Somalia's int'l partners calls for reduction of troops in Gedo

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MOGADISHU, Somalia - The heavy military presence in the Gedo region has come under scathing attack, following unprecedented clashes between Somali National Army [SNA] and regional Jubaland troops, in the wake of displacement of people from the area.

Last week, SNA and Jubaland troops exchanged fierce gunfire at Balad-Hawo town, causing anxiety and numerous casualties, in a clash that involved once close allies in the battle against Al-Shabaab.

With the situation still fluid, United Nations Humanitarian Coordination team observed that over 56,000 have been displaced from Gedo, threatening a dire food crisis.

And in a statement, Somalia's international partners on Sunday expressed "grave concerns" at the "build-up" of both troops in the vicinity of Balad-Hawo, which have since resulted also to dozens of civilian casualties.

To restore normalcy in the region, they noted: "We urgently call upon all actors to exercise restraint, to reduce the presence of security forces in Gedo, and to avoid any actions that could spark violence."

While the exact number of Jubaland troops still remains unknown, SNA had deployed close to 700 Turkish-trained soldiers. This has precipitated calls from the opposition to have Ankara withdrawing support to SNA, reports indicate.

The skirmishes have also seen Kenya dragged to the squabbles. Somalia's government blamed Nairobi of "interference with our internal politics" in a statement that caused ripples from both sides.

"We note the importance of stability and good cooperation among Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia in their common border area where they have shared security interests," the partners cautioned, in reference to the role of KDF and ENDF in the fracas.

Both Somalia and Kenya traded tirades for the better part of last week. President Uhuru Kenyatta warned SNA against "violation of our territorial integrity" and asked Somalia to stop making Kenya "scapegoat" for its own failures.

However, Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo made a phone call to Uhuru, and the two agreed to intervene and quell tensions in the region "for the sake of peaceful coexistence. The partners lauded the two for calling for a ceasefire.

On Sunday, Uhuru dispatched a delegation of five people under the stewardship of Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i, who held a closed-door meeting with Farmajo. The Somali president agreed on an invitation to visit Nairobi.

"We welcome the communication between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmajo’ and President Uhuru Kenyatta on 5 March and encourage the leaders to continue to deescalate tensions," the partners said.

"The partners regard the engagement between the leaders as a necessary step, and underscore the importance of continued direct communication between Somalia and Kenya."

Farmajo, who is facing a re-election debacle in December, has been persistently at loggerheads with federal states, partly contributing to the current impasse in Jubaland.

The federal leader has been accused by Kismayo authorities of "secret maneuvers" to "establish" parallel administration at Gedo in a bid to "control" member states.

But for long-term stability, the partners called for "cooperation and dialogue" between the FGS and federal states in order to "advance the fight against Al-Shabaab".

Kenya and the US had expressed concerns about the border skirmishes, arguing that it would give room for Al-Shabaab resurgence. They called for a withdrawal of troops from the volatile region.

Somalia has been pursuing Abdirashid Janan, a Jubaland minister, who is believed to be harbored in Mandera. However, the powerful minister, who is accused of "serious crimes", insists that his predicaments are engineered by "my decision to support Ahmed Madobe".

"They call for any individuals accused of crimes or human rights violations to be arrested and subject to due process in accordance with the rule of law," the partners said in reference to Janan.

The FGS is now under pressure to embrace dialogue with all member states because such a move is "essential in the fight against Al-Shabaab and resolve contentious issues".

African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM], Denmark, Ethiopia, IGAD, UK, Italy and the United States are some of the partners who signed the statement on Sunday.

Madobe, the powerful Jubaland leader, had also on Saturday asked FGS to "embrace dialogue" for the sake of stability and desist from behaving "like Al-Shabaab militants".

GAROWE ONLINE

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