Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (HSM) has achieved significant battlefield gains against Al‑Shabaab (AS), with the group facing some of its most severe setbacks in years. However, a surge of complex attacks in Mogadishu is undermining these advances and raising serious questions about the effectiveness of Somalia’s security sector. Recent assaults, including the deadly Villa Rays Hotel attack near the presidential palace, highlight security lapses, potential infiltration, and insufficient vetting of personnel within key institutions. Critics point to the retention of top security commanders from the previous Farmaajo administration, despite their controversial past roles, as a key obstacle to reform. HSM’s transfer of Mogadishu’s law‑enforcement functions from the Somali Police Force to the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has not yet improved stability, instead creating confusion and accountability gaps.