Gaalkayo is home to the toughest people no doubt about that! The city has seen a great deal of prosperity since many officials were changed. I look forward to hearing more news about this particular issue. The security sweep is something that must take place on a continuous basis and not just once in a while. It needs to be frequent, because these criminals are changing their tactics and the government with its security forces must adapt. With that being said the victory’s that they have accomplished are impressive.

I will start adding some of my pics from 2005, they are old but I try and find the most interesting.

Duke just ignore these guys! What they fail to realize is that Puntland is one of the most successful regions in Somalia. It is far from perfect and will never be without a strong Federal government. With that being said why has so many Somalis from the south chosen to live in Puntland and set up businesses? Why is it safer than many other places? It's because of the government and its security forces ability to enforce the law. Without it, criminals like Al Shaabab would have moved in a long time ago. Look at NW Somalia, just last week 300 ONLF crossed their region last week. Now why do you think they didn't go through Puntland? Its obvious they saw what happened in Gagala and wanted no part if our security forces. If we want the PIS to be reformed more then cool, but they will never be disbanded. The people want peace and the PIS brings it. If they didn't have the peoples support they wouldn't have lasted this long.

The PIS is just a tool for the state to ensure that security prevails, the "wadaad" whether he is released or not I am not sure but that will be decided by the government. The PIS went through a thorough change and things seem to running quite nicely. We need to stop attacking ever security apparatus that we have. It as if we think that certain segments of society is immune from arrest and should not be touched, even if they make threats towards the government. No matter who it is, no one is above the law! Back to the thread…..Well its good that the rest of the state security is being addressed, the people definitely want to live in a peaceful atmosphere. Things are looking good!

If it happened Garowe would develop like never before, I truly hope it happens. We can deal with the Al Shabaab threat!

Nice pics, Puntland has been a beacon of peace for so many Alhamdulillah. It's nice to see capital celebrating such a worthy cause. The Somalia capital should be moved to Garowe, what do you think Duke?

Riyaale is too busy causing problems in Awdal and the surrounding area's by letting ONLF travel through and organizing protests from behind the scene's. You didnt hear of problems like this when he was leading.

xaaji why do you have to insult people?

Originally posted by Taleexi: Duke and Thankful are suffering from grandiose delusional disorder if you guys can not see trees from the forest and at least not realize PL's lack of self sustaining if its current policies maintained then psychiatrists and therapists must have plenty on their plates. PL admin has antagonized its constituents one after the other; SSC first and now Makhirities. BTW, producing an image of the freedom fighter Atam, what does it have to do with the lack of leadership in PL? PL has the potential to self correct and put her faults right but Duke and Thankful's blindly, clannish support of PL is indeed doing more harm than good. Xudeedi I will remind you what Nelson Mandela once said; no injustice/impunity can last forever therefore, let history takes its course and people of our regions are learning it in the harder way.... 'd man hears no the shot that kill him . What I am saying is that no injustices are taking place no one has broken away, if as you say Puntland has "antagonized its constituents", then please explain why the people are celebrating as the "Haylaan" community, which is a region that Puntland named. Also, why are they even competing and celebrating if they are being antagonized? You see the pic that Xudeedi posted, you see the Puntland flag! What I am saying is that there is no such thing as Makhiir back home, it was something that was created outside of Somalia. If Atam is a freedom fighter as you said, and he is fighting against the Puntland government and the unfair threatment that people from his community are facing, then why can't his face be shown? He isn't doing anything wrong in your eyes right? Isn't hiding your face what criminals do? Well I have said it enough, so there is no point in repeating myself but the problems that you and others say are occurring between Puntland and a large portion of its population in Haylaan is being fabricated! The evidence is in this celebration picture and the fact that Atam has no support and had to retreat. Do you truly believe if the communities of these areas were facing the problems you say are occurring at the hands of the Puntland admin it would have taken his base so quickly?

I know, who would celebrate and hold the flag of a region that is committing injustices to their community. It is quite clear nothing has happened which is why they are celebrating.

That is the whole thing, if there is mass injustices occurring as they want us to believe why would the people be holding the Puntland flag and celebrating? Surely they are not being forced to do it! It's been said many times, the people back home have refused to help Atam and support Puntland. It is only a small number of a RADICAL diaspora that is trying to push his agenda. Also, you all refuse to still answer one question....why can't you produce one image of Atam?

Exactly, Ethiopians have people from all the 3 major religious living together, numerous ethnicities, languages and cultures as well. They will never support separatism, plus remember they were against Eritrea's independence and fought a brutal war, so they can't be against that and then recognize another enclave in region.

