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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a recorded video message for the Eid Al-Asha occasion called on Somalis to forgive each other. He urged wealthy individuals to give a helping hand to the poor
The president urged the “misguided” youth of al-Shabaab to come back from their path.
“Come back to your people and your country, you do not have another country and another people,” he said.
The sun is setting on the Khawarij, he said referring to the militants.
“There is no future on your side. The future is on your peoples’ side. The days of the Khawarij are coming to an end. The fight goes on until Khawarij disappear.”
In the speech published state media, Mohamud urged all Somalis to encourage the youth to come back from al-Shabaab.
“To those youngsters who were discouraged, and wrongly informed that if they come back they will be executed… if you come back you will not be executed. If you come back and ask for forgiveness you will be pardoned, and the government will work to create a living for you,” he said.
Mohamud said Somalia has been in difficult period, but now is moving towards betterment and development.
Meanwhile, the leader of al-Shabaab, Abu Ubaidah blames all the problems in Somalia on foreigners and local “apostates.”
He claimed in his speech that Somali jihadists have been fighting against US for 30 years. He said during the 17 years that AU forces operated in the country, the US, AU allies did not succeed to establish a secular government that can provide services and implement democracy.
“US failed to establish the kind of government it wanted in Somalia,” he claimed.
He says, every extension of ATMIS “will end in failure,” and told his fighters to “liberate” towns after AU forces finally leave.
He compared the offensive by the local fighters and government forces that started in 2022 to the US-backed Iraqi Sunni Awakening. He said “all the plots” against al-Shabaab “failed.”
“After two years, their arrogance has been defeated in the frontlines,” Abu Ubaidah said.
He criticised past agreements the Somali government signed with with US, UK, Turkey, UAE, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda; as well as debt relief deals with IMF and World Bank.
“Every agreement is illegal and will not be implemented,” he said. He told his militants to keep particular eye on UAE which he blamed for the war in Sudan.
He said al-Shabaab will continue the war until foreign forces leave the country.
He also reiterated that al-Shabaab is “ready to fight” against the MOU Ethiopia signed with Somaliland.
He claimed al-Shabaab has opened training centers “for those who want to defend Somalia.”
Criticised Somali government’s controversial move last month when its diplomats at the UN did not vote for the Srebrenica genocide resolution.
“They stood with Serbs crusaders who massacred the Muslims and dared to vote against Bosnian Muslims,” he said in the audio published by al-Shabaab telegram channels.
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