Somalia: Puntland security chiefs sacked amid rising terrorist attacks

GAROWE, Puntland - The president of Somalia's northeastern Federal State, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali "Gaas" has sacked the region's top Intellegence and security chiefs via a presidential decree on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.

President Ali fired the Directors of Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA) and Puntland Security Service (PSS), Abdirisack Ise Hussein [Khatumi] and Abdullahi Aden Mohamed respectively.

The officials had been relieved of their duties following a surge in terrorist attacks by the Al-Shabaab and ISIL-linked militants on the security forces' army bases in Bari region over the past few months.

Early this month, Al-Shabaab fighters stormed a major military base belonging to Puntland Maritime Police Force [PMPF] in Bali-Khadar area outside Galgala mountains and killed many soldiers.

The president gave no reason for the dismissal of PIA and PSS commanders. Also, there were no replacements announced in the statement sent to the media.

The work of security agencies is said to have been ineffective due to lack of sufficient funds to fulfil their duties from the current government led by President Ali as the region is at war with lethal extremist groups.

"The sacking of PIA and PSS heads will not help defeat the Islamist militants because they [security agencies] have been out of service for the past four years," a former PIA official told Garowe Online.

The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the government failed to give salaries on monthly bases to the troops, and this weakened their morale in the fight against the insurgency in the region.

GAROWE ONLINE