Waare: My problem with Defence Minister in Al-Shabaab war in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - In what could sharply divide the presidency, former HirShabelle President Mohamed Abdi Waare, who currently serves as a special presidential envoy for civilian protection and stabilization, has come out open on his differences with Defence Minister Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, amid an ongoing crackdown against Al-Shabaab.

For the last few weeks, Ware has come out guns blazing, seemingly accusing the minister of being an impediment in the fight against Al-Shabaab particularly in most parts of central Somalia. The Somali National Army [SNA] has pitched tents in parts of HirShabelle and Galmadug, cleaning up areas that were not covered in the first phase of operations against the group.

In an interview, Ware accuses Abdikadir Mohamed Nur of "overstepping" his role by directly "interfering" with troops and army commanders. A number of commanders from the SNA, the US Africa Command, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] are currently in central Somalia for the operation against Al-Shabaab.

According to the envoy, the Defense Minister is not just setting policy but is actively giving orders to troops, "bypassing" the chain of command. This has led to confusion among officers leading the war against Al-Shabaab and other factions, says the envoy, who is also a close ally of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

The envoy further claimed that the Defense Minister has been dishonest about presidential orders and has distributed undisclosed amounts of money to the leaders of the SNA forces, raising questions about the integrity of military operations. Nur is yet to respond to the allegations.

The accusations come at a critical time when the federal government's approach to the ongoing conflict is under scrutiny. Reports suggest that there is growing criticism of how the war is being managed, making these allegations even more significant, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud making frequent visits to troops on the frontline.

During the presidential trip to Mahas in Hiiraan, Mohamed Nur was conspicuously absent, raising suspicions among security analysts. A day before the presidential visit, Mohamed Abdi Ware had cautioned the minister against accompanying the president, terming him a "divisive character".

Also, the former leader questioned the Minister of Internal Affairs Ahmed Fiqi, who hails from these regions, for publicizing the arrest of an Al-Shabaab senior member on social media. Fiqi recently published photos of Al-Shabaab defectors leading to public uproar.

Additionally, he accused Galmudug State tribes of being dishonest in their anti-Al-Shabaab efforts, casting doubt on their loyalty to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has been in Dhusamareeb for a month. He also raised concerns about the federal government's handling of the Awsweyne war, where the withdrawal of SNA forces led to significant losses.

At Cawsweyne, dozens of soldiers are believed to have been killed last week but the government is yet to give details about the attack. The national army will shift gears to Jubaland and Southwest states where the second phase of operations against the militants is set to begin.

GAROWE ONLINE