Somalia, Minister Ali Mohamed Omar: “Alarm on the alliance between Houthis and Al Shabaab”

The growing alliance between the Shiite rebels of the Ansar Allah group (better known as Houthis) and the Somali terrorist group al Shabaab represents an increasingly concrete threat to security in the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa area.

This was stated to “Agenzia Nova” by the Somali Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar, speaking on the sidelines of the session “From Suez to Bab el-Mandeb: Securing Strategic Chokepoints” at the 10th edition of the Med Dialogues, organized by the Farnesina and ISPI. “The Houthis, thanks to their advanced technology and weapons, are transferring new tools to Al Shabaab,” including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and remotely activated missile launchers via smartphones, the minister warned.

The transfer of sophisticated military technology by the Iranian-backed Houthis to Al Shabaab is a cause for grave concern. “These tools not only enhance Al Shabaab’s offensive capabilities, but increase the risk of destabilization in the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa area,” Omar explained.

The collaboration between the two groups, also fueled by external interference, underscores the need for a coordinated and structural intervention to address the roots of the insurgency.

According to Omar, the response to the threats posed by al-Shabaab and the Houthis cannot be entrusted solely to external forces. “External interventions have contributed to the emergence of these groups.

The solution must pass through the strengthening of legitimate governments in Somalia and Yemen, which have the courage and public support to fight these elements,” he said. The minister stressed the urgency of building an autonomous security infrastructure in the two countries. “External forces cannot defeat insurgencies of this kind. Only strong and legitimate governments can ensure lasting stability,” he stressed.

Source » agenzianova.com