Look at the Puntland State flag in this pic from the Haylaan community celebrating in Bosasso. Now think...if the made up news that radical diaspora sites are saying was true, would people from these communities be raising this flag up with the Somalia one?.....Of course not, and believe me what they write and what the reality on the ground is two different things. As this pic shows it's business as usual in Bosasso there is no chaos, Atam's coward supports made conduct hit and run tactics at night, but that's all they are capable of. In Adwal the people made their own flag and were running around with it, but you don't see and of this with that made up "Maakhir" diaspora so-called State!! Puntland Flag

African, in Awdal the people are protesting their injustices and have made it clear the governments policies are unacceptable. With the SSC and other area's, these made up stories from radical diaspora sites cannot be believed, they always play around with numbers. Just like they said 25,000 people had been kicked out. Atam is a man that has never shown his face, now why is that? Can his Diaspora supporters produce one image of the man? If he is not a terrorist and his cause is just, why is he in hiding....so I and everyone else would like to see one image of the man. But they will NEVER EVER produce it because they know the man is criminal and is too scared to be identified.

Ok, you can minimize it as much as you want, but this area has made it clear they are not happy with the government or it's policies regarding the ONLF. All these incidents will just continue to add up until, people become fed up. The admin better act fast.

We know this area has been restless since the elections, there have been protests before this one. These current protests are part of a larger issue that the people have with the admin. Whether NW Somalia allowed them to protest or not, their is nothing they can do. Just like they were helpless in stopping 300 men cross the area.

The people are teetering on the brink of revolting against the unjust NW Somalia triangle administration. They were already upset at the unfair elections that favored one side add too that the unfair make up of the new government. These are very powerful video's and I believe if the people's concerns are not addressed immediately things will only get worse.

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro: quote: Itoobiya oo Qabsatay Awdal What's so funny JB....isn't it alleged that a force of 300 ONLF where able to go through this area untouched? So what's so funny about Ethiopia going into the area?

Wow, this is getting very serious!

At this point who knows. What is certain is that a large firefight took place involving the ONLF and Ethiopian forces and the ONLF force was hit hard. JB I thought you said your militia came in and assisted Ethiopian forces?? I knew it couldn't have been true, because these guys landed and traveled through your enclave untouched. Was that another one of your misinformation tactics?

General Duke, I have no clue why these guys choose to support Atam, he has made it clear his is a religious war. Xudeedi, no doubt the majority of Atam's men most likely come from the tribes that reside in the area's he set up base. I will not deny that, however, you logic is flawed. You see this does not mean he has support of the community and elders. Because like I have said many times if Atam has clan support then please explain to me why he had to retreat so quickly (he admits he retreating)? How was Puntland able to make him flee in a day and force him to be fearful to show his face? Either he has no support which is why he lost ground, or if he does have support - as you say, then the support he has is so weak it can't protect him. You obviously will never admit a single negative thing about this guy, because if you think Puntland was humiliated then you are obviously not be rational. Puntland showed pictures the very next day after the fight of its vice-president and interior minister touring Atam's base that they captured. Puntland went to Atam's base which is in a mountainous area, I truly expected this to cost a lot more lives then it had, the terrain is difficult and I never ever thought they would make Atam retreat, let alone in one day. Puntland has definitely lost people, that is what happens when you are on the offensive and the other side is defended an area, I knew it would be difficult. About who is winning, let me start by saying Allah u naxariisto too those that have died! Also, you have no clue what constitutes victory and what does not....deaths, prisoners do not! What matters the most is who is gaining ground and who is losing it. Listen to Atam, he admits he retreated; he questions why locals haven't defended themselves! So you can say this man has been killed or that man, but Puntland is the one that took areas away that Atam once controlled and the man has never shown his face! If his cause is just, why is he in hiding? He use to talk about taking Bosasso and now he can't even take back the town he lost! That is why he is weak, and whoever supports him is weak as well. Enough with Atam though he is old news, he can only resort to hit and run tactics.

