The Somali government has called for an immediate end to the inter-clan rivalry that has plagued different parts of the country.
At a press conference in Mogadishu on Thursday, Interior Minister Ahmed Ma’alin Fiqi accused Al-Shabaab militants of instigating conflict to disrupt the government’s efforts to stabilize areas liberated from the militants.
The Minister condemned recent killings in Dhusamareeb, where dozens of people were killed in clashes between two clan militias over land. Fiqi stated that the incident violated Islamic teachings as well as the spirit of nationalism and the dignity of the Somali people, and he urged the warring parties to stop the bloodshed and seek peaceful solutions.
He was also concerned about ongoing clashes in Xanaan Buuro and other areas bordering the Mudug region, where armed groups have been fighting over grazing rights and water sources. However, the minister stated that government forces were determined to restore security and stability to the regions impacted as well as to continue operations against Al-Shabaab. He urged the regional administrations of Galmudug, Puntland, and Hirshabelle to take immediate action to reconcile their brothers, and stated that the federal government was prepared to provide any assistance necessary to end the conflicts.
Elsewhere, Dhusamareb residents have taken to the streets, demanding justice for the murders of two businessmen on the 31st of last month. Security forces are actively pursuing the assassins, who are currently at large, according to Galmudug officials.
Inter-clan rivalry stems from both local and external factors, including socio-cultural, economic, political, and economic characteristics of the Somalis, as well as geo-political and strategic desires of regional powers.
