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Al-Shabaab commanders arrested in Somalia as Farmajo meets security chiefs
[Garowe] A number of top al-Shabaab
...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
commanders were on Sunday arrested in Central Somalia, officials said, in what could be a major milestone in the fight against the al-Qaeda linked group, which is wreaking havoc in Central and Southern Somalia.

Galmudug
...a semiautonomous region in central Somalia, bordering Puntland on the north. Galmudug is not trying to obtain international recognition as a separate nation, but rather considers itself autonomous within the larger Somali federalism, for what that's worth...
Security Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi and Mudug Governor Abdiladif Muse Nur, jointly said that the security forces of the two states have arrested senior al-Shabaab members, but they did not reveal their details.

In recent months, Mudug have been greatly affected in the al-Shabaab war, with the Lions of Islam targeting senior members of security forces, government officials, and to some extent, innocent civilians. A number of people have been killed.

According to the officials, those arrested were the head of security of al-Shabaab in the Mudug region, the head of finance of al-Shabaab in the Mudug region, and other officials in the movement. The team is now being processed for trial, the officials added.

On Sunday, Farmajo got a briefing from SNA and AMISOM chiefs on al-Shabaab attacks on army Forward Operating bases in Awdhegle and Barire, Lower Shaballe on April 3rd which killed dozens of soldiers. This comes as the outgoing leader faces pressure over his illegal term extension.

Among those present were Chief of Defense Forces General Yusuf Rageh Odowaa, who has been in the frontline in the fight against al-Shabaab. The president thanked the forces for their commitment to the fight against al-Shabaab just before he left for DR Congo.

"President Farmajo salutes our Somali Armed Forces for victorious operations recently terming it a proof of bravery to protect our nation and citizens as he hosts our Defense Minister, Somali National Army CoD General Odowa Yusuf and AMISOM Force Commander Lt-Gen Diomede Ndegeye," the Ministry of Defense said.

Elsewhere, Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
and Galmudug have signed an agreement to fight al-Shabaab, to free Bacadweyne in Hobyo district from al-Shabaab, to share intelligence and investigate al-Shabaab jointly. The two states agreed to set aside political differences which have triggered the current political stalemate.

While Puntland is pushing for structured dialogue in Somalia, Galmadug has on the other hand supported Farmajo's term extension. The international community has since asked all stakeholders to return to the negotiating table for the sake of stability.
Posted by: trailing wife 2021-04-20
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=599975