Khadafi Posted December 15, 2018 Abdi Guled Saturday December 15, 2018 NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Somalia saw a third day of protests on Saturday over the arrest of the former No. 2 leader of the al-Shabab extremist group, who has been a leading candidate for a regional presidency. Officials said at least eight people have been killed so far as angry supporters take to the streets and clash with police. The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia in a statement released overnight called for "utmost restraint" after the gunfire-fueled uproar around Muhktar Robow's arrest on Thursday in Baidoa, and it denied playing any role. His arrest is seen as a high-profile test of Somalia's treatment of defectors from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, Africa's most active extremist group. Somalia's government welcomed the defection last year by al-Shabab's former spokesman but not his popular candidacy to lead Southwest state, which took some officials by surprise. Ads By Google Robow was seized by Ethiopian troops accompanied by Somali police, witnesses told The Associated Press. He was flown to the capital, Mogadishu, a Somali intelligence official said. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters or for safety concerns. Some Somali lawmakers had accused the AU mission of being involved. Ethiopia's military, which contributes troops to the AU mission, has not commented. Robow's arrest could re-ignite old tensions between Somalia and neighboring Ethiopia despite recent diplomatic breakthroughs in the Horn of Africa sparked by Ethiopia's reformist new prime minister. Somalia's security ministry confirmed Robow's arrest, citing the federal government's earlier ban on his candidacy, which said he had not completed the defection process. The ministry also alleged that Robow had failed to renounce extremist ideology, and ac Tweet Emailcused him of mobilizing armed forces to threaten the security of Baidoa. Somali officials have announced that the election for the Southwest presidency will go ahead on Wednesday, even after Robow was arrested. His local supporters in Baidoa have loudly protested. A new joint statement by the United States, more than a dozen countries, the AU mission and the United Nations expresses concern, deploring the violence, urging dialogue and urging all parties to "to respect the integrity of the electoral process." Citing reports that a lawmaker and a child were among those killed in the protests, Amnesty International urged Ethiopian and Somali security forces not to use lethal force, saying that "no one should have to die for simply expressing their views." Robow's controversial campaign has further exposed the rift between Somalia's federal government based in Mogadishu and regional governments, who in recent months have effectively severed cooperation with the capital over multiple grievances. Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khadafi Posted December 15, 2018 Why arrest the guy? If Shaykh Sharif could defect and become a leader why not Roobow? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maakhiri1 Posted December 16, 2018 10 hours ago, Khadafi said: Why arrest the guy? If Shaykh Sharif could defect and become a leader why not Roobow? The murderous cult, Alshabaab and ICU are not the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gooni Posted December 16, 2018 Wax la fahmi waayo ma'ahan Soomaaliya waxaa jooga awoodo shisheeye oo aad u fara badan waxayna leeyihiin masaalax amnigooda. Waxay ka qabaan shaki maadaama uu dagaalo aad u kharaar lasoo galay khibrado badana uu u leeyahay dagaalada noocyadiisa kala duwan. Shekh shariif wuxuu ka mid ahaa maxaakiimtii Robowna qaybtii mayal adayga maxaakiimtii uga go'day waa labada nin farqiga u dhaxeeya. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xaaji Xunjuf Posted December 16, 2018 Yes sekeriya is a former jihadist shabaanist and i think at some point he was spying for afewerqi. As for roobow this man belongs to the wrong clan he supported the wrong jihadi group. What I find strange why the Americans didn't ship him to guantoanomobay. Or is he not that important for them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old_Observer Posted December 16, 2018 Fact: Roobow was Shabab as long as Shabab was "nationalist" against serving foreign interests. He was neither Ethiopia or Eritrea ally anytime. Eritrea has some debt to score with Roobow for him leaving Shebab which if Roobow had become active could have denied Shabab the South West. If he becomes president/governor of SW then SW may become strongest Region. Fiction and lies: America wants him therefore cannot be governor, will damage our friendship with USA Ethiopians want him there fore will be obstacle to our good relationship He has blood in his hands (unless the blood he spilled is special blood, people who burned farms and food storage to starve and make people surrender are in politics and have been ministers....) All SOLers seem to agree, of course, one fact that Roobow belongs to "wrong tribe". If the current speaker cannot fill two shoes, that is Jawari and Sherifka then Sherifka needs to come back and be the peace maker. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
