Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced a new Cabinet reshuffle on Monday

Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, who has served as Somalia's defence minister since 2021, has been reassigned to lead the Ports and Marine Transportation Ministry, while Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi has been appointed the new defence minister.

Barre also appointed Somalia’s former defence minister Nur as transport and civil aviation minister, replacing Fardowsa Osman Egal.

Mohamed Abdikadir Ali was also named the new sports and youth minister.

Military mobilisation

The reshuffle included the appointment of 11 deputy and state ministers.

The announcement was made in a statement on X by the prime minister on Monday.

This cabinet reshuffle came as the Somali government escalated its military mobilisation against al-Shabaab terrorists, who have increased their attacks on national army bases in the south-central Hirshabelle state.

Meanwhile, security forces in Somalia’s Puntland state have been conducting operations against the Somali-based ISIS (Daesh) terror group for more than a month, liberating large areas from its control.

Insecurity

Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from the terror groups al-Shabaab and ISIS.

Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, a mission authorised by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.

The terrorist group has intensified attacks since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on it.