Galgala: Pirates Related to Farole Join the Galgala War

[Xudeedi]

Forces loyal to Western Bari region of Puntland militia leader, Sheekh Atom, attacked a military station in Sugure valley area. Four people have been reported dead, later identified as members of Puntland’s pirate group that operate in Eil town, President Cabdiraxman Farole’s clan base.

 

For long, the president of Puntland, has been accused by the media to have close relationship with the pirates that alluded the international community. Puntland’s leader have literally opposed to the accusations, however, he neither stopped pirates using Puntland’s ports, nor he tried to remove them from their largest base in Somalia, Eil town. The major pirate town in Somalia, Eil, is situated in Puntland State and populated by fishermen transformed in to pirates and coastal dwellers mainly consisting families and pirate recruits.

 

The conflict in Galgala and other parts of the Western Bari has been in the news since the active war broke out between Puntland army and local militia leader, Sheekh Atom, whom Puntland authorities accused to have ties with Alshabab, but Alshabab cleared him of being aligned with the group. In an interview with the VOASomali Service and BBCSomali, Mr. Atom denied the terror allegations and rather insisted the war involves oil and mineral exploration in his own region by Puntland contracted firms. “I have no relationship with Alshabab, and they (Alshabab) mentioned to the media that we are not involved in their organization,” Sheekh Atom told the BBC.

 

Independent news media and local sources observed the conflict to have clan impetus contrary to the terror charges by the government officials. Subsequently, the Sheekh was also interviewed by Horseedmedia, one of the famous media outlets in Puntland, and government retaliated by storming their offices. All the journalists at the office were taken into custody, and the director was summoned to the court in the morning received 6 year jail sentence and 500 dollars in fines.

 

Apparently, President Farole did not want to see Sheekh Atom interviewed since the government took heavy losses in the Galgala battle. Moreover, he (the president) did not want the public to know the real motives behind the Galgala incursion. Meanwhile, facts of the war have gradually surfaced as a war between two neighboring clans over resources and control of an strategic land.