Somalia’s new government administration on Thursday 2 August 2022, appointed former spokesperson of Al-Shabab Sheikh Mukhtar Robow (Abu Mansur) as the Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs of Somalia.
Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has named the country’s new cabinet, with one of the original founders of Al-Shabab taking up a critical ministerial post in a country bordered on religious conflict.
The former most wanted terrorist, Abu Mansur, had the US$5 million reward for his capture removed in 2017. The controversial leader became some sort of a martyr after being additionally charged with continuing to practice extremism. The violent protests that broke out after his arrest resulted in 20 fatalities. He spent the next 4 years under house arrest for allegedly forming a break-away terrorist group after he left Al-Shabab.
Back in 2015, Robow broke away from Al-Shabab due to ideological disagreements and started his own organization. His name made it to the United States list of most wanted individuals for terrorist acts with a $US 5 million reward for his capture.
According to opinion, Robow’s appointment as cabinet minister signals an ideological war between Al-Shabab and the new Somali government. However, critics have labeled the Somali president a ‘terrorist sympathizer’ for the promotion of former Al-Shabab members, among them Robow and the current Mogadishu police commander Farhan Qarole.
Speculations argue that the appointment serves cover-up for terrorism crimes he committed while a member of the Al-Qaida-affiliated group.
Al-Shabab openly opposes the federal government of Somalia through attacks that it has also directed to neighboring nations.
