Mogadishu, Somalia – April 21, 2025 – The commander of Somalia’s Ma’awisleey community defense forces, Ali Jeyte Osman, has stirred controversy after calling for the relocation of wives and children of Al-Shabaab militants from government-controlled areas to territories still under insurgent control.
In an interview with Radio Shabelle on Sunday, Jeyte voiced strong frustration over the presence of militants’ families living peacefully in cities under federal administration, while Al-Shabaab continues to wage deadly attacks against civilians and security forces.
“I would suggest that Al-Shabaab should take their children and wives to their places. They are in schools in the cities—I don’t think they should kill the children, but I would say take them to their places so that they feel the pressure,” Jeyte stated.
While emphasizing that he does not condone harm to children, Jeyte argued that allowing the families of insurgents to remain in urban areas contradicts the principles of justice and adds strain to communities still grappling with the effects of ongoing violence.
He accused Al-Shabaab of being more brutal than Somalia’s past colonial rulers, saying the group shows no respect for human life or religious values. “They kill 500 people and claim they are closer to God, but they lie about the God who created them,” he said.
Jeyte’s remarks come as Somali government forces, supported by local militias, intensify military operations across the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions, aiming to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s remaining strongholds.
Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda, has been waging a violent insurgency in Somalia for more than 15 years. It is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the Somali government, the United Nations, the United States, and the African Union. The group continues to carry out bombings, assassinations, and large-scale attacks targeting civilians, government officials, and security forces nationwide.
