Al-Shabaab operatives part of a terror network captured in Somalia

KISMAYO, Somalia - Police and Intelligence Agents launched joint raids in Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland state of Somalia, and arrested three Al-Shabaab suspects after grenade attacks in the port city last Friday night.

The capture of key Al-Shabaab operatives in a network of terror could yet again shape the war against the militants in Somalia, a country that has struggled with instability, terrorism, and piracy for more than two decades. 

Those detained include Mohamed Abdirahman Bashir registered with Jubaland education ministry as a school teacher in Kismayo, where he has been taking advantage of the locals to plot and carry out deadly attacks against both the government forces and the civilians.

Col. Khalid Sheikh Abdullahi, an intelligence official in Jubaland, confirmed Bashir's arrest and two others, who are accused of terrorizing residents. He said Bashir had been under the radar of the security agency, and the arrest was a "significant" victory in the fight against terrorism within Jubaland.

In an interview with local media, Bashir admitted successfully waging 12 attacks within Lower Jubba throughout his stay with the Al-Shabaab militants. However, despite incidents of many Al-Shabaab attacks within the region, he did not mention specific incidents where he participated in plotting and executing the attacks.

Preliminary investigations indicated that Bashir was teaching Somali, Education, and Biology subjects at Barwaqo but would occasionally work in pharmacies within Kismayo. Through the nature of his job, he was easily trusted within the community and thus the ability to plan and torment the very people he was serving, the intelligence chief said.

Others arrested during the crackdown include Hussein Sheikh Dahir who was a shop owner and an institute student. Hussein was also keen on stockpiling weapons of weapons. Abdrizak Muse Adan who joined Al-Shabaab in Dhobley was also arrested and would face the military court in the coming days.

This comes just days after the tour of the new AU Force Commander Lieutenant General Diomede Ndegeya to Sectors II and VI which strong located in Jubaland. The two sectors are under the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] but Sector VI also has a few Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] troops.

Gen. Ndegeya praised the Kenyan forces for scoring some of the biggest victories for AMISOM, with the capture of the southern port city of Kismayo in late 2012, which was a hub for Al-Shabaab terrorists. The capture remains the second biggest success by AMISOM troops after the liberation of Mogadishu.

“On October 1, 2012, the Kenyan Defense Forces gave AMISOM one of the biggest victories when together with the Somalia forces they captured the port city. To date, this remains one of the major defeats against the terrorists because the Kismayo port was their main source of funds and the main gateway to importing weapons,” Lt. Gen. Ndegeya said.

Sector six and sector two are the southernmost AMISOM sectors in the Jubaland State of Somalia and borders Kenya. AMISOM Forces there together with Jubaland Security Forces [JSF] continue to push and fight terrorists to liberate more towns and help free the local population from brutality.

Al-Shabaab, despite efforts to degrade the group, remains a threat to the people of Somalia and neighbors according to the US Africa Command. The group controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, but have continued to cede grounds to government forces following endless operations.

There are close to 7,000 active Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia but the group is said to be also facing internal divisions. At least 22,000 AMISOM troops are serving in the country and could leave in 2021 upon full implementation of the Somali Transition Plan [STP].

GAROWE ONLINE