Somalia: Former warlord named moderate Islamists commander

DHUSAMAREB, Somalia, September 13, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Galmudug presidential claimant Sheikh Ahmed Shakir Ali Hassan has named former warlord as the Commander of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamea militias in central Somalia on Sunday, Garowe Online reports.

Notorious Abdi Nurre Siyad (Abdi Wal) was cherry-picked for having wider experience in combat and military affairs, Hassan said.

The nomination of Abdi Wal comes in the midst of armed tensions between militias loyal to the paramilitary group of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamea and Interim Galmudug administration.

Meanwhile, the commander of 17^th division of Somali National Army (SNA) Liban Mohamed Yusuf defected to Moderate Islamists, leaving pro-government militias impotent.

Five days ago, fierce clashes in central Somalia town of Guri’el resulted in eight deaths according to witnesses and medics.

The deadly fighting dragged from Tuesday into Wednesday after Ahlu Sunna militiamen raided a building housing rival Galmudug Commerce Minister Abdilatif Abdullahi Warsame.

Allied with the powerful paramilitary units, Abdi Wal fled with his militias to Gel Jire, 60km west of Guri’el after government troops seized there in December 2015.

The former warlord sneaked away during a disarmament operation in Mogadishu, taking refuge in his stronghold, Guri’el in August 2014.

GAROWE ONLINE