The Economist: Government co-opting Al-shabab linked Warlords to overthrow Jubbaland admin

[Faafan]

Bad news for President Hassan, the International media is catching on with his Kismayo fixation and his use of proxies to destabilize the Madoobe lead Jubbaland Government. One of the International communities main goal in Somalia is to see the defeat of Shabab, if the Government is found to be supporting Shabab to achieve political ends against Madoobe they could loose some international support and Madoobe could gain favor with Jubbaland.Some of the proxy forces fighting Madoobe have been actively crisscrossing through Shabab territory and now a direct offensive is been planned by the two unlikely allies united in their fight with Madoobe.

 

Are the Islamists truly on the ropes?

 

A new and much-lauded president is finding it hard to bury old divisions

 

 

AT FIRST glance Somalia’s foreign-backed government seems to be doing well. In the past two years it has benefited from the recovery of the country’s main cities by African Union peacekeepers after two decades of clan warfare and intermittent Islamist rule. And on June 29th the government pulled off something of a coup by locking up the grandfather of militant Islamism in Somalia, Sheikh Hassan Dahir, better known as Aweys. The red-bearded 78-year-old may be the victim of infighting in the Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked movement that is steadily losing power but can still cause mayhem with suicide-bombings here and there.

 

But appearances may mislead. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, appointed last year to much acclaim, is accused of employing warlords to assert his authority over the fragmented country. A report due to be submitted to the UN Security Council by independent experts says the government used rival militia leaders to gain control of Kismayo, the second city. The report alleges that Mr Mohamud, who gets a lot of cash from Western governments, has been “co-opting clan warlords”, some of them linked to the Shabab.

 

 

The region around the capital, Mogadishu, remains more or less in government hands. But southern Somalia is engulfed in a power struggle. Five rival militia leaders proclaim themselves “president of Jubaland”, a region that includes Kismayo. At least 40 people were killed last month when clashes broke out between them. The most powerful is Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, whose Ras Kamboni brigade helped the Kenyan army to drive the Shabab out of Kismayo last year. With Kenya’s implicit backing, he has refused to let representatives from the federal government enter Kismayo.

His main rival is Barre Hiraale, another warlord who has sometimes sided with the Shabab.

 

The struggle pits against each other two of Somalia’s most powerful clans, the ***** of Sheikh Madobe and the ****** of President Mohamud. Conflict between the “superclans”, as well as internecine battles among myriad subclans, has fuelled Somalia’s civil war for two decades.

 

In this context, the humiliating arrest of Sheikh Aweys may turn out to be counterproductive. He was promised talks with government officials but instead was arrested and roughed up by soldiers. This could split the ****** clan, of which the president and the arrested Islamist are both members.

 

To make matters even worse, the Shabab appear less divided than was thought. Following recent infighting, one aspiring leader was killed and Sheikh Aweys was arrested, leaving sole command to Ahmed Abdi Godane, who is regarded as being keenest within the Shabab on its alliance with al-Qaeda. On June 19th Shabab suicide-bombers breached the front gates of the UN compound in Mogadishu; gunmen barged in and killed at least nine people. Nick Kay, a Briton recently appointed as the UN’s special envoy to Somalia, gamely insisted there would be no retreat in the face of the assault.

 

From the print edition: Middle East and Africa

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21580523-new-and-much-lauded-president-finding-it-hard-bury-old-divisions-are

[GAROODI]

Ahmed madobe was a member of Alshabab and there is a difference in being accused of something and actually doing it. The economist is just citing a report that is about to be compiled who compiled the report?? At the end of the day Saxib don't hold your breath somalias government as weak as it is and useless has the right to determine juba issue because of the many various tribes and competing interests that live there and the fakness of the process held there. Madobe wants day light Theft supported by Kenya that will never be accepted wether its printed by the economist or the New York Times

[Faafan]

Was Sh.Sharif Shabab too? how many former islamists have come over to the governments side. He was never a ranked member of Shabab but of the ICU/HI he was.

 

Madoobe was elected by the majority of clan elders in that region, the Government has to rely on warlords to gain foothold.Hiraale, Baasto, etc all had there elders present and elected Madoobe...no need to spin the facts.

[Homunculus]

A report due to be submitted to the UN Security Council by independent experts says the government used rival militia leaders to gain control of Kismayo, the second city. The report alleges that Mr Mohamud, who gets a lot of cash from Western governments, has been “co-opting clan warlords”, some of them linked to the Shabab.

This is dangerous for the government since the security council will discuss this issue soon. this president is destroying all the gains that were made recently, we are now more divided than when the ICU ruled Mogadishu.

[Samafal]

Hassan Mohamud is a failure. I Think it's about time the country is saved. Under Hassan We being headed to civil war and return to 1991 chaos. The parliment should impeach him and save the country from this inexperienced and vision-less president.

[Illyria]

This is more troubling for the Mugadishu gov't than the central bank fiasco. now the West will turn a cold shoulder and freeze the funds. Jubaland has become Xasan's Achilles's heel. will he recover in time or even sink in even deeper? time will tell.

[Tillamook]

Culosow, dumb as he may seem, isn't completely suicidal. He will turn back from his misguided policy in regards Jubaland-- He is a politician after all.

[Miyir]

Tillamook;967339 wrote:

Culosow, dumb as he may seem, isn't completely suicidal. He will turn back from his misguided policy in regards Jubaland-- He is a politician after all.

Looking at Qoslaaye and gang action so far, I am not sure about this turning back.

[Mad_Mullah]

lol, Somali politics is too complicated for cadaans, I can see the Miskeens in the White House trying to solve this issue.

[Tillamook]

Miyir;967363 wrote:

Looking at Qoslaaye and gang action so far, I am not sure about this turning back.

His actions so far have led him no where, and he realizes that now. Expect to see a reformed Culosow in the coming days, sxb.

[Miyir]

Tillamook;967668 wrote:

His actions so far have led him no where, and he realizes that now. Expect to see a reformed Culosow in the coming days, sxb.

do you mean forced to act? I don't think Qoslaaye and gang wants any peaceful resolution to Somalia crises but supremacy, 22 yrs of destruction and mayhem is enough for anyone to seek a peace and reconciliation between warring Somalis.

 

the evidence so far points Qoslaaye and gang is not the ones ready for resolution or fair play.