Al-Shabaab not ready to negotiate with us, says Somalia president

FILE: Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaking to Al Jazeera's Upfront Dec 2022

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Shabaab militants are not willing to negotiate with the federal government of Somalia for a ceasefire, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has claimed, in the wake of preparations for the second and perhaps final military assault on the group which has wreaked havoc on innocent civilians.

Previously, Hassan Sheikh said, the government of Somalia has made attempts to initiate negotiations with the group for a ceasefire, but such advances have been resisted by the militants, further frustrating efforts to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.

The approach, he says, incorporates offering amnesty to Al-Shabaab militants ahead of negotiations. Pardoning those involved in killings of innocent people, he added, gives room for true and honest reconciliation in the country.

"These people are not open to dialogue. As the President of the Somali Government, I have repeatedly offered amnesty, declaring that they are pardoned, and this offer of pardon remains open," President Hassan Sheikh stated.

Negotiating with Al-Shabaab, he said, offers a true moment of reflection on what ails the country, over three decades after the ouster of Siad Barre, the military ruler. The group has been waging retaliatory sporadic attacks mainly targeting security forces and innocent civilians.

Those who have defected from Al-Shabaab, Hassan Sheikh maintained, should be integrated into the society, adding that nobody should vilify them. In his administration, Hassan Sheikh appointed former Al-Shabaab deputy Mukhtar Robow as his minister for Religious Affairs and Endowment.

Further, he said, the military offensive against Al-Shabab aims to eliminate the Al-Qaeda-linked group in the next five months, but security experts question the timeline amid persistent militant attacks. The second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab will be launched in due course, he added.

“We want to eliminate Al-Shabab from the country in the coming five months,” Mohamud said at a town hall meeting in Dhusamareb on Thursday evening. “If we do not clear them out completely, then maybe there will be few pockets with a few harmless Al-Shabab that cannot cause problems.”

Al-Shabaab has been losing significant territories to the Somali National Army, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and the US Africa Command, who have been vital on the frontlines. The second phase of operations will target Jubaland and Southwest states, Hassan Sheikh confirmed.

GAROWE ONLINE