Somalia's once stable Puntland hit by insurgency

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Somalia's once stable Puntland hit by insurgency

Written by AP

Aug 19, 2010 at 10:05 AM

NAIROBI, Kenya — The northeastern tip of Somalia has been a peaceful haven in an often violent nation, but a powerful warlord and a series of recent clashes are threatening to open a new zone of lawlessness.

 

Militants loyal to warlord Mohamed Said Atom have repeatedly clashed with government forces in recent weeks, and Atom told a local radio station that his men have retreated to their mountain hideout in Gal Gala to plan guerrilla attacks.

 

A U.N. report in March said officials had credible information that Atom has delivered arms sent by Eritrea to al-Shabab forces in southern Somalia. Al-Shabab is Somalia's dominant insurgent group and its members have ties with al-Qaida.

 

Al-Shabab has so far distanced itself from activities in Puntland, a semiautonomous region that set up its own administration in 1998. But fears are rising that the militant group could expand into the north if local authorities fail to address grievances that feed Atom's ambitions.

 

The warlord wants the administration to dismantle the U.S.-backed Puntland Intelligence Service and to apply Islamic law in the region.

 

"Puntland is a very weak administration and if it loses the military initiative, there is a strong fear that it will have a southern-like scenario," said Rashid Abdi, a Somali expert with the International Crisis Group. "Its forces are better organized than those of the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu. But they can't withstand alone a determined insurgency for a long time."

 

Clashes between Atom's fighters and government forces began in late July, when the militants attacked Puntland forces near Atom's home base, a rugged and mountainous area about 20 miles (30 kilometers) outside of the region's commercial capital, Bossaso.

 

Puntland's security minister said his forces had killed more than 30 militants since the fighting started, a claim denied by Atom.

 

The March report by the U.N.'s Monitoring Group said Atom was importing arms from Yemen and receiving consignments from Eritrea, including mortars, for delivery to southern Somalia.

 

Atom's "activities pose a growing threat to peace and security in both Puntland and Somaliland," said the report, noting that "Atom appears to be preparing to confront both the Puntland and the Somaliland authorities more directly."

 

Until recently Puntland was spared by the large-scale violence that has been plaguing much of Somalia's southern and central regions, where Islamist militants are trying to topple the weak, U.N.-backed government in Mogadishu.

 

Warsan Cismaan Saalax, a member of the Puntland Diaspora Forum, a group that promotes peace in the region, said the clashes between Atom and Puntland were "inevitable" because "no government will accept to have armed militiamen in its backyard.

 

"But to defuse the situation, a frank dialogue with Atom is needed," she said. "And to reach that stage, there must be a cease-fire first."

 

Since he took office in January last year, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole has been reaching out to Islamists in his region to reduce al-Shabab's influence.

 

"We have tried through his clan elders to persuade him to give up his terrorist activities but he rejected their overtures," said Puntland Security Minister Yusuf Ahmed Khayr. He said he fears Atom may start using suicide bombers.

 

Atom was one of nearly a dozen suspected Islamist militants in Somalia whose assets were frozen by the U.S. Treasury Department in April. He considers Puntland officials apostates for failing to apply Islamic law, and is especially critical of the Puntland Intelligence Services, calling its members "Crusaders."

 

Specifics on the clashes are difficult to find. Local authorities have imposed a news blackout on reports about fighting, and a court sentenced a radio station manager to six years in prison after his station aired an interview with Atom earlier this month.

 

Abdi says Atom "is hijacking a long running local feeling of marginalization," a situation where some clans feel locked out of the running of the state's affairs.

 

Atom's Warsengali clan cited that lack of consultation between government and clans when they took arms up against security forces in 2006 to object to a plan to conduct surveys in the mineral-rich area of Gal Gala.

 

Analysts have long argued that the more the violence in the south is allowed to rage, the more the stability in the northern regions is threatened.

 

Source AP

 

"It is difficult to inoculate the north from the instability and chaos in the south," said Abdi. "What we are seeing in Puntland now is a perfect example of a spillover effect."

[Xudeedi]

"Puntland is a very weak administration and if it loses the military initiative, there is a strong fear that it will have a southern-like scenario," said Rashid Abdi, a Somali expert with the International Crisis Group. "Its forces are better organized than those of the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu. But they can't withstand alone a determined insurgency for a long time."

