Wednesday 23,April 2025 {HMC} Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has defended the recent strategic withdrawal of government forces from Aden Yabaal and other key military positions in Middle Shabelle, urging the Somali public to support the national army rather than fall victim to Al-Shabaab propaganda.
In a press release issued Tuesday, Farmaajo cautioned against misinformation campaigns being pushed by the militant group to undermine the morale of Somali security forces and the public’s confidence in the military.
“The fact that our national forces have made a tactical withdrawal from cities does not mean they have been defeated,” Farmaajo said. “I call on the Somali people to stand by their forces during both successes and setbacks. This unity is essential for ultimate victory against the enemy.”
The former president highlighted past gains under his administration between 2018 and 2020, during which the Somali National Army (SNA) recaptured several key areas from Al-Shabaab, including Marka, Jannaale, Ow-Dheegle, Bariirre, Sabiid, and Canoole.
He called on current federal and regional leaders to prioritize national unity and political stability. “We must focus on completing Somalia’s state-building process through consensus-based constitutional reforms and credible elections,” Farmaajo stated.
Farmaajo’s comments follow the April 16 offensive by Al-Shabaab in Aden Yabaal, a strategic town roughly 220 kilometers north of Mogadishu. Militants overran the area after a prolonged pre-dawn assault, forcing government troops to pull back amid intense clashes, according to Somali officials.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organization, has intensified attacks in central Somalia in recent months, reversing some of the territorial gains made by the government during its 2022 counteroffensive.
