Could Al-Shabaab gain from Somaliland's booming arms business?

[Somalia]

Could Al-Shabaab gain from illegal marketing of weapons or is this just another sign of Somaliland's ever so more showing of social decay? I don't know, I'm just asking..

 

We have witnessed for the past few weeks the resurgence of militant groups in the region made up of a single clan entity and the fact that Al-Shabaab's leader and deputy leader hail from the region has been no secret let alone the fact that a Somaliland minister's son is a prominent commander in the terrorist group.

 

This begs to ask the question, should the international community not be focused more on this province which seems to have a track record of producing the most prominent militants and terrorist from throughout East Africa? That's the question we should all be asking ourselves.

 

http://www.somaliareport.com/index.php/post/1920/Somalilands_Booming_Arms_Business

 

 

For the last twenty years, Somaliland has been enjoying far more stability and peace than southern Somalia, but that doesn't mean you can't get your hands on some serious hardware if you are inclined toward mayhem.

 

Hargeisa's densely populated and labyrinthine arms market of Irtoogte, which means Sky-Shooter, offers everything from bombs to machine guns. As you enter the market, the competitive brokers scurry and jog alongside, offering good deals on whatever you need. The babble of voices rises everywhere as buyers, sellers and brokers haggle.

 

Arms seller Mohamed Ahmed sits among a group of men in an iron shack. He is the main dealer of AK-47s, and most of the men working in the market are subordinate to him. Every few minutes his mobile rings with queries about his prices.

 

Mohamed was a taxi driver seven years ago. Now he is a wealthy man. In front of the other men, his answers are tight and short. It is only when he motions me outside that he begins to open up.

 

"This place is risky for journalists....if they got to know that you are a journalist you will be in" he says as we walk through the market before arriving at a tea shop.

 

He silently opens a room next to the shop, and we enter into a gun nut's heaven. AK-47s and Russian pistols line the walls.

 

"The government is aware of this business, but they don't know how it goes" he says. "We buy from those who are tired of the gun, and sell to those who want one. It's a free market."

 

"We mostly sell three types of AK-47, and two types of pistol, the Tata and another one locally known Dhabannacas"; he adds.

 

Somaliland suffered attacks by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab in 2008, which hit the presidential palace, United Nation Development Program offices, and offices for the Ethiopian government. The attack killed twenty eight people and injured forty others, and was carried out by the first known American suicide bomber, Shirwa Ahmed from Minneapolis. Since then, the Somaliland government imposed a law against terrorism and began to register arms. The law also said that anyone who wants to buy a gun must register with the police. However, Mohamed said the government and police don’t get involved.

 

"We sell arms to anyone, but sometimes we ask the buyer to come with someone we know" he says. "We are not police ... it is not our job to register the arms."

 

"We buy the arms from local owners ... there are no new arms coming to the market" he says. "We mostly sell old arms. When Somalia's government collapsed in the 90s, people looted all the military equipment."

 

While Mohamed is adamant that guns are not coming in from outside, other dealers say that weapons come in from southern Somalia. There are suspicions that weapons are making their way in from Yemen and Eritrea.

 

 

The best-selling items are the four types of Russian-made AK-47. Mohamed said the prices run from $500 to $850 for the newest model, known locally as Daba-laab. Handguns go from $1000 to $1300. The Hargeisa market is more expensive than Mogadishu, where you can buy a brand-new pistol for almost half the price, and the new Kalashnikov comes in at least $50 cheaper.

 

"Business is good" says another arms dealer, speaking on condition of anonymity."If you buy three pistols, you can sell them again in hours."

 

While the arms dealers are pleased with themselves and their business, residents are concerned that the government is doing nothing to curb the deadly trade. According to a newspaper editor, who wished to remain anonymous, the police and intelligence community are involved in the trade.

 

"Some of the arms in the market are Somaliland army equipment, and they also sell their ammunition" he says

 

None of the arms dealers would name the people they worked with or discuss their customers.

 

Somalia Report repeatedly attempted to contact the appropriate government ministries and police officials, but we were repeatedly refused comment.

 

It is common to see armed civilians walking the streets of Hargeisa, Many of them come from rural areas to sell their guns in the market.

 

Ali Warsame is a herdsman who came to sell his AK-47 to feed his family and livestock.

 

A hard drought hit the countryside, and people and animals are dying, so I am came to sell my gun to buy food and water"; he says.

 

Arms trader Mohamoud Aw Jama said many people were selling their weapons in face of the drought. He says the main clients are business people and companies, which control their own security. One businessman, who didn’t want to be named, said he say no problem in the arms trade.

 

"The market is not a big deal" he says. "Not everyone can afford to buy guns as it is expensive, so only business people use the market."

 

Asked if al-Shabaab members can get arms from the market - as many analysts have warned - to carry out attacks in the city, he says he believes the group doesn't shop there for fear of coming under suspicion.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

stuff and nonsense

[Knight of Wisdom]

The Nairobi Bombings, the 1998 US Embassy bombings, were planned in Hergeisa. The most dangerous terrorists in Africa are found in Somalia's "Somaliland" region, areas like Hergeisa and Burco harbor Terrorists that have ties to Al-Qaida. The entire Administration of the so-called "Somaliland" has ties to Terrorist elements, from Iran, to Al-Qaida to Hamaz to Al-Shabaab.

