The leader of a U.N.-backed transitional government that is trying to assert control over Somalia said Wednesday he believes the United States is funding an alliance of warlords fighting radical Islamic militias in his country and should be working directly with his administration instead.

The United States has said only that American officials have met with a wide variety of Somali leaders to try to fight international terrorists in the country.

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed told The Associated Press during a two-day visit to Stockholm that he believes Washington is supporting the warlords-turned-politicians as a way of fighting several top al-Qaida operatives who are being protected by radical clerics.

“They really think they can capture al-Qaida members in Somalia,” he said. “But the Americans should tell the warlords they should support the government, and cooperate with the government … We are the legitimate government, and we will help you fight terrorism.”

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he did not know “the origin of these remarks in terms of what he has in mind.”

“Our interest is purely in seeing Somalia achieve a better day,” McCormack said. “It’s a real concern of ours, terror taking root in the Horn of Africa … We don’t want to see another safe haven for terrorists created.”
forbes.com

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