Originally posted by Xudeedi: The fact that Atam has mobilized clan militias from the sub-clan that resides in Galgala is undisputable. He clarified this very statement in many interviews with both BBC and VOA. They are men here in the U.S who know Atams men by names and have confirmed that his militias are 100% from the sub-clan of Galgala. Facts must be assorted from wishes. Atam is from Husein Idris sub-clan who inhabit Madarshoon, Galgala, Karin, Bosaso and others in Western Bari. If his sub-clan were not assisting him, he would have not survived this long. His militias receive food, medical treatment and ammunition from his sub-clan. A fact understood by top officials of the clan fiefdom in Garowe. Their aim is obvious as I have numerous stated here on SOL. They are committed to confront injustices that have long been instituted in Bosaso, a city they hold large share in. They are even rumors that Mr.Geeldoon, head of Bosaso city council from Atam’s sub clan has resigned from his post, although not confirmed. Thanksful: the report that you are reffering to was conducted by the U.N Monitoring Group, an organization directed by Matt Bryden (a corrupt individual with ties to Somalia). This is a report from the secretary. Also your making up stuff here. In the report that you are reffering to, the state that he violated arms embargo, they never accused him of any terror related activities. Despite what your clan wishes for, the war will continue and instability will surelly be an end product. Your claims to victory is indeed comical, where is your victory when your confronted on the dailly basis. So I am making things up, this is what they said about him in the report that I am referring to. The rugged, mountainous terrain of eastern Sanaag region, inhabited mainly by members of the ********** sub-clan of the ***** *******, has long been associated with smuggling and arms trafficking. In its report of December 2008, the Monitoring Group described the emergence of a Shabaab-affiliated militia headed by a ********** former arms dealer (see section IV.A. below). Since 2008, eastern Sanaag has also become associated with another threat to peace and security: piracy. Further Xudeedi, that Last UN Report already stated what this new report is saying, there is little to no difference between these two reports except the Monitoring Groups report from March 2010 is substantially bigger and detailed. Several recent incidents have been specifically attributed to Mohamed Sa’iid “Atom”,78 described in the Monitoring Group’s report of December 2008 (S/2008/769), whose activities pose a growing threat to peace and security in both Puntland and Somaliland. 147. Although he remains essentially a ********** clan warlord, Atom reportedly calls his militia the “Eastern Sanaag Mujahidicen”79 The Monitoring Group has received eyewitness reports that Atom continues to import arms from Yemen and to receive consignments from Eritrea, including 120-mm mortars, which may have been transferred to southern Somalia. Also, if you read the UN Monitoring report from (December 2008 less than 2 years ago), it says this about Atam. UN Monitoring Report 2008 Since 2006, a new armed group has emerged in the region of eastern Sanaag, in the largely ungoverned area disputed by the Somaliland and Puntland authorities. The militia is led by Mohamed Sa’id “Atom”, and comprises as many as 250 fighters. The group has been implicated in incidents of kidnapping, piracy and terrorism, and imports its own weapons, in violation of the arms embargo. So, no I am not making things about Atam’s alleged ties to terrorism, of course as I have stated it has not been proven in court. If you want to attack Matt Bryden as a person because he made a report that was unflattering towards those that you support then you can, but you need to first see what he said in that report and compare it to this report that Nassir has posted. For instance, the Monitoring Group from March 2010 said this back in March 2010 Meanwhile, Atom appears to be preparing to confront both the Puntland and the Somaliland authorities more directly. If you see in this new UN report that Nassir has posted it says that On 23 July, that militia attacked five villages and a military checkpoint along the main road between Boosaaso and Garoowe, which triggered fierce clashes with “Puntland” forces. So this new UN Report states exactly what the Monitoring Group had predicted many months ago, that Atam would attack Puntland! Again, these two UN Reporter are virtually the same except for size. Both state that Atam gets his support from a clan militia and both say he is alleged to be tied to terrorism. P.S stop with these clan, clan, clan…even Atam never mentions it, he has clearly stated that he is against those that he believes are against Islam, for him it is religious. I am not sure what you define as surviving, Atam is a man in hiding who is forced to retreat. If you state that Atam is being supported and aided by his sub-clan because he is fighting against injustice, then why did he have to retreat from his base, as he has stated himself? Why haven't they ensured his safety?

Originally posted by Nassir: The UN Monitoring Group reports are extremely biased and based on questionable findings. I don't know if some members of its committee has special relationship with "Somaliland" but their reports correlate very close with the secessionists' news information, editorials and opinions. It does in fact glean most of its sources from Hargeisa. In its last report (I believe) it alleged that the people of Sanaag and western Bari regions supply arms and weapons into the ONLF in order to facilitate support for their expansionist policies of SL against our regions. The UN Monitoring Group is very corrupt that it has turned into tool for others to advance their own narrow interests. Nassir SOL This is what Nassir said about the last UN report, in which it cleary stated Atom's terrorist agenda! Yet for the newest report Nassir says that Yet and yet the report disproves Puntland's claim that deliberately avoided to designate Atam's forces as "clan militia". My stance that Atam's militia is made up ofclan forces is now clear and valid claim as you can see it in the report. The details of why they have mobilized in defense of their territory is not necessary. ".....So the reports that you agree with you will quote but the others you will call corrupt. As well Nassir, everything is believed to be, until it is proven in court nothing can be said to hold any weight. Basically what Nassir and this report is saying is that Atam is supported by a clan militia, which was defeated in a day and forced to hide in the mountains, Atam said on the BBC interview that he is fighting those that are against the Islamic Creed or Shahada...who he says are backed by the U.S and Ethiopia. Atam aslo says that he must resort to hit and run tactics and he questioned why the people are helping him. So the man and his clan militia are very weak right and incapable of defeating the Puntland government?

Lol, why would they deny it, makes them look good. 300 men just walked through your enclave untouched. Maybe your militia was too scared until the Ethiopians were near.

I dont think you understand, they are saying that if this story was true then the ONLF must be brillant for being able to cover up any evidence to support the claims...examples being weapons, the dead and other proof that so many men died.