Somalia parliament speaker accuses Kenya of harboring terrorists

Somali Parliament Speaker Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has accused Kenya of harboring terrorists and called for the federal government to demand answers from Nairobi. Nur specifically questioned why individuals identified as al-Shabaab members, including former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, are permitted to live openly in Kenya.

The accusations follow a recent military advance in Somalia’s Bay region, where forces loyal to Laftagareen retook several districts, including Qansaxdheere, Buurhakaba, Bardaale, Diinsoor, and Awdiinle. Nur criticized the African Union peacekeeping mission for failing to prevent al-Shabaab from re-establishing a presence in areas previously secured by international forces.

In addition to the claims against Kenya, Nur urged the Somali government to hold Ethiopia accountable, citing a failure by Ethiopian troops to defend towns that were subsequently recaptured by Laftagareen’s forces. The Speaker emphasized that diplomatic and economic ties with Nairobi should not prevent Mogadishu from addressing the presence of individuals accused of spilling Somali blood.