Somali Defense Minister Abdikhadir Mohamed Nur Jama accusesรย al-Shabab insurgency of instigating inter-clan conflicts in several regions of the country.
Accordingรย toรย theรย Ministerรย onรย Sunday,รย theรย organizationรย isรย investingรย hugeรย sumsรย inรย ignitingรย disputesรย inรย freedรย regionsรย inรย orderรย toรย divertรย governmentรย andรย localรย forces’รย attentionรย awayรย fromรย militaryรย operationsรย againstรย them.รย
He cautioned the public to be vigilant and skeptical of conflicts fueled by Al-Shabab insurgents within brotherly communities.
Thisรย remarkรย fromรย Somalia’sรย Ministerรย ofรย Defenseรย comesรย afterรย significantรย inter-canรย violenceรย inรย theรย Middleรย Shabelleรย areaรย overรย theรย previousรย twoรย weeks.
Recently, a young doctor was killed in Galcakacayo town in what residents termed an inter-clan rivalry-instigated killing.
Critics argued that the Puntland administration must urgently reassess its approach to combating violence, focusing on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of inter-clan conflicts and promote reconciliation among warring factions.
Elsewhere, President Hassan Sheikh held a meeting on Friday with traditional elders and religious leaders in Adale where clan clashes have claimedรย lives of at least 50 people.รย
Traditionally, inter-clan conflicts in Somalia have been the source of instability, where proponents fight for control of geopolitics, resources and at times land use. The fighting triggered the ouster of dictator Siad Barre in 1991.
Since 1991, the country has lost thousands of people to inter-clan conflicts, with millions also displaced due to political turmoil.
