It is incumbent upon the instigators of the rebellion to lead role on disbanding them, says Interior Minister
By M.A. Egge
Hargeisa – The Minister of Interior Hon. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed and the Chief of Police Major General Mohamed Adan Saqadi have given stern directives ordering the police security department to immediately deal with the insurgent armed gunmen by pursuing atop Ga’an libah mountains.
While speaking to the media on Thursday evening, the duo noted that this is the fourth time the gunmen breached security perpetrated unwarranted attacks on both the security personnel and members of the public.
They disclosed that the latest attack on Friday buy the insurgents killed 9 police officers and wounding 17 others.
Hon. Kahin the orders of the directives cover not only the insurgent rebels but all threats to public security countrywide.
He noted that prior to the spate of attacks the state had opted to address the matter though the homegrown traditional methods of peaceful dialogue hence sent emissaries, traditional leaders and eminent personalities from amongst major entrepreneurs but it has come to no avail.
He said that that during the time the government took a decision that the armed forces should not pursue them.
Minister Kahin said that the decision that was made to disband the rebels rested upon Waddani presidential aspirant Abdirahman Irro.
He said that the insurgent gunmen were people known to him and had close connections and that the stata has evidence to corroborate the facts which it would soon avail.
On his part the police chief Major General Mohamed And Saqadi gave a recap of the spate of insecurity and attacks perpetrated by the insurgents on numerous occasions the past fortnight.
“Today (Friday) 30 police forces were ambushed in the town of Goda Yar when they ran into a roadblock. The rebels killed 9 soldiers and injured 17 others”.
He noted that illegal protest demos started in the morning in the cities of Hargeisa, Burao and Eerigabo and continued into the night.
“This issue dents the public security, it is against peaceful stability and undermines the duties of the police department”, he said.
He pointed out that the Police force had hitherto not pursued the insurgency owing to the government’s policy of conciliations bu they have since flouted the rules repeatedly.
Recapping the chronology of events, he said, “In the beginning, they kidnapped emissaries who were sent to them, the second time they attacked police officers killing one and injuring another, the third time they attacked Dabagoreyale town where they hijacked two INGO vehicles beating and disarming the security personnel and confiscating their weapons, and now, the fourth time today 11 August, they attacked around thirty policemen killing 9 and wounding 17 others”.
The police commander said that the police force has a strength of 500 in the vicinity of the Ga’an libaah mountains and could have easily pursued them but had its hands tied owing to government policy that bound them.
This he said has now changed and that they would have to do their duty to the people and state in addressing the situation dully.
He stated that the maintaining and safeguarding the public security would not be vigourously pursued in the mountains alone but countrywide, for the nation ought to be pacified and defended.
He sternly warned against the perpetration of further chaos and said that the police would do its duty to defend itself and the country.
“The duty of the police force is to defend itself and defend the nation. From now on, the police force is under orders to take appropriate measures and actions against anyone, wherever they are”, he said.