Somalilandsun: Why the Federal Government of Somalia met and assisted AL Shebab terrorist group active in Sool region, Republic of Somaliland.
I am surprised by the Federal Government of Somalia which has been fighting with the terrorists in the recent years, and last few months the president Hassan Sheik was in Galdud region, and fought already in Hirshabelle areas where the war against Alshebab is still going on.
On the other hand, the Somali Federal Government Welcomed the leaders of Lascanod terrorists who are fighting in Somaliland. The new Alshebab terrorist leader from Sool region was in Mogadishu for two weeks. He was received warmly welcomed by the top Federal Government of Somalia, where he was welcomed and met with the president’s palace in Mogadishu.
There is the fact that the Republic of Somaliland and other countries in the Horn of Africa believe that the senior leaders of the group called Khatumo State belongs to the most dangerous organization operated in the Horn of Africa called Alshebeb. Those who are constantly attacking the Horn of Africa countries in Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya.
In addition, the Alshebab was active in the recent years in the Sool region, a senior leader of Al-Shebab, including Jama Kutiye, Abdi Madobe, Shangani and many other members, were active to carry out a series of murders in the Sool region.
We know that the recently nominated leader of the Khatumo Militia Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali( Firdhiye) has been accused of being the leader of Elshebeb in Golwayn in the Jubba region in South Somalia. For the last few years, he resided in Nairobi, Kenya, and he was worked in Somali remittances companies in Kenia, which was assisted the Alshebab’s for collecting financial resources.
He was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, accused of being the person in charge of Alshebeb’s finances in Kenia before he was relocated in Juppa regions . He was released on bail in Nairobi while still being monitored by the security departments of the Kenyan government.
On the other hand, the deputy chairman of the Khatumo group, Mohamed Abdi Ismail( Shine), who was also a member of the Alshebab terrorist group operating in Mogadishu. He was in charge of Al-Shabaab terrorist group’s fundraising in Mogadishu. The federal government has banned the account number that was saved with 4 million US dollars in the name of the vice Chair Mohamed Shine, which was owned by the Alshebeb group that used to collect funding from the people to support Alshebab terror group.
On the other hand, the chairman of the radical group of SSC-Khatumo council. Mr. Jama
Yasin is the spiritual leader of the Alshebeb terrorist group, and for a long time he was a senior teacher and director of the Alfurqane Institute, where most of the members of Alshebeb graduated and left the bloodshed of the Muslim people.
Also, Mr. Yassin was accused of being behind the killing of a senior Somaliland army officer named Mohamed Osman Nur nicknamed (Afdhillo) who was assassinated in 2010. Mr. Osman was the commander of the 12th brigade of the Somaliland National Army.
Mr. Yasin was found guilty at that time and he confessed to the crime, sentenced to 15 years in prison, and he was imprisoned for four years in the main prison in Mandera, however it was said that later he was mistakenly released and left the prison.
The three leaders of Khatumo’s Militia are known to be on the list of terrorists in the Horn of Africa. It is therefore surprising that these three terrorist men were chosen as the top leaders of the Militia group in Khatumo.
We never expected that those terrorist men who were entrusted with the heavy duties by the people of Lascanod would suddenly be welcomed in the city of Mogadishu which is controlled by the federal government of Somalia.
Consequently, I don’t understand why the federal government welcomed in the Mogadishu the chairperson of Khatumo terrorist group, while other terrorist groups are fighting with the central regions of Somalia, and it seems that the Somaliland community could not understand the reason behind these objectives.
The Somaliland government and other neighboring countries, international community and other organizations recognize that the Sool region is dominated by terrorists, where there are some senior leaders of Al-Shebab and at that time they were the ones who carried out the planned killings against Lasanod region. started the youth uprising that took place in Lascanod.
We are also aware that Al-Shabaab recently had bases in Buhodle and Lasanod districts where they killed some Somaliland government officials and other innocent civilians.
Now the question is why the Federal Government of Somalia is conducted on long outstanding of the fighting against terrorism, while it has laid the red carpet welcomed leader of the terrorist group that recently established the administration of Lasanod. These topics required for further assessment to find responses for the current unanswered questions about the issues.
Some analyzers believes that the federal government of Somalia has put on pressure by China government, which has incredible power in the region compared the United States and other Western countries influences in the region. The Chinese are irritated with Somaliland that has established relations with Taiwan, and they are arming and helping this terror group called Khatumo state. The governor of Khatimo met with the Chinese ambassador to Somaliland, who gave Lasanod to the armed Khatumo militia group with food, weapons and other military supplies.
The well-known Alshebab leaders including the chairperson of Khatumo state, his deputy, and the chairman of the consultative council are accused of being active members of the Alshebab terrorist organization.
