Mogadishu – (Hornpost) Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said that members of the militant group Al-Shabaab are entitled to obtain Somalia’s national identification card, arguing that citizenship rights apply even to individuals associated with the insurgency.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reiterated that members of the AS group extremists fighting in Somalia remain Somali citizens who are legally entitled to obtain the national identification card, calling for their inclusion in the country’s formal identity system.
The President made the remarks while speaking at a ceremony on the importance of acquiring the Somali national ID card. He delivered the comments during the closing session of the Second National Identity Conference (SNIDC2025), a two-day gathering held in Mogadishu focused on advancing Somalia’s digital identity infrastructure.
President Hassan Sheikh revealed that some individuals linked to Al-Shabaab have already received national ID cards in Mogadishu. He called for the same access to be extended to others, saying the system should recognize all Somalis regardless of their past or present affiliations.
The president noted that every nation has groups that destabilize or challenge the state but insisted that those individuals do not lose their Somali identity. “They still carry the essence of being Somali,” he said, adding that this status grants them the right to hold a national ID like any other citizen.
His remarks are expected to fuel debate over security, governance, and the boundaries of citizenship in a country grappling with a prolonged insurgency.
Prepared:
Hornpost staff Reporter
