Ceel Hareeri Area is now stable and fully under the control of the
Somali National Army and the residents. The militants had made El Hareei
their key hub, hoping to keep it in their control for their illicit
operations. The Somali National Army with the help of the clan fighters
has also regained control of Garas Magan, Nur Dugle, Adan Laxey and many
more. This swift military operation which is being led by the Somali
Government is expected to, in the next few hours, lead to the removal of
the enemy from many other areas in Hiiraan and Middle Shabeelle.
The Somali National Army and the people remain determined to rid the
country of this terrorist group which has wrongfully interpreted the
Islamic religion for personal gain. The Federal Government of Somalia
and SNA are committed to carrying out the ongoing operations in strict
compliance with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law
(IHL), Human Rights law, Sharia Law and Somali customary rules of
warfare.
Meanwhile, top Islamic scholars in Somalia have this week disowned
the distorted ideology of Al Shabaab and reiterated citizens’ religious
duty to fight terrorism. In today’s Jummah prayer sermons, Islamic
scholars in Mogadishu and other parts of the country led by the Minister
of Religious Affairs and Endowment, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, have strongly
opposed the ideology that is driven by shedding the blood of innocent
Muslims. They emphasized that the welfare of the Somali people and the
stability of the country can only be guaranteed by eliminating
terrorism.
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr. Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud, maintains that his foremost goal is to eliminate Al Shabab
which is a threat to the lives of Somali people and the Horn of Africa
region and restore the nation to her full strength with a focus on
development, internal and regional security.
The United Nations Security Council recently reaffirmed that
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the
most serious threats to international peace and security. The UNSC
members also welcomed the efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia
with support from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia
(ATMIS) to counter the threat posed by Al-Shabaab. The members of the
Security Council have also underscored the need to hold perpetrators,
organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of
terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.
