Puntland does not need foreign peacekeepers, says president

[Jesteye]

Is Dameer Sheikh Sharif and his Advisors about to unite Puntland, Somaliland, GalMudug, Ahlu Sunna and The Jihadist?!

Garoweonline dot com (Puntland's mouthpiece) suggests that TFG is busy lobbying FOR the deployment of AMISON troops to Puntland, GalMudug & Jubba regions?!

"Somalia: Puntland does not need foreign peacekeepers, says president
23 Jul 23, 2010 - 7:46:27 PM




The president of Somalia’s stable Puntland region has said that the region does not foreign peacekeepers, but said that Puntland is “ready to help” in anyway to restore peace across Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole told a VOA Somali Service interview on Thursday that Somalia needs peace restored and effective national institutions to be rebuilt.

“We [Puntland] did not secede from Somalia. The pain in Mogadishu and southern Somalia is also our pain. We are ready to help in every way to stabilize the country and to invite the international community in terms of financial resources and peacekeepers and we welcome this,” President Farole said during the interview.

But the president was very clear that Puntland does not need foreign peacekeepers to be deployed within Puntland.

“Puntland does not need any foreign troops. We suggest that foreign peacekeepers be deployed south of Puntland, such as in areas controlled by Ahlu Sunna militia,” President Farole said, while referring to a pro-government militia based in Galgadud region.

Earlier this month, the regional bloc IGAD called for the expansion of African peacekeepers from the approved force-level of 8,100 soldiers to 20,000 troops to help Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG) restore order in the face of an insurgency led by Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabaab militants.

President Farole's comments come at a time the African Union summit in Kampala, Uganda, is pushing African countries to contribute soldiers to the 6,000-strong AMISOM peacekeeping force in Mogadishu.

The Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Djibouti have both expressed support to join AMISOM troops, according to AU officials.

Located in northeast Somalia, Puntland has been relatively stable since the outbreak of the Somali civil war in 1991. Al Shabaab and other militants have failed to infiltrate Puntland, although the militants are blamed for assassinations of Puntland officials since 2009 in an effort to destablize one of Somalia's most stable regions.

GAROWE ONLINE"[1]

1. http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/pub ... dent.shtml

[Jesteye]

"INTERVIEW-Britain calls for more troops in Somalia
23 Jul 2010 18:18:09 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Britain says cap on troop level should be lifted

* Says Eritrea can exploit its links with rebels

* Officials say South Africa may contribute troops

By Barry Malone and Jeremy Clarke

KAMPALA, July 23 (Reuters) - Britain on Friday threw its weight behind calls for more African troops to be sent to Somalia to battle Islamist rebels, whose suicide attacks in Uganda last week killed 73 people watching the World Cup final.

An African Union (AU) summit in the Ugandan capital Kampala, planned before the attacks, has put the Somali crisis at the top of its agenda and more than 30 African heads of state are under pressure to act on the failed state.

Central to discussions at the summit is the mandate of an AU peacekeeping force of 6,300 troops, which is protecting Somalia's besieged government. Delegates told Reuters a cap of 8,100 on troop levels would likely be lifted during the meeting.

"We certainly welcome an increase in numbers," Britain's minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the summit. "We said yes to (lifting the restriction on troop numbers). Absolutely."

The AU force may also be given permission to attack the rebels -- it can now only fight when engaged. Bellingham warned the move could backfire.

"We are cautious about that because we're worried about possible collateral damage," he said. "We have to balance the military option with the moves that are also afoot to try and find some political progress."

Somalia's near powerless Western-backed government is hemmed into a few streets of the capital Mogadishu. Troops from Uganda and Burundi make up the AU force -- al Shabaab said that was why it attacked Kampala.

Al Shabaab -- meaning "the youth" in Arabic -- controls huge swathes of central and southern Somalia and is fighting to overthrow the government. Last week's bombings were the group's first strike outside Somalia.

A U.S. counterterrorism official this week told Reuters that, after the Kampala attack, his government now favoured "aggressive action" against al Shabaab and would increase funding to AMISOM. He did not rule out bombings by U.S. drones.

Delegates from around the continent are facing renewed pressure behind the scenes at the summit to pledge troops to AMISOM. AU officials told Reuters that South Africa was negotiating a significant deployment of troops.

The AU said on Friday that Guinea would send a battalion of troops to join AMISOM.

ERITREA'S ROLE?

The only nation to be punished for its role in the Somali crisis, Eritrea, made an unexpected visit to the summit despite suspending its membership of the AU last year after the AU called for sanctions against the African nation.

In December the United Nations imposed the punitive measures, accusing Eritrea of funding and arming Islamist rebels in Somalia. Bellingham said the international pressure may have told on the small Red Sea state.

"We just had a meeting with the Eritrean foreign minister. The fact that they have come does show that they don't want to be completely ostracised," he said.

Bellingham said the much-maligned nation could play an important role in the peace process in Somalia, citing their alleged links with insurgents.

"We don't have any time for their regime but they are an important frontline player," he said. "They claim to be very close to al Shabaab, it goes without saying that they might have some influence to bear that other countries don't."

Eritrea has consistently denied it has ever funded, lent logistical support or provided weapons to any group fighting an insurgency in Somalia.

Last month Eritrea and Djibouti resolved a two-year border dispute, which surprised many analysts who saw it an uncharacteristic attempt by Eritrea to mend bridges with the international community six months after the sanctions. (Editing by Jon Boyle)"[1]

1. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE66M21T.htm

[abdalla11]

Smart, those fufu's bring only death and corruption.

[Cirwaaq]

I blame all the left overs of the Kacaan movement... they need to be exiled.

The only way a TFG can deal with Al-shabab is if the TFG itself is madeup of 25-35year olds. Retire anyone above 35.

Al-shabab will be dust within months.

[Jesteye]

Smart, those fufu's bring only death and corruption.

Puntland = Smart!

Sheikh Sharif and co, need to focus on the land controlled by transnational Jihadist (Al-Shabab) and not the Alshabab FREE settlements, towns, cities and regions.

[senoritaa]

Puntland the disingenuous, calculating and corrosive entity in Somalia. Sometimes I wish s/land did not declare independence so puntland could be tamed.

[AhlulbaytSoldier]

What are the latest news from the town galgale?

[abdalla11]

Jesteye,

I don't understand why the tfg is busy lobbying for the deployment of the troops to Puntland? The only reason i can think of is that they want is to suggest that the entire somalia is under shabaab and thus receive huge support/money.

Puntland the disingenuous, calculating and corrosive entity in Somalia. Sometimes I wish s/land did not declare independence so puntland could be tamed.

What is so wrong if they say we don´t need fufu´s?

[paidmonk]

Simple, Faroole ACTUALLY CARES about his people. Why would he want AMISOM to rape and shell the citizens of Bosaso and Garowe?

[Jesteye]

Jesteye,

I don't understand why the tfg is busy lobbying for the deployment of the troops to Puntland? The only reason i can think of is that they want is to suggest that the entire somalia is under shabaab and thus receive huge support/money.

What is so wrong if they say we don´t need fufu´s?

I think Sheikh Sharif's advisors want Puntland and GalMudug under the direct control of Sheikh Sharif and Co.