Somalia’s Hirshabelle state has admitted that it is overwhelmed by recent attacks from the militant group Alshabaab.
The region has requested immediate deployment of Somalia National Army troops to ward off further attacks.
Speaking at the opening of parliament’s third session ceremony in Mogadishu, Hirshabelle’s regional Speaker Osman Barre Mohamed called for government support.
“These days there has been a rising insecurity which, your Excellencies the President and Prime Minister, requires the government to do something since Hirshabelle alone can’t manage it” said Mr. Mohamed.
“You know that anti-peace agents who were not found in Balad town for close to twenty years were there for hours in the past week” said the Speaker.
Mr. Mohamed contrasted the region’s current security status with its past and called on the government to act on the matter.
“Your Excellencies the President and Prime Minister, you know that when the parliament of the federal government was elected, the MPs were travelling by road between Mogadishu and Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle” Mr. Osman said.
“But now it’s dangerous for the MPs to travel. Hirshabelle is surrounded by the anti-peace who came from all the other regions of the country” he added.
“I request while speaking on behalf of the Hirshabelle state administration and its people that the government give a special attention to that issue” the Speaker concluded.
Last week Alshabaab seized Balad town from government forces after a raid but later withdrew.
Hirshabelle region is a neighbour to the Somali capital Mogadishu with its administrative capital Jowhar being 85 kilometres from the city.
