Mogadishu – Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, on Friday accused some Somali businesspeople of actively funding the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab, warning that legal action will be taken against those found complicit.
Speaking in Mogadishu, Fiqi said that despite efforts by the federal government to disrupt Al-Shabaab’s financial networks — including the closure of supply routes and the seizure of materials used by the group — some traders are still providing the militants with direct financial support.
“These are not extorted payments. Some business owners willingly deliver money to Al-Shabaab’s hideouts,” Fiqi said. “This is not just complicity — it’s betrayal.”
The minister said the government has in recent months shut down several depots and restricted the movement of goods that previously supplied the insurgents. However, he expressed concern that elements within the business community continue to fuel the group’s operations.
Fiqi emphasized that the government will now pursue legal measures against anyone found to have knowingly financed or supported Al-Shabaab.
“We will not tolerate financial collaboration with terrorists. Those who are proven to be aiding Al-Shabaab — whether through money, logistics, or information — will face the full force of the law,” he stated.
His remarks come amid intensified military campaigns against Al-Shabaab in central and southern Somalia, where federal forces, supported by local militias and international partners, have reclaimed several towns and rural areas from the group.
Somalia’s federal government has also ramped up efforts to choke off the group’s financial lifelines, targeting businesses, money transfer services, and commercial networks suspected of having ties to the insurgents.
There was no immediate response from the Somali business community to the minister’s accusations, though past statements by industry leaders have condemned Al-Shabaab’s extortion practices, saying they are forced to pay under threat of violence.
