EDITORIAL: ISIS attack signals the need for cooperation, not finger-pointing

BOSASO, Somalia - The recent attack by the militants associated with the Islamic State in Puntland has elicited political bickering that could turn out to be fertile ground for all types of terrorist gangs. ISIS presence in Somalia, especially the Puntland region, was a known fact albeit deemed less threatening than the bigger problem of al-Shabaab.

This is why when ISIS struck recently, attacking military forces in Puntland, it was both shocking and painful. But what is worrying is the upturn of the war of words between Puntland authorities and the Federal Government of Somalia in Mogadishu.

Mogadishu did offer moral support and condemned the attack. But Puntland has not felt sufficient love and support from the Federal Government.

This week, Mohamud Aideed Dirir, the Information Minister in Puntland was categorical that the Federal Government hasn’t come through with military support, beyond the statements of condemnation. He said Puntland has faced the threat alone, fighting the militants in the mountains and putting down a significant portion of the threat. According to him, Somalia should have sent reinforcement, rather than issuing empty statements.

Indeed, Puntland and the federal government haven’t been on good terms, especially since the public fallout between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Puntland leader Said Abdullahi Deni. It is also true that certain issues between the federal government and federal member states need to be discussed and ironed out for the proper functioning of the federal structure.

On ISIS or al-Shabaab, however, both levels of government ought to work together. Here is a common enemy that could hurt anyone on Somali soil, regardless of political leaning. When ISIS attacks, they intend to cause as much misery as possible. They are merchants of death so it won’t matter who is quarrelling who.

There is one other thing. After the ISIS attack at the end of December, the details of those assailants were somewhat shocking: all the 12 attackers were foreigners. It only proves to some warnings earlier last year, from entities such as the Crisis Group, that Somalia had become the nerve centre of ISIS in Africa. Authorities therefore need to sit together and ask themselves why Somalia, despite efforts to rebuild, has attracted these peddlers of terror to continue hurting the country.

One reason may be that our weak institutions mean building a terror network including alternative extortion rings is easy. It may also be that weak authorities can’t govern everywhere, especially because they aren’t collaborating. In turn, Somalia is likely to be the exporter of terror, an unwanted record it has fought to banish.

Recently, Somalia has emerged from years of debt after it obtained relief. It got an arms embargo lifted and joined the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member. It has also joined the East African Community. All these reflect a country drawing profit from its hard work. Allowing ISIS to germinate will easily wipe all that out.

This means that the federal government needs to isolate the political teething problems it faces with federal states from the critical security needs Somalia needs. Doing that will not only ensure Somalia stays the cause of fighting extremists but also allow room to iron out its relationship problems between different levels of government.

Not doing that will make Somalia a breeding ground for extremists which in turn will make Somalia very unstable again and eventually become a burden to the region.

The first step is to make a genuine reconciliation between political leaders. After that, we must start it will be easy to deal with the challenges that come away, including ISIS. But just in case anyone forgot, al-Shabaab is still unfinished business in southern regions of Somalia. The country won’t afford to have two problems of that kind.

GAROWE ONLINE