Somalia’s president says Houthis, Al-Shabaab and ISIS exchanging arms and expertise

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has alleged that Al-Shabaab, ISIS, and Yemen’s Houthi group are working together by exchanging arms and military expertise.

In an article published by the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, President Mohamud said Somali authorities had intercepted weapons and drones smuggled from Yemen.

“We have arrested smugglers facilitating a growing link between the Houthis, ISIS, and Al-Shabaab,” he stated.

The president further warned of what he described as deepening ties among insurgent groups in the region.

“Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, ISIS, and the Houthis — despite their differences — are forming secret alliances, posing a threat to Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states alike,” he wrote.

He also stressed the importance of Somalia’s security for the wider region: “We call on regional and global partners to unite — the security of these waters is a shared responsibility,” he said, referring to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

While the president’s remarks have raised concern, analysts note that the three groups maintain distinct ideologies and rival affiliations. Al-Shabaab is aligned with al-Qaeda, whereas ISIS in Somalia belongs to the transnational Islamic State group, once active in Iraq, Syria, and beyond.

In Somalia, ISIS is largely based in the Bari mountains of Puntland, where local forces have launched an ongoing offensive. The group’s strength has weakened in recent months due to Puntland’s ground operations with support from U.S. and UAE airstrikes.

The Houthis, meanwhile, follow a Shia-aligned ideology and are closely linked to Iran. They have long opposed groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, raising questions over the motives and nature of any potential cooperation.

Security analysts say that if proven, such an alliance could increase the flow of arms to Al-Shabaab, potentially strengthening the group in its fight against Somali government forces.