In addition to this, Alshebab leaders include Abdi Madobe and Jama Kutiye and trained Alshebab militia are in Lasanod and other areas controlled by the forces of the Khatumo administration.
The leaders of the senior administration in Khatumo were at war with the government of Somaliland, and several times they attacked civilian targets in Qorilugud district.
They also suggested that the two sides face each other and end the situation peacefully. The prisoners held by both sides also to be exchanged.
All these things seem to be a mountain of recognition that the federal government has given to the terrorist group in Khatumo and it is unfortunate.
While some others stated the federal government of Somalia, inspired to harm the Somali regional administration of Puntland and the Republic of Somaliland, has welcomed the leaders of Khatumo alshebab, and a press release issued by the leader of Khatumo’s militia and the Minister of Interior of Somalia said that they have agreed on four points.
It is important that the government welcomes the call on February 6, 2023 regarding the independence of Khatumo states.
The representative of the Federal Government, the Minister of Security of the Federal Government Mr. Ahmed Ma’alin Fiqi, who is accused of being one of the people who against the Republic of Somaliland independence, is also accused of belonging to and there is good cooperation between him and terrorist group al-Shabaab.
The Federal Government of Somalia has also called international community for helping and cooperation with the Khatumo terrorist group. The world knows that a terrorist group is in control of the Sool region. According to the community’s responses to these issues, they were very surprised at how well the leader of Khatumo, who is one of the senior leaders of Alshebeb are welcoming and met with the federal government of Ethiopia.
The government of Somaliland has strongly rejected and condemned the meeting it had with the government of Somalia with the head of the terrorist group operating in Lasanod district.
It gives the impression that the policy of the federal government of Somalia towards the terrorism is not clear and cannot be trusted.
Meanwhile it appeared that this group that whose fighting Lasanod carried the blue flag of Somalia and stated that we are against Somaliland sovereignty to become a separate state from the rest of Somalia. Their aim is just to disgrace Somaliland and to attract attention and support from the Federal government of Somali
Historically, Somaliland was British protectorate for 80 years and gained its independence from UK in 1960, A few days after the independent and entered into a fruitless union with Somalia in 1960, and regained its independence in 1991, after a long period of fighting to liberate their land.
Some Somalis who comment on the politics of the Horn of Africa have said
that the Mogadishu government desired that al-Shabaab fighting in Central and Southern Somalia to be shifted to Somaliland territory so that the Somali government could take a break from war on terror that they are tired of.
Nevertheless, a terrorist group that is moved from one place get rid of and removed to the neighboring countries is not the right solution to be defeated the terror group operated in the region whom are the common enemy and danger for all.
The Horn of Africa countries required to work together to eliminate all terrorist groups operating in the region in order to find lasting peace that is in everyone’s interest.
It gave the impression that Somaliland government has been confused by the situation in the Horn of Africa and it appears that the countries of East Africa have been dominated by China’s new imperialism, which has captured in Africa loans and private investments by given them loans to build infrastructure.
Somaliland is the only country in East Africa that does not have any influence on China. and it looks that it has become a victim of the proxy war between China and the United States. Somaliland did not have a good friend to rely on, I think that it is now in Somaliland’s interest to establish good relation with China to join the Chinese club in the Horn of Africa.
Although Somaliland is the most democratic country in the Horn of Africa, which then it has democratic value, which is not suitable to adopt easily the Chinese culture and its friends based on atheism and dictatorship.
Somaliland has a political culture based on democratic values that are shared with the United States and other Western allied. Although China does not spread ideology. China is challanged to western political culture and their economy infrastructure.
For the reason that the US and the Western allied have no influence in this region, as a result of which Somaliland feels isolated and unaccompanied and its security is in danger after being armed with different rebels operated in Somaliland East regions backed by China and other eastern bloc, it does not have a strong allied to cooperate to protect its territory and interest.
Somaliland located a strategical location in the Gulf of Aden and close to the main routes of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It has a coastline of 8500 km. Somaliland contributes maintaining the international peace and security and has succeeded in controlling the security of its territory.
The Somaliland government which was already part of the coalition to fight terrorism is obligated to cooperate strongly with neighboring countries and the international community in order to succeed in its program of war against terrorism with those dangerous and anti-peace groups that flow into the territory under its control in the east of Sool.
In order to achieve this, Somaliland required from international community to be recognized as an independent state and also to be assisted supplying weapons and funds to fight against the terrorists who threaten the Somaliland territory, in the Horn of Africa region and other countries around the world.
Thanks in advance,
Dr. Abdi Abdillahi Hassan,
Horn of Africa Affairs analysis
