Mukhtar Robow, a former Al-Shabaab spokesman and current Minister of Religious Affairs in Somalia, recently disclosed a harrowing incident involving his family.
According to Robow, Al-Shabaab militants kidnapped his brother’s wife last month and later abandoned her 5-month-old son, Saciid Aadan Roobow, on the roadside.
This act highlights the ongoing brutality and instability caused by the militant group in Somalia.
Robow, who defected from Al-Shabaab in 2017 and has since taken a prominent role in the Somali government, has been a vocal critic of the group’s tactics and ideology.
His appointment as Minister of Religious Affairs in 2022 was seen as a strategic move to counter Al-Shabaab’s influence, particularly in the ideological and religious spheres.
This incident underscores the personal risks faced by individuals who oppose Al-Shabaab, even those in high-ranking government positions.
It also reflects the broader challenges Somalia faces in combating the group’s insurgency, which continues to destabilize the region through violence, kidnappings, and other forms of intimidation.
Robow’s revelation may further galvanize efforts to address Al-Shabaab’s activities, as it brings attention to the human cost of the conflict and the need for continued international and domestic support to restore peace and security in Somalia.