Somalia: Governor imposes sanctions in Al-Shabaab-controlled territories

BELEDWEYNE, Somalia - Ali Jeyte Osman, the firebrand governor of the troubled Hiiraan region, has imposed sanctions on Al-Shabaab-controlled territories, with Somalia preparing to embark on the second phase of a crackdown against the militants who have been wreaking havoc in the Horn of Africa nation.

The governor targeted areas along the Shabelle River just between Beledweyne and Buulaburte in the Hiraan region. Al-Shabaab militants have been fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia for the last 16 years but they are yet to succeed due to a strong military presence.

In his statement on Sunday, Governor Jeyte who has often joined fighters in the battlefield, said vehicles carrying food or fuel will not be allowed to drive to Buulaburte or Beledweyne until normalcy has been restored in the region. This is the first time such an order is been issued by a senior government official.

He warned that government forces would confiscate any vehicle that violated the directive. The directive is meant to drastically reduce supplies to the Al-Shabaab militants who are reportedly holed up in interior parts of the country since the government started operations against the group.

"The army has orders to completely take over any vehicle caught carrying goods to the areas where the Shabaab are located, around the banks of the Shabelle River. Everyone should now protect their car," said Governor Ali Jeyte.

According to reports, the directive coincides with al-Shabab's presence in areas along the Shabelle River, including Booco, approximately 44 km from Beledweyne. However, it is not clear how the government will implement the directive given the dependency of civilians on the routes.

Governor Jeyte added that they have a farm in the Halgan district that cannot cultivate when the people of Shabab are cultivating the fields. Early this year, Jeyte was lauded for joining local troops and the Somali National Army in the fight against Al-Shabaab on various fronts, a rare exhibition by civil servants.

Sources recently revealed that the Al-Shabaab have started contributing millions of dollars with the aim of removing Jeyte from his seat and imposing a sympathizer according to former HirShabelle President Mohamed Abdi Waare, who has solidly supported initiatives to root out Al-Shabaab from the state.

GAROWE ONLINE