused of attempting to overthrow the constitution without proper consultations, leading to the current fallout with the leadership of Puntland and Jubaland states, who maintain that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

GAROWE ONLINE