Somali president sacks head of Somalia’s intelligence agency
The head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdirahman Mohamed Tuurayre was officially removed from his post through a presidential decree Tuesday as part of the reshuffle to reform the security institution.
The President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed Abdullahi Gafow Mohamud who is currently the director of Immigration as the interim acting head of NISA.
Mr. Mohamud becomes the fifth head of NISA since Hassan Sheikh Mohamud became Somalia’s president in 2012.
According to the presidential decree, the former head of NISA was appointed as advisor to the minister for internal security.
Turyare, in his 40s, has worked various roles within the General Intelligence department before he was promoted to serve as the military court chief by President Mohamud in 2014.
The sacking of Turyare comes days after Al-Shabaab carried a deadly suicide and gun attack on Ambassador Hotel in Mogadishu that claimed at least 30, including two lawmakers and NISA soldiers.
In February this year, at least nine people were killed when al Shabaab fighters set off a car bomb at the gate of a park near a hotel in the capital. In January, an attack on a beach-front restaurant killed at least 17 people.
Al Shabaab has also been behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda. Both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011. But it has remained a potent threat in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the Western-backed government.