Senior NISA commander defects to Al-Shabaab
A Turkish-trained commander reportedly took laptops, communication gadgets, and files.
A senior commander of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Duufaan unit has defected to Al-Shabaab. The commander, identified as Luqman, led the Turkish-trained paramilitary unit and reportedly took assets including laptops, communication gadgets, and files when he defected. Luqman is believed to be in Al-Shabab-controlled territory in southern Somalia.
Analyst Rashid Abdi stated that the Somali intelligence agency, NISA, is now severely compromised. Al-Shabab may have access to crucial intelligence data, such as names and addresses of informants in sensitive areas. NISA is reportedly scrambling to contain the crisis.
Luqman led the Duufaan unit, a paramilitary force trained by Turkey under Somalia’s spy agency. Abdi, an analyst with Nairobi-based Sahan Research, made his comments on Sunday.