Galgala Hills, the next hotspot
Al-Andalus, an al-Shabaab radio station, released a tape on Saturday in which a spokesman claims that the West Bari-based group led by Mohamed Said Atom has joined al-Shabaab. “My name is Yasin Khalid Osman “Yasin Kilwe”, I am the Amir of the mujahidin in Golis mountains. I swear allegiance and adherence to the Amir of Harakat Shabab al Mujahidin Sheikh Muktar abu Zubeir.”
This would mean that the Galgala Hills militia would de facto be linked to al-Qaeda. Yasin Kilwe or 'Yuma' is one of the leaders of the Galgala based militia, which has renamed itself as the “Golis Mountains Mujahadeen”.
“I want to praise God for the unity of our Shabaab brothers with Al-Qaeda fighters. This is a great victory for the all mujahideen in the world, marking the unity of Muslim jihadists in the world for the first time in recent years. I want to declare today that we are joined with our al-Shabaab brothers who are devoted to the Jihad in Somalia. On behalf of the mujahideen fighters in Galgala mountains, I want to confirm to you that we shall obey the orders of the leader of the Shabaab mujahideen, Sheikh Muktar Abu-Zubeyr who will also be our leader,” said Yassiin Khalid. Yassiin also called on people in Puntland to welcome the unity of these jihadist fighters and assist them in what he describes as Somalia’s jihad against foreign invaders. Mr. Yasiin added, “We will reach our goals and this is the first step toward the start of proper solidarity with all Muslim jihadists in the world.”
This statement directly counters a denial to Somalia Report of any linkage to al-Shabaab only a week ago by spokesman Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed Abdi after the capture of Shiekh Atom's younger brother in Galgala.
After the arrest of Shiekh Atom’s brother, Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed Abdi, a spokesman for Sheikh Atom’s militia told Somalia Report that the group was not linked in any way to al-Shabaab, “We have absolutely no links with al-Shabaab,” he claimed. Abdi also denied links to arms smuggling of the use of foreign fighters.
But officials for the semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland see the unity of Galgala militias with al-Shabaab as a worthless declaration. Minister of the Interior Abdullah Jamaa (Ilkajir) says Mohamed Said Atom’s militia are already acting as terrorists and have previously claimed alliance with al-Shabaab in Southern Somalia. “I hope Atom’s militia will not be working in the region, our operations are still developing to dismantle these growing terrorist group. We already knew that they have links with al-Shabaab, but al-Shabaab has previously rejected Atom's claims of allegiance in the past. That they acknowledge them now shows that the group is getting bigger. I can confidently say they will fail to achieve their aim of destabilizing Puntland’s peace and stability. We will do what ever we can to protect our territory and our people’s sovereignty,” Abdullah Jamaa told Somalia Report.
It would not be first time things get confusing with the Galgala-based militia.
Back in 2007 in a case of what might be mistaken identity, a man named Yasin Kilwe Osman traveled from his home in Bosaso to visit relatives in 2003 and was arrested by Somaliland forces. The initial accusation was that he was arrested committing a minor crime and jailed in Hargesia. After his capture, he was renditioned to Camp Lemonnier in late 2006 for interrogation by American intelligence agents, but then released back to Somaliland's coastal jail in Berbera. He was famous for leading a hunger strike in 2007. He is considered innocent by some, and may have been confused with the militia leader now stating they are part of al-Shabaab.
Ahmed-Keyr Said Mohamed was recently caught fleeing by Puntland forces and jailed. He was accused of building IED’s and training the militia, and was transferred to prison in Bosaso.
The claim that Atom's group did not have foreign fighters is suspect as well. Somalia Report has identified at least four foreign fighters by name and country of origin providing rebuttal to the groups claims.
Sheikh Godane, Leader of al Shabaab
Al-Shabaab spokesman Ali Rageh, as quoted by the jihadist website http://www.amiirnuur.com, welcomed the merger of the Galgala militias with al-Shabab fighters. An article on the website confirming the merger of both groups stated, “We are very happy today to declare unity with our brothers in Galgala mountains in Puntland.We welcome you to join us, and as you fought the supporters of the Christian government who called themselves Puntland, we advise you to increase your activities and to prevent any attacks from them. We are with you and express the welcome from your brothers here,” said Ali Mohmud Rageh.
The merger of these groups comes as al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri has released a video message confirming the al-Shabaab merger with the al-Qaeda network.
Dissent Amidst Atom's Militia
Leaders amongst Atom's militia men have disagreed over allegiance with al-Shabaab. According to local residents in Galgala, some militiamen have abandoned their bases in protest over the agreement. “Last night, I saw some of his militia leaving their bases, heading east. I thought they were patrolling, then today we learnt they disagreed over al-Shabaab allegiance,” Salah Mohamed, a local farmer, told Somalia Report.
Galgala militiamen were forced to take up weapons and defend their people, one of the militants who abandoned Atom's forces told Somalia Report. “Puntland wanted to take the resources of this people, and we armed ourselves to defend our people. But we never had any ambition to join a terorist group. Mohamed himself knows that. We won't join al-Shabaab, and we declared that before,” said Osman, who says he speaks for many of the fighters who abandoned Atom's militias yesterday.
Local elders expressed their concern to Somalia Report over the situation in Galgala and called on the leaders of eastern Sanaag and western Bari to act quickly over the declaration.
“We know what happened in 1993 in Lasqoray, when Itihad and the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) fought here, the people of this region suffered. We don't need another scenario like that. I call the elders of Sanaag and western Bari to act quickly over this. We need to discuss this new matter,” said Gurhan, an elder from Galgala.
The Galgala militants are regarded as heroes by many local residents disgusted with Puntland authorities dismissals of their concerns over resource exploitation and their sense of being left out of the wealth of the region, but there is serious concern over a ties to an al-Qaeda-linked organization, perceived by many as terrorists.