 

The lack of UN regulations of weapons being imported thru varies ports in Somalia's North-Western region (known as Somaliland) has caused the influx of arms and ammunitions.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

^^ badhaacis and some more Bacaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaac

[Somalia]

Dismissing facts and investigative reporting as "nonsense" and onomatopoeic words is just plain pathetic.

 

I believe we should discuss this serious matter as it is a threat to the on-going stabilisation of Somalia, we must not get backtracked by illegal activities that could hurt people's lives and aid terrorists.

[burahadeer]

they have nothing else to talk about.They see SL achieved what they only dream of.Imagine 100,000s of children been to school the last 15yrs..that only will take thm anotha 40yrs to catch up! Now keep writing more.....

BTW there is no bigger weapons market than Mogadishu(all the wars from last 20yrs proves that).Add that to puntland

which gets direct shipments from S.Africa; remember that plane caught in Hargeisa couple months ago then proceeded to PL.

[Knight of Wisdom]

Somalia's misfortunes are planned and executed from Hergeisa, which has become a Terrorist haven. The sooner Hergeisa is captured from this terrorists, who has been harboring Al-Qaida members and groups with affiliation to Al-Qaida, the sooner Somalia will be stabilized.

 

If the East African community don't unite and put an end to the small group of terrorists in North-Western Somalia (mainly Hergeisa), then the entire region will be in danger. Remember, Al-Shabab's financial hub is Hergeisa, it is where their weapons come from.

[Knight of Wisdom]

burahadeer;756053 wrote:

they have nothing else to talk about.They see SL achieved what they only dream of.Imagine 100,000s of children been to school the last 15yrs..that

only will take thm anotha 20yrs to catch up! Now keep writing more.....

Those 100,000s of Children you speak of has been brainwashed with Al-Qaida-Al-Shabaab ideology. There is nothing to be proud about, knowing you have thousands of kids who have been taught to be extremist in every way possible.

[rudy-Diiriye]

If sland was smart, they will just ship them some kool Jaat!! Aint nothing worst than a high As!! Then u will see them

dancing on the street.

[burahadeer]

In the 90s you begged the U.S to come get Aideed...FAILED

In 2006 you brought Ethiopians....FAILED

Now You brought in Kenyans!!!!!also trying to destroy SL.keep trying.You will destroy yourself the same way your uncle Siyad Barre destroyed somalia & particularly you.That's all what you know & the rest of somalis are looking closely at you

dheeree godka aduun baa ku dhici!!!! If you wondering why somalia is not settling it's because of your treacherous games.

Why SL is at peace is they put you in your place.Keep messing somalia & one day you get wat you deserve.

[Knight of Wisdom]

burahadeer;756079 wrote:

In the 90s you begged the U.S to come get Aideed...FAILED

In 2006 you brought Ethiopians......FAILED

Now You brought in Kenyans!!!!!!!

Now you trying to destroy SL...keep trying.You will destroy yourself the same way your uncle Siyad Barre destroyed somalia & particularly you.

That's all what you know & the rest of somalis are looking closely at you.

Dheeree godka aduun baa ku dhici!!!!!!

You're a TERRORIST sympathizer. Your likes are putting East Africa in jeopardy and the by our souls, the terrorists in Hergeisa, aiding Al-Shabab and collaborating with Al-Qaida will be brought to justice.

[Somalia]

burahadeer;756079 wrote:

In the 90s you begged the U.S to come get Aideed...FAILED

In 2006 you brought Ethiopians......FAILED

Now You brought in Kenyans!!!!!!!

Now you trying to destroy SL...keep trying.You will destroy yourself the same way your uncle Siyad Barre destroyed somalia & particularly you.

That's all what you know & the rest of somalis are looking closely at you.

Dheeree godka aduun baa ku dhici!!!!!!

Discuss the article and the topic, why you avoiding it? What the hell man..

 

[burahadeer]

what to discuss? SL is shabaab?!!!!! :D:D

Mr knight my views on extremists & how I hate thm r well known in this & otha forums but What am showing here is how

people like you use the shabab threat to their clannish advantage.Abdillahi yusuf have different agenda when he brought ethiopians which was to take revenge againest the people of Mogadishu & you know why.Ethiopians on the otha hand were sincere in eradicating extremists,but to their dismay found out later what the whole game was about & got rid off A.Yusuf..I support the kenyan invasion as a principle but I know kenya will get dismayed,too,as the Ethiopians before them.You don't have to go far to find out what's in the works...just look at the topics on SOL about this latest drama!

[Knight of Wisdom]

^ You would've acknowledged the fact that Hergeisa has harbored Terrorists and the so-called Administration are Terrorist collaborators. Al-Shabab's financial and weaponry hub is Hergeisa.

 

In order to stabilize East Africa and Somalia in particular, we have to cut the snake's head and that head is located in Hergeisa, Somalia's second capital. Somaliland is a small area consisting of Hergeisa, Burco and Berbera. This areas have known to smuggle weapons from foreign arms dealers, violating the UN Embargo on Somalia. Hergeisa's mayor (Siilaanyo) is a known Terrorist sympathizer, collaborator and to a extent he is indeed a terrorist himself.

 

To defeat Al-shabab means defeating Hergeisa's terrorist administration otherwise known as "Somaliland".

[burahadeer]

What you have to gain from is to destroy otha clans you hate aka. like what A.yusuf did.You can call everyone Shabab but no one is gona do your dirty job for you.Relax & that's my last word.