How Puntland has successfully tamed Al-Shabaab in Somalia

GAROWE, Puntland - For close to a decade now, Somalia has struggled to keep violent extremists at Bay, losing thousands of innocent civilians and security forces through cowardly acts of Al-Shabaab and at times, the IS-Somalia Islamists who are found in sections of Galgala mountains.

Particularly, the militants have seized several parts of central and southern Somalia, where they recruit and train young people, further making it difficult for the security forces to tame them. Most areas of the Juba and Shabelle regions are under the control of the militants.

For the last one month, Chief of Defense Forces Gen Odowaa Yusuf Rage has been coordinating operations across the country, which has seen over 300 militants get killed. However, the operations are yet to yield the intended outcome given that the militants are still active in the country.

Despite the challenge of eradicating these militants, Puntland state has stood out as one of the states that have effectively managed to put the militants at bay. With robust security forces and military courts, Puntland has managed to reduce extremists, further keeping the region safe.

Mohamed Farole, a senior advisor to Puntland presidency said: "Puntland authorities are committed to completely eradicating enemies of her in its territories both militarily and ideologically."

To showcase prowess in taming the militants, Puntland Security Forces [PSF] executed 21 Al-Shabaab militants on Saturday after being convicted of various criminal and terrorism activities. This is the highest number of terrorists to executed within a single day in Puntland.

Of the 21 militants, 18 were executed in the southern city of Galkayo, two in Garowe, the regional administrative capital of Puntland while the last one was killed in Qardho. It's not the first time the Puntland military is executing militants.

"18 Al-Shabab members were executed in Galkayo town on Sunday morning by firing squad. Puntland’s Military court sentenced them to death last month after they were found guilty of the assassinations of 300 people in the region," state media reported.

The militants were convicted for the assassinations of elite community leaders over the years, including elders, officers, and journalists. It’s the largest single execution of Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia.

"We achieved one of our goals to eradicate Al-Shabaab from Mudug region," said governor Abdiladif Muse Nur whose brother Ahmed Muse Nur, ex-governor killed by Al-Shabaab in a suicide blast in May 2020.

During the reign of Abdirahman Farole as president of Puntland 2009–2014, such convictions and executions were also rampant as part of the effort to prevent the group from making inroads. In fact, the militants have rarely carried out attacks in Puntland.

The robust security system of Puntland has been carrying out operations across the state, often destroying Al-Shabaab camps besides arresting others. In 2017, authorities executed 13 Al-Shabaab militants, a move that has often terrified terrorists in the northern state of Somalia.

"Other tactics of Alshabab include recruiting a member of a certain clan and then making it the recruited persons sole responsibility to only keep luring those from that same clan. Leaving is not an option. Lands are taken by force, and local populations held as shields against," PSF said in a tweet.

"Finally, Al-Shabaab consistently tries to vilify innocent citizens and justify the spilling of their blood by convincing its recruits the victims are not human nor have the same religion. In the documentary, some AS recruits express great doubt with this reasoning."

Puntland is one of the safest states in Somalia and has continuously prevented the group from making inroads, thus few attacks within the region by the Al-Qaida linked group, which controls most parts of central and southern Somalia for over a decade now.

The group has often carried out attacks against innocent civilians and members of security forces, but their inroads in Puntland have often been blocked by vigilant security officers. Puntland Security Forces are often behind sophisticated operations targeting the militants.

President Said Abdullahi Deni has heavily invested in the security forces, at times subjecting the military to rigorous training. The structured security operations are mostly credited for the stability of the region, which records very few cases of terrorism.

GAROWE ONLINE