Somali elders have accused Kenya of allegedly hosting individuals linked to the Al-Shabaab militant group, demanding their immediate extradition to Somalia over accusations of involvement in attacks that have killed civilians in the two neighbouring countries.
Caaqil Nur Hussein Ali, a prominent elder from Somalia's Mudulood clan, made the accusations, criticising Nairobi for allegedly providing shelter and political asylum to a senior Somali political figure accused of links to Al-Shabaab, his associates, and his father-in-law, a military commander identified as Shub.
Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu on Thursday, November 12, Ali accused the group of contributing to bloodshed in Somalia, particularly in the South West State, where he claimed their activities were undermining the local administration.
The elder questioned Kenya's counterterrorism approach, arguing that authorities should also investigate individuals accused of having links to militant groups, rather than focusing solely on armed fighters and those carrying out bombings.
"It seems that our neighbouring Kenyan government considers only those carrying guns and planting explosives in vehicles, killing people, as terrorists, but does not recognise as such those it has accommodated in hotels and granted political asylum, who are causing problems in Somalia," Ali said.
He further accused the individuals of undermining Somalia's federal government and destabilising the South West State administration led by Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, popularly known…
