Jaraa'idJaraa'id
Notification Show More
Latest News
Trump indictment thrusts a divided nation into new chapter of chaos
Business
Max Verstappen reveals he was ‘physically limited’ at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – ‘Felt like I was missing a lung’
Sports
Trump and advisers caught off guard by New York indictment
United States
Lessons from Australia: UK’s migration law set to repeat mistakes
Africa
Jailed Malaysian ex-PM Najib loses bid for review of graft conviction
Asia
Aa
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Africa
  • United States
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Sports
  • Videos
  • Live Score
  • More
    • Business
    • Market Data
      • Stocks
      • Commodities
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Forex
    • Weather
Reading: Somalia working to ‘stop violence’ amid Somaliland tension
Share
Aa
Jaraa'idJaraa'id
  • Somalia
  • Africa
  • United States
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Videos
  • World
    • Africa
    • United States
    • Europe
    • Asia
  • Market Data
    • Stocks
    • Commodities
    • Cryptocurrency
    • Forex
  • More
    • Sports
    • Business
    • Weather
    • Live Score
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
Jaraa'id > Africa > Somalia working to ‘stop violence’ amid Somaliland tension
Africa

Somalia working to ‘stop violence’ amid Somaliland tension

News Room
Last updated: 2023/03/07 at 4:12 PM
News Room Published March 7, 2023
Share
SHARE

Doha, Qatar – Somalia is working closely to restore peace in its northern breakaway region of Somaliland amid heightening tensions between the region’s authorities and local clan forces, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Al Jazeera.

Contents
‘All-out war’ against al-ShababLooming famineViolence against women

“We believe that unity is the only solution… but we don’t want this unity through violence, which makes matters worse,” Mohamud told Al Jazeera on Monday.

Violence erupted after leaders of the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn provinces of Somaliland – which claimed independence from Somalia in 1991 – announced their intention to rejoin Somalia.

Fighting broke out last month around the town of Lascanood in Sool, killing at least 80 people and displacing more than 185,000, according to the UN.

“We’ve been advocating for the last couple of weeks on how we can first stop the violence and then open a space for dialogue,” Mohamud said in a wide-ranging interview in which he talked about the state’s fight against the al-Shabab armed group, a sweeping drought in the country and gender violence.

‘All-out war’ against al-Shabab

In August last year, a few months after being re-elected for a second time, Mohamud declared an “all-out war” against al-Shabab, which has been waging a rebellion against the government since 2007.

“So many people have tried to stop this via peaceful means. Now the Somali government decided to solve this through an all-out war,” he said.

“There’s no other option other than to take this terrorist group to a level where it cannot threaten the stability of the country,” Mohamud said, adding that the ultimate aim was to create the right environment for political inclusion, and attract foreign investment as well as Somalis to return to the country.

With support from the US army, African Union (AU) forces and local assistance, Somalia’s army was able to regain swaths of territory from the armed group since launching its offensive last year.

In January this year, government-led forces recaptured the port town of Harardhere, an al-Shabab stronghold on the Indian Ocean, marking one of the most significant victories of the offensive.

Al-Shabab responded with a number of attacks in the capital and other cities, including targeting the mayor’s office in Mogadishu and an attack on a military base.

AU peacekeepers provide security during Somali presidential elections in Mogadishu [File: Feisal Omar/Reuters]

“The AU has done a good job… and they have been the reason why the Somali state started to grow and [why] it has now reached a level that it provided space for society to grow,” Mohamud said.

“But now it is the Somali army, police and intelligence agencies [that] are running the operations with the support of AU and other international partners.

“Challenges will remain in place,” said the president, referring to when AU forces leave next year. “But we are organising … on one hand we’re fighting and, on the other, we are building the security sector.”

Looming famine

The threat of famine in Somalia has been present since the country went through five consecutive failed rainy seasons. It now faces a sixth.

In an assessment last December, the UN estimated that eight million people were badly food insecure and that more than 700,000 could suffer famine between April and June this year if aid supplies are not increased.

However, in its latest report in late February, UN experts said that while food insecurity remains “extremely critical”, they were no longer projecting famine.

“We averted a famine,” said Mohamud. “There is no famine right now and there is no risk of famine in the short term, but it’s looming.”

Climate experts and humanitarian workers have warned that trends in recent weeks, including expectations of below-normal rainfall, are worse than those in 2011 when a quarter of a million people died in Somalia due to famine.

There are also concerns among human-rights organisations that data to assess the level of famine is not accurate due to the state of security in certain areas.

0-year-old Hibo carries water in a jerrycan to her temporary house at Kaharey IDP camp in Dollow, Somalia.
In a report in late February, UN experts said food insecurity remains ‘extremely critical’ but they were no longer projecting famine [File: Reuters]

Violence against women

Mohamud also acknowledged the issue of gender violence by Somali forces.

In 2021, two UN reports denounced what they described as an “alarming” 80 percent increase in sexual violence in Somalia compared with 2019, mostly carried out by al-Shabab fighters.

But the reports also highlighted how sexual violence – for at least 15 percent of verified cases – was attributed to government security forces.

“[Among the] Bad characteristics of the war is that it reduces the strength of the state institutions, especially when those institutions were weak even before the war. We are not denying that we have that problem, and we are going after it.

“We built our judiciary system, we engaged our security forces and those who have committed such crimes are immediately taken to the court.”

Still, the president acknowledged, “there are some limitations” to the justice system.

Read the full article here

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
I have read and agree to the terms & conditions
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
News Room March 7, 2023
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Popular News
Business

Trump indictment thrusts a divided nation into new chapter of chaos

News Room News Room March 31, 2023
Max Verstappen reveals he was ‘physically limited’ at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – ‘Felt like I was missing a lung’
Trump and advisers caught off guard by New York indictment
Lessons from Australia: UK’s migration law set to repeat mistakes
Jailed Malaysian ex-PM Najib loses bid for review of graft conviction
Trump criminally charged in New York, a first for a US ex-president
Law versus man: Trump’s courtroom drama begins
Mark Selby withstands Ryan Day charge to set up clash with Shaun Murphy in semi-finals of Tour Championship
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

You Might also Like

Africa

Lessons from Australia: UK’s migration law set to repeat mistakes

March 31, 2023
Africa

South Africa surprises with bigger rate hike than forecast

March 31, 2023
Africa

Dengue fever spreads across Sudan with health response weakened

March 31, 2023
Africa

Explainer: Why Lesotho parliament is debating reclaiming land from South Africa

March 31, 2023
  • Somalia
  • Africa
  • United States
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Forex
  • Stock Market

About US

Jaraa'id is your one-stop website for the latest global and local news and updates, follow us now to get the news that matters to you.
Quick Link
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Press ReleaseSubmit
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Top Sections
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Videos
  • Market DataLive
  • Weather

Subscribe US

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our Latest articles instantly!

I have read and agree to the terms & conditions

2023 © Jaraa'id. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?