MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Ethiopia has long harbored ambitions to annex Somalia’s coastline and Addis Ababa’s memorandum of understanding with Somaliland represents the culmination of these enduring aspirations, Al-Shabaab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage has said.
In a new video interview with media affiliated with insurgents, Ali Dhere stressed that the only viable way to prevent the annexation of Somali land and sea is through staunch resistance against Ethiopia and its Somali clients.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s public disapproval of the MoU is nothing more than a facade; he was aware of the negotiations from the outset and is now expressing discontent solely because his personal share of the benefits is less than expected, he added.
Ali Dhere continued to add that a Somali federal government offensive, launched two years ago, had faltered significantly and that Somali army members trained in Eritrea and Egypt, deserted their posts in increasing numbers while militants seized substantial quantities of foreign-provided weapons, equipment and military vehicles, further undermining the effectives of the offensive and exacerbating the challenges faced by the Somali forces on the ground.
The militant spokesman leveled accusations against President Hassan Sheikh Mohmamud, alleging that the administration is stained by widespread corruption, including the sale of public land and the destruction of homes belonging to the poor.
In a stern warning to merchants and companies, Ali Dhere urged them to “fear Allah” and not exploit the vulnerable.
In the video interview, he also asserted that Somali government’s efforts to sever Al-Shabaab’s financial networks have proved ineffective, further compounding the difficulties faced in addressing the insurgency.
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