By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – For the past four days the national army has been devoid of its chief operations commander.This development follows the house arrest effected upon the Operations commander Brigadier Abdilahi Haji Jama ‘Aalas’ following orders of the Vice president Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail ‘Sayli’
The presidency in Hargeisa where VP Sayli is acting on behalf of his on vacation boss president Silanyo, is yet to release any statement pursuant to the brigadier’s detention and similarly neither has army headquarters within whose compound the operations commander resides.
Though he confirmed his detention through a telephone interview with www.ramaasnews.com Brigadier Aalas denied knowledge of circumstances that led to the order by VP Sayli.
Sources within Army Hqs themselves not very sure are of the opinion that the brigadier was put in detention following lengthily disputes with his boss General Shakale the Somaliland armed forces chief of staff.
While not worthy of mentioning that the operations commander is a resident of Sool region it is the worthy of informing that in the recent past a substantial number of army officers from his clan and based in the eastern regions of Sool and Sanaag have defected to Puntland.
At the same time a large contingent of his clansmen armed to the teeth are raising fears in the Sanaag regional Capital of Erigavo where they have established a base on the outskirts of the town which they patrol at will atop their battlewagons.
These unit of former SSC militias had just completed military training funded by the Somaliland government having renounced their allegiance to the Khatumoists secessionists thence absorb into various branches of the Somaliland armed forces.
The activities of these former SSC militias whose induction through training into the armed forces seems to have failed miserably has also seen senior army commanders shuffling between Hargeisa and Erigavo in a bid to reign them though the status quos remain the same.
On the other hand it is an open secret that the army top bass does not trust Brigadier Aalas thence is usually not privy to important military plans.
Aalas himself inherited his post from a clansman who was fired during the short tenure of Gen Jidhif as army chief for having divulged military plans to Khatumoists militias in Buhodle district leading to heavy casualties on both sides.
Meanwhile this detention and all its ramnifications comes at a time when both the SFG in Mogadishu is determined towards recognition of the mythical Khatumo and Abdiweli in Garowe is intent on annexing parts of Sool and Sanaag to the Somalia administrative region of Puntland he now runs.
