A military approach is insufficient to end the violent Al-Shabaab insurgency, new Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud has said, stressing that his government will only negotiate with the jihadist group when the time is deemed appropriate.
He added that Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab had developed a "
coping mechanism
" to military response and could not be eliminated by force alone.
“
Denouncing violence
”
The Al-Shabaab have been leading an insurrection against the Somali state for more than ten years.
Driven out of the main cities of the country, including the capital Mogadishu in 2011, they remain established in vast rural areas.
In recent months, they have intensified their attacks.
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Hassan Cheikh Mohamud, elected in May after serving as president from 2012 to 2017, said past approaches to defeating Al-Shabaab had not worked and his government was open to alternatives, including talks, if necessary.
“
We are not currently in a position to negotiate with the Shebab.
We will, at the right time
,” Mohamud told a think tank during a visit to Turkey this week.
“
Even now...we are opening the door to anyone who wants to speak out against violence, extremist ideologies and return to a normal life in Somalia
,” he added.
A coping mechanism
He said the military approach to defeating Al-Shabaab taken by previous administrations backed by foreign partners had not proven sufficient.
The Al-Shabaab have "
developed a coping mechanism, so that even if their facilities are destroyed, they have the ability to restore them
" and return to the battlefield, he said.
The former academic and peace activist added that Al-Shabaab financial flows should be cut off and their hate message countered to complement a military approach in the fight against extremists.
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Shortly after coming to power, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed US President Joe Biden's announcement to redeploy US troops to Somalia, reversing a decision by Donald Trump to withdraw most US forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
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