MOGADISHU, Soomaaliya — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has revealed alarming new intelligence linking Yemen’s Houthi rebels with both ISIS and Al-Shabaab, describing it as a dangerous cross-border alliance that threatens security across the Horn of Africa and the Gulf region.
In a strongly worded Op-Ed published by Asharq Al-Awsat, President Mohamud confirmed that Somali intelligence has detected “ongoing communication” between the Houthis and extremist groups in Somalia.
He said this coordination has evolved into the transfer of arms, explosive devices, and drone technology, with several shipments intercepted and confiscated en route from Yemen. Authorities have also dismantled a network of smugglers tied to these operations.
“Our intelligence services have recently detected ongoing communication between the Houthi group in Yemen and both ISIS and Al-Shabaab in Somalia,” Mohamud wrote. “We have intercepted shipments of explosives and drones coming from Yemen to Somalia and arrested a network of smugglers.”
The President underscored the strategic vulnerability of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, stressing that terrorist groups—despite ideological differences—are increasingly aligned in targeting regional stability.
“It is a region where numerous terrorist groups are active, most notably Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, ISIS, and the Houthis. Despite their apparent differences, these groups secretly form alliances and exchange roles against regional countries, including Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states in general,” he warned.
President Mohamud framed Somalia’s counterterrorism struggle as a regional and global responsibility, urging greater international coordination to safeguard one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
“Achieving security and peace in Somalia is an integral part of achieving regional stability in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” he said. “The security of this region is a collective responsibility that requires cooperation and integration among all countries.”
However,President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s comments come at a time of heightened security concerns amid increasing attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea and reports of growing collaboration among Iran-backed militant factions across the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula.
