Puntland Interior Minister Urges Reimposition of Arms Embargo on Somalia

[Deeq A.]

Abdi Farah Saeed:”Puntland State of Somalia calls for the reimposition of the arms embargo on Somalia to prevent a civil war.”

Garowe (PP News Desk) — The Puntland State of Somalia Minister of Interior, Abdi Farah Saeed (Juha), stated that serious national security threats have arisen due to the lifting of the arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Juha claimed that the weapons supplied to the Federal Government of Somalia “have been used for politically motivated conflicts based on personal and political interests.” He denounced the recent deployment of Somali Army troops to Raaskambooni in Jubaland State, describing it as an attempt to destabilise a peaceful federal member state. “It is an act of irresponsibility on the part of the Federal Government of Somalia, which is unfit to be entrusted with such weaponry,” said Juha.

The minister cited an example where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government allegedly misused drones that were provided to fight terrorist groups. He noted that there are no clear rules governing the use of the limited number of drones in the Somali Army’s possession. The decision of the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve the Jubaland controversy through military means has raised concerns about the misuse of arms supplied to Somalia to fight terror groups, following the lifting of the 30-year embargo on Somalia one year ago.

“Puntland State of Somalia calls for the reimposition of the arms embargo on Somalia to prevent a civil war. It is clear that Somalis cannot handle the responsibility that comes with the lifting of the arms embargo” said Juha. 

Thabit Mohamed, the  former Mayor of Mogadishu, expressed a similar sentiment about the alleged irresponsibility to use Somali Army weapons for settling political scores. “ It is time for [the] International Community to review the management of lifting of the arms embargo for Somalia after Cowsweyne disaster and now Raskamboni national humiliation. The sole responsibility for the latter lies with the Federal Government of Somalia” tweeted Thabit.   

© Puntland Post, 2024

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