Sheikh Atom receiving medical care in Badhan, Puntland accused of atrocities

[Jacaylbaro]

ERIGAVO (Somalilandpress) — A former arms dealer and a warlord, who recently engaged an armed tribal war with Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland is said to be receiving medical care in one of the houses in the town of Badhan, in eastern Sanaag region.

 

Mohamed Saeed “Sheikh Atom” sustained a bullet injuries on his hip after forces loyal to Puntland President, Abdirahman Farole, a key sponsor of piracy, attacked his hideout in Galgala town in eastern Sanaag, some 120 kilometres east of Erigavo, the provincial capital.

 

Sheikh Atom was brought to the town by members of his ********** kinsmen, who are the main inhabitants of eastern Sanaag. The town of Badhan is divided between **********s who are loyal to Somaliland and the Puntland region of Somalia. The town geographically falls within Somaliland territory.

 

It is unclear which side of the town he is receiving the medical care but sources close to him told Hargeisa Star, a local newspaper, he was in the town for the past few days after traveling from Galgala for three days.

 

Local ********** tribes have accused Abdirahman Farole and his ********* clan of instigating tribal tensions in the region and playing the terrorism cards to draw funds from Western firms who want to exploit the region of important mineral deposits.

 

The Puntland regime has been arresting people who hail from eastern Sanaag and the Sool region in the past days accusing them of supporting the former arms dealer. On Sunday firing squads in the town of Bosaasso publicly executed two men from eastern Sanaag and Sool in front of a large crowd including media (see SOMALIA: Puntland executes two men accused of terrorism). Local reports stated over 100 people were killed while over 700 families are currently displaced in the Galgala region.

 

Last week large members of the ********** community in Kenya has been protesting about the Puntland invasion and the current conflict.

 

On Tuesday, Puntland police chief, Sayid Jama Abdi, who hails from the *********** clan of Sool region, officially resigned from his post in protest accusing the Puntland administration of committing atrocities against some of the minor tribes.

 

Farole administration has also looted the port of Las Qorey, taking a number of cranes and equipment to the town of Bosasso. The ********** Diaspora community who paid for the equipment have expressed outrage and confusion.

 

The Somaliland government has not so far commented on the report however Sheikh Atom has always been against Somaliland and insisted he beliefs in greater Somalia.