Somalia: Why Al-Shabaab still Active in Puntland?

Bossaso (HAN) February 27, 2015 – Public Diplomacy and Regional security news. Puntland Security forces launched an offensive against Al-Shabaab strongholds in Galgala mountainous area, to remove regional trade risks and  threats against civilians.

At least two Somali soldiers were killed on Monday in an ambush laid by Al-Shabaab militants in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

“Al-Shabaab militants attacked two of our army bases in the Galgala Mountains on Sunday and Monday”

Abdulkadir Samaysane, a senior official in the Puntland regional government, said government forces had survived Sunday’s attack, “But we lost two soldiers in today’s attack,” he admitted, “while four to six were injured.” 

Al-Shabaab Radio station, claimed that five soldiers were killed in Monday’s ambush. Northeastern Somalia’s rugged Galgala Mountains region has recently been a theater of conflict between the Somali army and the militant group. Last week, five militants were killed in an army offensive carried out in the region.

In 2013, the Galagala mountains have provided a refuge for Al-Shabaab fighters fleeing African Union peacekeepers and Somalia troops.

In the southern Somalia regions, at least five people were killed Monday in a bomb blast targeting government forces in the southern Somali town of Afgoye, a Somali official has said.

“For now I put the death toll at five. Four soldiers and one civilian,” Mohamed Mascud of the Lower Shabelle authority said. “We are still waiting for any updates on the critically wounded,” Mohamed Mascud  added his statement.

The bomb went off as a convoy moving from Mogadishu to Marka made a stopover at a tea kiosk. According to the Internal Security Ministry, the Mogadishu-Afgoye road has recorded the highest number of roadside blasts targeting government troops and African Union peacekeepers.

Al-Shabaab, which in recent years has waged an active insurgency against the Mogadishu government, has recently suffered several significant blows, including the loss of most of its strongholds in southern and central Somalia.

Several group members have also recently been killed in U.S. drone strikes. Nevertheless, the group has continued to launch deadly attacks on government officials and security troops.

Last Friday in Somali capital, Mogadishu, at least 12 people – including several top government officials – were killed in a twin suicide blast that targeted a Mogadishu hotel.

 

Photo: Abdullahi Ahmed Jama “Ilkajiir”, Federal  Ministry of Justice (Former interior minister of Puntland)


 

The Geeska Afrika Online is Free government-funded. HAN (Horn of Africa newsline) shapes its editorial policy free from political and commercial influence.


Geeska Afrika Online (1985 -2015) – The International Gateway news and views about the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Somaliland, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda), the best IGAD news and information Online Site for the last 30 Years.

HAN & Geeska Afrika Online (1985-2015), the oldest free independent Free Press in the region, brings together top journalists from across the Horn of Africa. Including Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Djibouti, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Oromo, Amhara, Somali, Afar and Harari. Plus, we have daily translations from 150 major news organizations in the Middle East and East African regions. Contact at news@geeskaafrika.com


by

Tags:

Comments

One response to “Somalia: Why Al-Shabaab still Active in Puntland?”

  1. Infact sub-clans of puntland and some of government officials work with Alshabab.We have clear evidence puntland pralized tribilism that’s why alshabab strong in puntland. No one is able to point out the finger a person originlay part their sub-clan. sub-clans use weapons as they want to make revenge b/c they are all armed. so security forces always catch and put a jail and sentence death penalty to innocent people originally came from southern Somalia.and they always blame Somaliland in order to pralize Somaliland needs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

css.php
Share via
Copy link