The Somali government has confirmed that the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has arrested 10 individuals who were spying for the militant group Al-Shabaab.
The announcement was made by Information Minister Daud Aweys on Friday, who stated that the arrests were made following a thorough investigation by NISA.
Aweys also revealed that two government officers who were involved in spying for Al-Shabaab are currently on the run and urged the public to provide any information they may have regarding the whereabouts of Abdisatar AbdulKadir Isse and Ayanle Mohamed Ali.
The arrests come as the Somali National Army (SNA) and its international allies continue to carry out successful operations against Al-Shabaab. According to Aweys, over 160 militants have been killed in recent operations, and the group has lost significant territory in HirShabelle, Galmadug, and Southwest states.
The successful operations have dealt a major blow to Al-Shabaab, which has been responsible for numerous bombings and attacks on civilians in Somalia. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
The Somali government has been working closely with international partners to combat Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups. The country has received significant support from the United States, which has provided military aid and training to the SNA.
Despite the progress made in recent years, Al-Shabaab remains a significant threat to the security and stability of Somalia. The group continues to carry out attacks and bombings in the country, targeting government officials, security forces, and civilians.
The government has called on the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Al-Shabaab is a militant Islamist group based in Somalia that was founded in 2006 as a youth wing of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), a group that had briefly controlled much of southern and central Somalia. When the ICU was ousted from power by Ethiopian troops in late 2006, Al-Shabaab emerged as an independent group and began to carry out attacks against the Ethiopian military and the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
The group’s stated goal is to establish an Islamic state in Somalia based on its interpretation of Sharia law. It has been responsible for numerous attacks and bombings in Somalia, targeting government officials, security forces, and civilians. Al-Shabaab has also carried out attacks in neighboring countries, including Kenya and Uganda.
Al-Shabaab has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
The group has been linked to Al-Qaeda and has pledged allegiance to its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri. It has also been linked to the Islamic State (IS) and has carried out attacks in Somalia under the IS banner.
Al-Shabaab has been weakened in recent years by a combination of military pressure from the Somali government and its international partners, internal divisions, and the loss of funding due to increased scrutiny of its financial channels.
However, the group still poses a significant threat to the security and stability of Somalia and the wider region.
