GAROWE (KAAB TV) – Puntland’s Minister of Information, Mahmoud Aydid Dirir, has accused Somalia’s Defense Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, of having ties to extremist groups, including the Islamic Courts and Al-Shabaab.
The sharp exchange reflects the growing political rift between Puntland and the federal government in Mogadishu.
Minister Dirir’s remarks came after Defense Minister Fiqi criticized two Puntland ministers — Interior Minister Abdi Farah Said “Juxa” and Information Minister Mahmoud Aydid Dirir — describing them as “hungry and dishonorable men” for attending a ceremony in Garowe marking Ethiopia’s dam project.
Reacting angrily, Minister Dirir dismissed Fiqi’s comments and hit back, calling him “a hungry man who digs graves for money,” while accusing him of being a former extremist.
“Fiqi himself is the hungry one, digging graves [evictions of cemetery in Mogadishu] to earn money. He should stop digging graves. He was Al-Shabaab before, and everyone knows his extremist past. His photos with the Islamic Courts are everywhere. Fiqi has sat in every extremist circle, from the Islamic Courts to Al-Shabaab,” Minister Dirir said.
The latest war of words underscores the tense relationship between Puntland’s leadership and Mogadishu, which has been marked by disputes over power-sharing, federalism, and alliances with foreign partners.