Winds of war against extremist groups in Somalia

By Oscar Bravo Fong

Africa and Middle East Editorial Office

Although in his first term as Head of State (2012-2017), the current Somali President, Mohamed Sheikh Mohamud, failed in his policies to eradicate this evil that is blighting Somalia and other countries on the continent, and on this occasion he expected that it would do the trick. aspirations by mobilizing more military and societal forces.

As part of his plan, the president, who categorized the Al-Shabab formation as “a deadly snake in your clothes that you have to kill before it kills you,” called for the Somali people’s support for the military operations. .

We must work with our forces to eliminate the enemy, he said, referring to the extremist militia, which has more than a decade of violent actions in this Horn of Africa country, which has a population of over 21 million.

Although there are reservations about achieving this ambitious goal, the operational actions of the military, in recent months, with the support of local armed militia and the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), appear to have paid off their first fruits.

Atmis missiles, which replaced the African Union Mission in Somalia in April 2021 and supports joint operations with the National Army in different regions of the country, aims to contribute to building national peace and stability.

As a result of these joint efforts, the allied armed forces, since the beginning of September, expelled the radical entity from more than 40 cities and towns in the central province of Hiran and other regions.

In addition, not only hundreds of extremist elements were killed in the fighting, but also the elimination of the leaders of these groups, including Abdullah Nader, who is associated with the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.

In 2011, government forces and former mission detachments expelled the armed group from the capital, Mogadishu.

Far from demarcating, the armed entity, which seeks to impose a hard-line conservative regime, has consolidated its bases in other regions and currently controls large areas in the center and south of the African country.

Youngest weakest?

However, in the midst of the onslaught of security forces, many question whether the rebel group, which emerged in 2006 when the former Union of Islamic Courts was in control of Mogadishu and defending Sharia or Islamic law, has really been weakened.

Unfortunately, the recent actions of Al-Shabab against various targets show that the entity, which usually uses suicide bombers and other means of irregular warfare in its armed attacks, still has strength and maneuverability.

This manifested itself in his attack on October 23 with a car bomb and shootings at a hotel in the southern city of Kismayo, killing 9 people and wounding 47 others, according to the Jubbaland Regional Security Ministry budget. .

And let us not forget that on August 19, the Islamic militias forcibly occupied the Al Hayat Hotel in the capital for nearly 30 hours, killing 21 people and injuring dozens.

As evidence of its large-scale actions, the rebel entity has recently launched attacks on airport facilities and military bases in Somalia, and infrastructures in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia.

In a scenario marked by these specific events, the Somali government is committed to weakening and permanently eliminating the network’s subgroup, not only through military force, but also through other means, as part of an overall strategy.

Without going any further, the country’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Berri, who recognized the significant progress made by government forces in towns in the middle of the national territory, recently warned that the Somali justice system will impose severe penalties on al-Shabab collaborators.

In this sense, the authorities have prevented merchants from handing over money to the extremist organization, which usually requires people to pay taxes to obtain weapons and consumer goods.

On the other hand, and to prevent the dissemination of the armed group’s propaganda, the executive authority prevented the media, including 40 news websites and TV channels, from reporting on the terrorist entity’s threats or plans.

After confirming that this ruling aims to enhance security in Somalia, the Ministry of Information determined that the directive impedes the spread of extremist ideology in both the media and social networks.

As part of the package of measures, government agencies have repeatedly demanded that the radical militia members surrender to the army, in order to obtain support, rehabilitate themselves, and join the community and their families. On the other hand, and to counter the legal influence of the aforementioned body, representatives of the Ministry of Justice reported that the military forces will attack the headquarters of the justice courts allied with the terrorist group, which hear cases related to civilians.

The head of that portfolio, Ahmed Moallem Faki, sees guidance as necessary because many Somalis turn to extremist courts due to the weakness and ineffectiveness of the current institutional legal system.

Although, according to surveys, many Mogadishu residents do not believe that the government with its new action plan will be able to nullify the strength and influence of Al-Shabaab in the national territory in the short term, others expressed their hopes for the new. Executive branch actions.

Somalia, like other African countries, faces challenges in terms of peace and security by promoting development and progress in societies in order to ensure food security, eradicate poverty and address the phenomenon of terrorism in all its forms.

Located at the eastern tip of Africa, this region has seen its progress hampered by a bloody internal war, division of powers and the absence of a strong central government since allied militias ousted then-President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, now deceased. ..

arb / ycv / obf