Somalia: Why the SNA have Shabaabs by their necks in spite of morning raids

EDITORIAL | Major Hassan Mohamed Osman aka Hassan Tuure was a bubbly Somali soldier. As part of the elite American-trained unit Danab, his squad was the talent Somalia relied on to cut down the menace of al-Shabaab.

And the militants knew it. Which is why they targeted him on Friday in an early morning raid. By killing him, al-Shabaab cut from his prime a dependable soul who was leading his troops to bring to an end Somalia’s enduring insecurity.

Today, we send our condolences to his family and friends. But Maj Tuure is a national hero for putting his life on the line for our sake. Yet he isn’t alone. In the recent past, al-Shabaab have shown vengeance by targeting senior security officers to avenge for lost territory. Maj Tuure joins Jamal Ahmed, Beledweyne’s CID boss killed in Halgan on January 16 and Col Abshir Shataqey, the Commander of SNA's 3rd battalion killed in Hawadley on Jan 17.

Their deaths are a massive blow to Somalia, especially as it raises the tempo, alongside allied vigilantes, to beat down al-Shabaab.

Yet this loss should not be in vain. There are plenty of lessons on how the SNA and other national security agencies can avoid further losses. One fact is that al-Shabaab are continually losing territory and hopefully, soon, Somalis could be taking road trips between towns freed of incessant illegal roadblocks. Al-Shabaab, however, is not yet defeated.

In fact, guerrilla warfare is their modus operandi. For several months now, the SN declared victory over towns once held by al-Shabaab without firing a shot. That easy victory has often come as the militants flee town. Shabaabs are traditionally cowards who hardly engage in direct combat. They prefer ambushing troops, or targeting defenseless civilians by laying bomb traps and suicide attacks.

It comes as no surprise that the deaths we have seen lately among the SNA were reported in areas the troops had liberated. This is because the militants returned on short notice, probably found the troops lax and celebrating and ambushed them.

It tells us one thing: that with al-Shabaab, we cannot sit on our hands at any moment. It also means the SNA cannot have a predictable pattern. In all these incidents, al-Shabaabs have raided early morning, probably the time when it is coolest and troops relaxing. Why did they have so much revenge at this time? It is probably because the SNA did not believe the revenge would be too soon.

There is another thing. Al-Shabaab are fleeing towns with civilians and their livestock. They know that by doing this, they prevent the SNA pursuit as the militants use people as shields. They also know ghost towns will offer little incentive to invest in more security for the people, leaving it vulnerable to revenge attacks.  

That the attack was launched on a liberated town of Gal’ad means there won’t be celebrations for turning over this former shabaab forte to the government.

We understand that the Somali Government sent condolences to the family, friends, the SNA and all Somali people on the death of Maj Tuure whom it labelled as a martyr. And we also acknowledged that the SNA repulsed further losses, killing dozens of al-Shabaab.

But Maj Tuure and six other SNA members killed on Friday should be a permanent monument to inspire us into sleepless watch over the Shabaab danger. The pattern of pursuing al-Shabaab should never be the same again. We must raid them in the day, mornings and evenings, not just at night.

GAROWE ONLINE