The warlord wants the administration to dismantle the U.S.-backed Puntland Intelligence Service and to apply Islamic law in the region.

Abdi says Atom "is hijacking a long running local feeling of marginalization," a situation where some clans feel locked out of the running of the state's affairs.

 

Atom's Warsengali clan cited that lack of consultation between government and clans when they took arms up against security forces in 2006 to object to a plan to conduct surveys in the mineral-rich area of Gal Gala.

Much better coverage than earlier ones. It seems as if the SSDF agendas are being unmasked by the day.

[NASSIR]

^

 

Horta doqonkan Qayr la magac baxay ee Press-yada u warama inuu is casilo baa u roon Puntland.

 

Lagu lahaa qabiilkiisaan la hadalney si uu bal argagixisada u joojiyo.

 

Yaa bal u sheega in reer Maakhir ay qaran yihiin, weligoodna maamul lahaan jirey. Mise calooshooda u shaqayste ayaa u been guurey odayga?

[Xudeedi]

He said he fears Atom may start using suicide bombers.

This shows you that the whole project is nothing more than a scheme. Anyone with a logical mind, can see that Galaga was attacked for material gain.

 

The SSDF agenda has failed.

[mielmi]

SSDF AGENDA WAS ALL ABOUT MINERAL EXPLORATION NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS!!!!!!!.......MAKHIRIANS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SAFEGUARD THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES.

[NASSIR]

^or they would probably let the notorious PIS do the dirty trick and frame it on the people of Galgala. Hardly do they know how that wild scenerio to score cheap political points on the international stage would backfire on their agenda and probably create more havoc and anarchy in the region.

 

These people are creating more problems they are ill-prepared to handle or deal with.

[General Duke]

Originally posted by Nassir:

 

These people are creating more problems they are ill-prepared to handle or deal with.

Could not agree with you more, the self deluding Diaspora groups thet you are leading seem to be out of their depth.

[mielmi]

*********no insults please*********

 

[ August 19, 2010, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: Libaax-Sankataabte ]

[General Duke]

^^^lool. Why the deep anger and bitterness? What happened to the bravado and the hype, or is the truth becoming clearer with regards to your true impotence?

[Thankful]

Good report, I think it was a fair analysis.

 

Calling Puntland weak and other critiques were the opinions of Rashid Abdi, a man that has always been negatively opinionated when it comes to Puntland. He is Somali Kenyan that was deported from the country back in 2008 for his alleged bias reporting.

 

But this article was fair; I believe it gave a good picture of Al Shabaab and Atam's link. By referencing the UN report it gives a lot of credibility to Puntlands justifications for attacking him.

 

Also, it shows that Faroole tried dialogue and negotiations to try and resolve this problem, but it did not work.

 

All in all, it was a good piece. I think it makes the Puntland government look good, even if Rashid Abdi said what he did. At the very least it will bring more attention to Puntland's security concerns and insha'Allah bring a lot more aid, so we can battle this criminal.

[The Zack]

^^^that straight insult on the fellow SOLer is uncalled for!

[Thankful]

Zack why are you not concerned when he said "QABIILISTE", that's not a personal attack?

[General Duke]

The March report by the U.N.'s Monitoring Group said Atom was importing arms from Yemen and receiving consignments from Eritrea, including mortars, for delivery to southern Somalia.

 

Atom's "activities pose a growing threat to peace and security in both Puntland and Somaliland," said the report, noting that "Atom appears to be preparing to confront both the Puntland and the Somaliland authorities more directly."

 

Until recently Puntland was spared by the large-scale violence that has been plaguing much of Somalia's southern and central regions, where Islamist militants are trying to topple the weak, U.N.-backed government in Mogadishu.

 

Warsan Cismaan Saalax, a member of the Puntland Diaspora Forum, a group that promotes peace in the region, said the clashes between Atom and Puntland were "inevitable" because "no government will accept to have armed militiamen in its backyard.

 

"But to defuse the situation, a frank dialogue with Atom is needed," she said. "And to reach that stage, there must be a cease-fire first."

 

Since he took office in January last year, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole has been reaching out to Islamists in his region to reduce al-Shabab's influence.

Good point...

[General Duke]

edite, good save by Zack..

[The Zack]

Thankful, I was talking to Milemi badow yahow, lol.