Defence Minister Fiqi: Al-Shabaab 'Cannot Capture Even a Single Village' if AUSSOM Leaves

Somalia's Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said on September 20, 2026, during an awards ceremony organized by Five Magazine in Mogadishu, that Al-Shabaab would be unable to capture even a single village even if African Union troops withdrew from the country, arguing that Somali forces and civilians are effectively containing the group. His remarks came amid ongoing uncertainty over AUSSOM's future funding and logistics following the US decision (announced Sep 18) to grant the UN a further year before winding down UNSOS support, with no confirmed alternative funding arrangement yet in place. Fiqi also criticized unnamed politicians for portraying Somalia as unstable and on the verge of collapse, arguing they overlook progress made by Somali military forces and damage public confidence in the country's security gains.