Somali elders are calling for Kenya to extradite individuals they accuse of links to Al-Shabaab.
Mudulood elder Caaqil Nur Hussein Ali urges Somalia to seek the return of individuals he accuses Kenya of sheltering.
Somali elders have issued an extradition demand to Kenya over individuals they accuse of having links to Al-Shabaab. They allege the individuals helped fuel attacks that killed civilians in Kenya and Somalia.
Caaqil Nur Hussein Ali, a prominent Mudulood clan elder, raised the accusations at a Mogadishu news conference on November 12. He accused Nairobi of sheltering a senior Somali political figure, his associates and his father-in-law, a military commander identified as Shub.
Elder presses Somalia over extradition demand
Ali urged Somalia’s federal government to issue arrest warrants over the individuals’ alleged ties to the militant group. He also called on Mogadishu to formally request their extradition from Kenya.
The elder alleged that Kenya had offered shelter and political asylum to the political figure and those around him. He described the individuals as internationally wanted terrorists and argued that Somali authorities should take custody of them.
Ali also questioned Kenya’s counterterrorism approach, saying authorities should look beyond armed fighters and people carrying out bombings. Instead, he urged investigators to examine individuals accused of supporting militant activity while staying in hotels or receiving political asylum.
Claims centre on South West State
Ali accused the group of contributing to bloodshed in Somalia, particularly in South West State. He further alleged that they were undermining the federal government and the regional administration led by Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, popularly known as Adan Madobe.
He therefore urged Nairobi and Mogadishu to cooperate in addressing the accusations, citing their diplomatic ties and security partnerships. Both countries work together against militant groups operating across their shared border.
The accusations follow an Al-Shabaab attack on the outskirts of Mandera that killed civilians and construction engineers. The attack renewed concerns about security along the Kenya-Somalia border.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s federal government reportedly imposed sanctions on the senior political figure on October 13 over alleged Al-Shabaab links. The measures included instructions to financial institutions to freeze accounts and assets belonging to individuals.
