President Hassan Sheikh reappoints former national security adviser

Controversial reappointment: Hussein Sheikh heads a think tank accused of spreading disinformation about certain federal member states in Somalia.

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today reappointed Hussein Sheikh as the national security adviser. Hussein will replace Fahad Yasin. Hussein briefly served as national security adviser under President Farmaajo’s administration but was fired for unspecified reasons.

He became Chairman of the Hiraal Institute Executive Team. Hiraal Institute writes biased reports on Puntland with a view to divert attention from South-central Somalia where Al-shabaab maintains bases and levies extortion taxes on business fearful of terrorist reprisals.

In February Hiraal Institute issued a report in which it argued that “Puntland State of Somalia remains a core route for Al-shabaab to boost its operational and tax collection capabilities throughout Somalia.” The founder of Hiiraal Institute M. Mubarak distanced himself from a report whose writers had not given Puntland State government the right of reply.

“Some arms brought from Yemen are reportedly transferred to Al-shabaab ownership in Puntland, for instance, while in other instances the handover point will be in south or central Somalia” the report alleged.

“Wear seatbelts…”

“Puntland State government is likely to express reservations about the reappointment of Hussein Sheikh as the national security adviser. Puntland think tanks do not pretend they know Al-shabaab’s capabilities in El Buur, Hussein’s hometown” said a retired counterterrorism officer in Garowe. “Wear the seatbelts. An intense work to save the country will begin. And God will be pleased with it” tweeted the controversial national security adviser.

© Puntland Post, 2022