Somali President meets presidential hopeful Shirdoon amid growing security concerns

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdoon in Mogadishu on Sunday. The meeting came shortly after Shirdoon returned to the capital and declared his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election.

According to local media, the two discussed the country’s security and state-building efforts.

Shirdoon recently criticised the government’s handling of the security situation. He claimed that Al-Shabaab had advanced towards army positions in Balcad and Afgoye, towns close to the capital. He warned that Mogadishu itself could soon be under threat.

The meeting comes as the president faces growing pressure to address the worsening security crisis. Al-Shabaab has stepped up its attacks in several regions, including areas surrounding the capital.

President Mohamud has invited opposition politicians and federal member states to a national consultative forum. The forum is expected to focus on key issues, including security and political disputes such as the push for one person, one vote elections.