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| Africa Horn |
| Tension High In Mandera Over Fugitive Somali Minister |
| 2020-02-11 |
| [RADIOSHABELLE] Tension has remained high in Mandera town for the fourth day now with reports that troops of the Somalia National Army troops are converging along the border, planning to raid a hotel where a Jubbaland minister is allegedly holed up. Somalia has accused Nairobi of harboring runaway Jubbaland security minister Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur. Mr Abdinur, also known as Abdirashid Janan, is alleged to have escaped on January 28 from a Mogadishu prison, where he had been held since August 31, 2019. He is accused of committing grave human rights ...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... violations and killing civilians in Gedo. FEAR The majority of the people living along the borderline have sought refuge at their relatives’ homes in other areas within the town. Mr Hussein Abdow, a resident of Bula Tawakal in Mandera, said many left their homes on Thursday, when the Somali security forces started appearing at border. "We are not sure of what will happen but once thing I know is that in case the Somalia forces cross into Mandera, many innocent people will lose their lives," he said. Ms Abdia Giro, a milk vendor from Bulahawa, a Somalia town neighbouring Mandera, said military officers from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) started arriving in the town on Thursday. "The situation has not been the same because the officers have taken positions and are running our town," Ms Giro said. FGS CLAIMS Ms Giro claimed on Friday that FGS officers clashed with Jubbaland forces loyal to the minister, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. "Two Jubbaland soldiers, who had crossed into Bulahwa from Mandera in search for food, clashed with FGS troops. We are very worried," she said. It has been reported that the wanted minister has been assembling forces loyal to the Jubbaland state government in readiness for a clash with FGS forces. The Nation could not verify this claim. Related: Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur: 2020-02-04 Kenya Must Arrest Escaped Jubaland Minister To Face Trial In Mogadishu Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur: 2019-09-04 Arrest Of Jubaland Security Minister Must Yield Justice For Victims, Says Amnesty Related: Abdirashid Janan: 2020-02-04 Kenya Must Arrest Escaped Jubaland Minister To Face Trial In Mogadishu Abdirashid Janan: 2020-01-29 Detained Regional Minister Escaped From Custody In Somali Capital Abdirashid Janan: 2019-09-04 Arrest Of Jubaland Security Minister Must Yield Justice For Victims, Says Amnesty |
| Posted by:Fred |