Postby BeyondQabil » Mon Sep 01, 2014 2:15 am
Somalia: A key rebel leader in Somalia's Jubaland has surrendered to the African Union Mission in Somalia ( Amison) forces. The move is expected to boost peace, security and reconciliation in the region and better prospects for the Interim Jubba Administration. According to media reports and Amison, Colonel Barre Hirale and 100 militiamen surrendered to the forces on Saturday in Kismayo Port. A dispatch from Amisom Daily Media Monitoring to The Standard yesterday stated that Col. Barre and his men handed themselves in after discussions with respected traditional clan elders and Somali Federal Government delegations led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Farah Abdikadir and Minister of Finance Hussein Halane, who hail from Jubba land. Amison forces from the Kenyan contingent went to pick Mr Barre from his location in the town of Gobweyn village, 18 km North-east of Kismayo and escorted him to Kismayo where he met and shook hands with his former political rival Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe), who is the leader of Interim Jubba Administration. When news broke out that Barre had surrendered, locals jubilated and were optimistic that political tensions and uncertainty will come to an end. Madobe was part of the alliance, including Kenyan forces that liberated Kismayo from the Al-Shabaab militia and has been accused by elements within the Somali federal government of being a Kenyan lackey sponsored to carve up the nation into spheres of influence.
Barre and Madobe have both laid claim to the southern port. Yesterday, Acting Head of Amison Lydia Wanyoto Mutende welcomed Barre's move." Amison wants to thank Barre and his militia men for choosing peace and laying down their arms to join the rest of Somalians in building their country," said Wanyoto. The reported surrender of Barre comes at a time when Amison forces are preparing an assault on Jilib Port, which is controlled by Al-Shabaab, in order to cut the militia's arms-smuggling routes.
Barre urged the people of Jubaland to now work with the Interim Jubba Administration and all security forces to defeat Al-Shabaab and usher in a new era of peace and development in Somalia. After the capture of the strategic southern port city of Kismayo by Somali forces supported by Amison peace keepers, The Jubaland Administration was formed by clan representatives, who later elected Ahmed Mohamed as the Jubaland Administration leader. Barre and four other candidates disputed the election. Kenyan and Sierra Leonean forces stationed in Jubaland are part of the Amison forces attacking Al-Shabaab in Jilib.