Troubled Hills
Galgala is a small watering hole near the impressive east west Golis mountain range that runs from Somaliland into the border with Puntland. The forests in the hills rise up to 2400 meters and provide charcoal, a small amount of khat cultivation and frankincense. There is little commerce or industry.
The region has been the focal point for a growing conflict between local militia and the government of Puntland. The spark today is no longer the potential of mineral wealth but the current exploration for oil by Africa Oil, Australia's Red Emperor and Range Resources The oil consortium is searching for what they believe are over 300 million barrels of oil. In mid February drilling began near the village of Ciira Dhame in Bari region.
There are two major areas of oil exploration, the Nugaal region that runs from Somalialand through the contested SSC region, past Garowe and towards Eyl; and the Dharoor Valley, which is a curved valley from Bosasso to Hafun on the coast.
A number of flare ups have made it into the local media and appeared to be a local militia angered by an outside power like Puntland making forays into it’s territory and ultimately the control over what could be billions of dollars in oil revenue.
Atom's Militant Background
The group fighting Puntland is led by 46 year old Mohamed Said Atom, who first appeared in after an attack against oil company geologists hired by Range Resources who entered the town of Majihan. The initial leader of the group was a fellow Warsengili clan member, Ahmed Jeeni Tag, who represented a group called by various names, including “Natural Resource Troops” or “The Defenders of Sanaag Resources."
Although Sheikh Atom pledged allegiance to al-Shabaab, at that time the militia viewed it more simply as a turf war. They consider the western Bari region as their “backyard,” but often threaten to attack the strategic and Majerteen-controlled port town of Bosasso, and impose their harsh interpretation of Shariah law. The focus was not so much on oil back then, but rather claims that the quartz veined hills above Galgala were rich in minerals including albite, quartz, microcline, tantalite, tapiolite, cassiterite, spodumene and muscovite called the Majiyahan Ta-Sn Deposit.
Atom insisted that he was protecting the interests of locals who he said had not been consulted on the exploration program. Puntland asserts that the local elders and community were consulted and that Atom does not represent the local wishes of the people. There have been a significant number of assassinations and IED incidents in Puntland against government and local authorities. Many of them were blamed on Atom’s group.
He and his group were accused of supplying weapons to al-Shabaab in a March 2010 UN Arms monitoring report. Further evidence of IED materials, flags and other terrorist related equipment put the local militia on the international map.
History of Attacks
In July of 2010 after an attack by the Galgala against a Puntland police station in Karin both al Shabaab leaders and Atom issued a joint communiqué in which they clearly denied any relationship. At that time, al-Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Dheere told VOA Somali Service, "al-Shabaab is not connected to them , and they are local people in Galgala that are fighting against the Puntland government and PIS."
Although they denied any relationship, they both have similar goals (expel foreign influence) and tactics (IED’s, assassination). Puntland forces attacked the militia on the 8th of August 2010, killing up to 100 members, but Atom had fled.
In January of 2011, Puntland accused Somaliland of sheltering Atom’s fighters. Unconfirmed reports of Somaliland troops fighting alongside the militia also added concerns that the Galgala militia were being used as a proxy force.
On May 11th 2011 Atom’s troops ambushed a Puntland security convoy killing five. In December they attacked a Puntland police station in Laag killing two. In October it was rumored that Atom had taken refuge in Burao in Somaliland but he insisted he was still in the Galgala area. Under pressure from Puntland around 150 fighters from the milita defected to Puntland, with the remaining fighters being commanded by Yasin Kilwe Yuma and Ali Kaarshe. Earlier a Hargeisa based paper insisted that 250 Puntland soldiers had defected to create their own base outside Badhan. The issue of territorial ownership by either Puntland or Somaliland often confuses the goals of the Atom militia who claim allegiance to neither region.
Galgala may sound remote but it is only 25 miles (40 kms) southwest of the port of Bosasso. It is also in the epicenter for oil drilling. In many cases the militia is described as being led by “Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id Atam.” who has much stronger Islamist links. Atom is from the Warsangeli clan, a group that was a former sultanate and been demonstrative of their desire to form a separate state between Somaliland and Puntland. In 2003, he studied in Bosaso at the East African University and was awarded a degree in Islamic studies. He traveled to Mogadishu to meet up with Hassan Dahir Aweys, then a member of the Islamic Courts.
According to a Kenyan media report in August 13, 2006, Atom was part of the al-Itihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI) with Muhammad Haji Yusuf, fighting against the Ethiopian in Gedo region. In 2008, Atom was accused by the UN of being an arms smuggler, specifically bringing in six shipments of weapons in a four-week period from Yemen. He was also accused of orchestrating kidnaps that year.
In September of 2011, the Puntland police publicly charged Atom with being behind a series of bombings and assassinations in Puntland since 2009. They presented an crudely made IED and the confession of the captured bomb planting suspect from Galgala.
On February 17, 2011 an Atom spokesman contacted media organizations and insisted that their group had killed 17 members of the Puntland military in an early morning attack in the town of Sugare. Puntland denied that any of their men had been killed.
Atom and his spokespeople have proven to be untrustyworthy, deceptive and manipulative. Their links to al-Shabaab have been clear, despite their protestations and now affirmations. With the news that al-Shabaab and perhaps al-Qaeda members are moving north from Kismayo this flashpoint may grow to be a much larger hotspot. Puntland's need to defend the oil exploration means support for the anti-Western agenda of al-Qaeda will not go away soon.
For now, the forests, low scrub, caves and redoubts of the Galgala Hills and the Golis Mountains provide a perfect sanctuary for militia members and incoming elements of al-Shabaab who may see the north as a far more lucrative battleground than the south.
