MOGADISHU, Somalia – Nageye Khalif and Abdiwahid Gama’did, both young and renowned poets from Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, are seen standing in military uniforms, armed with AK-47s.
The two appeared in images as part of a new group of fighters who graduated from a one-year military training program conducted by Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group.
Al Shabab also released a 27-minute video featuring Khalif and Gama’did during their graduation drill in Jilib, the capital of Middle Juba, the group’s main stronghold.
Fatigue was visible on their faces, likely due to the intense training. They joined Al-Shabaab last year, with a desire to free Somalia from what they view as foreign colonization.
Before joining the group, Nageye Khalif was a lecturer at Somali National University (SNU) in Mogadishu. He has been teaching journalism since 2018.
He was initially reported missing in October, shortly after a draft copy of a book believed to be authored by him began circulating online.
The 31-year-old poet declared his allegiance to Al-Shabaab and proclaimed a “jihad on Ethiopia, and the western countries supporting Somalia during an hour-long interview released by the group’s radio.
He also recited a poem reflecting his dissatisfaction with the political landscape, citing it as a driving force behind his affiliation with Al-Shabaab.
In less than two months, Gama’did was reported missing for several months from his hometown of Hargeisa. Later, reports emerged that he had defected to Al-Shabaab.
In an interview with the same media, Gama’did claimed to have believed in Al-Shabaab’s ideology for years, citing his poems, many of which he used to support the group’s activities.
He was arrested multiple times for links to Al-Shabaab and once sentenced to death by Puntland. However, he was released after community elders intervened in Garowe.
However, Al-Shabab’s influence grows, signaling a shift in tactics and deeper ideological penetration, marking a significant evolution in its strategy in Somalia.
