MOGADISHU — The Somali Federal Government has held a major press conference in the capital to announce a strict national security directive concerning charitable donations during the holy month of Ramadan.
Senior government officials issued a stern warning to citizens regarding escalating extortion schemes orchestrated by the Khawaarij (Al-Shabaab) militant group. According to federal authorities, the extremists are actively exploiting the religious duty of Zakat (almsgiving) to illegally finance their terror operations.
Combating Extortion Disguised as Zakat
The high-level security briefing featured a powerful ministerial coalition, including representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Internal Security, Commerce, and Religious Affairs.
The Deputy Minister of Information opened the address by highlighting the government’s recent tactical successes in dismantling the terrorist group’s financial networks. He disclosed that the militants are currently experiencing a severe cash shortage due to persistent federal financial pressure. Desperate to sustain themselves amid ongoing military offensives, the extremists are using the holy month of Ramadan as a psychological tool to force financial demands upon Somali citizens.
Stripping Ideological Legitimacy
Deputy Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs, Osman Ahmed, provided clear ideological guidance during the briefing. He firmly declared that the financial demands forced upon citizens constitute illegal extortion and cannot be considered Zakat under any circumstances.
Ahmed systematically dismantled the group’s ideological claims, highlighting that Al-Shabaab operates completely outside established Islamic legal principles—a stance mirroring the government’s broader bilateral efforts to combat extremist ideologies. During this sacred period, the financially desperate militants are misrepresenting their criminal activities as religious obligations to manipulate the devout nature of the public. This official government position legally and ethically removes any religious legitimacy from the group’s demands.
Legal Boundaries and Safe Giving
To protect the country’s religious integrity and national security, the government has established clear legal boundaries: providing any funds to the Kharijites is a serious federal crime and a direct violation of Islamic teachings.
The Ministry issued a nationwide call to all citizens, business owners, and members of the diaspora to remain highly alert and carefully monitor their charitable contributions. Authorities have directed the public to channel all Zakat and Sadaqah (voluntary charity) strictly through approved humanitarian organizations, officially registered mosques, or directly to families in need.
By adhering to these safe channels, the government aims to guarantee that charitable resources benefit the most vulnerable segments of society while comprehensively cutting off the militants’ access to critical survival funds.
