The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia, Ali Mohamed Omar, has categorically denied reports that there are talks between the United States and the Al-Shabaab group, which has been designated a terrorist organization.
The minister said that the reports are completely baseless and that the United States still stands by its previous position on Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization.
He made this statement in an interview with the media “Al-Araby Al-Jadeed” during his stay in Doha, Qatar, where he was on a two-day visit that he said was aimed at strengthening the strategic relationship between Somalia and Qatar.
It was only recently that news emerged that the United States had secretly entered into talks with the Al-Shabaab group, which could be a new change in US policy in Somalia.
According to a former US government adviser, this has increased the possibility of a negotiated solution to the decades-long insurgency in the Horn of Africa.
Hamza Warfa, a former adviser to the US State Department, said the Trump administration could begin to reach out directly to the Al-Shabaab group.
