Somalia Seeks to Threaten the Security and Stability of the Country with Its Criminal Acts
Widespread Arab condemnations followed the terrorist attack that targeted a crowded café in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, resulting in deaths and injuries. Somali authorities attributed the attack to the extremist Islamic group Al-Shabaab, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, which has been fighting the Somali government for over sixteen years.
Arab Condemnations
The General Secretariat of the Arab League strongly condemned the criminal attack that targeted a crowded café in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, last Sunday, resulting in dozens of casualties and injuries. The Arab League denounced this cowardly act aimed at weakening the federal government and instilling fear among civilians.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the General Secretariat expressed its deepest condolences to the government and people of Somalia, as well as to the families of the victims of this cowardly terrorist act, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. The Arab League reaffirmed its constant solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia, its government, and its people in fighting anything that threatens their security and stability or attempts to undermine the progress made by the Somali government in all areas, including combating terrorism and restoring security.
The United Arab Emirates also strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Sunday evening, resulting in nine deaths and twenty injuries.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “its deep outrage at these criminal acts and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at destabilizing security and stability, in violation of international law”. The ministry expressed “its sincere condolences and sympathy to the Somali government and the brotherly Somali people, as well as to the families of the victims of this heinous crime, wishing a speedy recovery to all the injured”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain also expressed its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack that took place in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, which resulted in the death and injury of many innocent civilians. The ministry reiterated Bahrain’s stance against criminal acts aimed at destabilizing security and stability and terrorizing the innocent.
The ministry expressed Bahrain’s solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia in its fight against terrorist acts, conveying its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Somali government and people, wishing a speedy recovery to all the injured.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned, on Monday, the terrorist attack that took place in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency “SPA”, the ministry expressed its condemnation and denunciation of this attack, affirming that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands alongside the government and people of the Federal Republic of Somalia in this ordeal. The statement added: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to Somalia, its government, and its people, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.”
Al-Shabaab Threats
Regarding the terrorist activity of Al-Shabaab in Somalia, Dr. Hisham Najjar, an expert on terrorist groups, explains that this movement is trying to compensate for its losses and the blows it has suffered in recent days through these terrorist acts targeting Somalia’s security and stability, and seeks to reposition itself on the scene through its terrorist threats in the country.
The expert on terrorist groups emphasizes the need to plan security alternatives following the withdrawal of African Union forces from Somalia to avoid a security vacuum that threatens regional security, and stresses the importance of coordinating security efforts at the borders to prevent the infiltration of terrorist elements.
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100 al-Shabaab fighters killed in southern Somalia
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Dozens killed in al-Shabaab attack in central Somalia
He adds that the absence of a developmental dimension in the fight against terrorism in Africa is concerning, as the countries facing this phenomenon have so far proposed no developmental project, in addition to the absence of intellectual and cultural dimensions. He warns of the dangers of coordination between “Al-Qaeda” and “ISIS” in certain regions, thus threatening peace and security on the continent.
