Somalia: Jubbaland leader calls for united front against Al Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The President of Jubbaland State, Ahmed Madobe has called for a united front to defeat extremist groups in the country, including Al Shabaab, Garowe Online reports.

In his keynote speech at the high-level meeting in Mogadishu, President Madobe urged the leaders to defeat the Al Qaeda-linked militants ideologically and launch a combined final military offensive.

He added that the war against Al-Shabaab can only be won if Somali government and the Federal Member States, along with AMISOM forces put their minds and resources towards eliminating the extremist group.

Continuing, Jubbaland leader stated that Al-Shabaab managed to propagate its seductive ideology among the public in across the land it controls and called for a foster an opposite ideology.

"If we don’t come up with a united front against Al Shabaab and defeat them ideologically and militarily, I don’t think we will survive for long,” said Madobe during his address at the conference, began Monday.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo opened the two-day forum on Monday at Halane, AMISOM's command HQs at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu under tight security.

President Farmajo said in his opening speech that his government’s priority was to fast-track plans for a capable, accountable and integrated security forces, to enable the country to provide a safe environment for the people of Somalia.

The Security Conference attended by representatives of the Federal Member States of Somalia and International partners focuses on Security, 2020 election, the review of the provisional constitution.

Participants agreed to immediately implement the National Security Architecture, which they said is vital to achieving sustainable security reform, and a transition of security responsibility from AMISOM to the Somali forces.

The meeting comes as AU Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] is expected to withdraw from the Country, starting by the end of this month. Under the exit plan, 1,000 Ugandan soldiers will be the first patch of the AU peacekeepers pulling out of the country.

GAROWE ONLINE