Thursday August 25, 2022
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, made his first domestic trip to Beledweyne, the capital of the Hiiraan region, on Thursday to observe the drought situation and ongoing security operations against Al-Shabaab in the area.
Minister of Defense of Somalia Abukhadir Mohamed Nor, Army Chief, Brigadier General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, and lawmakers have recently been in Hiiraan to encourage government forces and anti-al Shabaab militia who are jointly conducting operations against the militant insurgency.
Hamza Abdi Barre will hold various meetings with Hirshabeelle leaders, traditional elders and the community to discuss drought response and security.
Residents reported that the security forces had beefed up the security in Beledweyne to contain any threats.
On Tuesday, the Somali government dispatched four planes carrying food aid to the Beledweyne and Bulaburte districts of the Hiiraan region to respond to the drought. Bula Burte is one of the districts most affected by the current severe drought in Somalia. In addition, the district has been under siege from Al-Shabaab for almost ten years.
At the same time, a delegation led by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Garowe, the capital of Puntland state, on Thursday for a three-day visit.
The President's visit will aim to enhance cooperation between the Federal Government of Somalia and Puntland state, which is said to have deteriorated after the President announced his Prime Minister and the formation of the Cabinet Council.
Puntland leader Said Abdullahi Deni, who supported Hassan Sheikh in the run-off round of last May's presidential election, was expected to be appointed Prime Minister. Still, Mohamud chosen Hamza Abdi Barre as Prime Minister. Analysts believed that Mohamud's move had led Deni to act in opposition.
Mohamud and Deni will reportedly have a closed-door meeting in Garowe before the delegation travels to Bosasso, where 16 soldiers were killed last month when rival security forces clashed near the airport over a humanitarian plane carrying the first deputy Speaker of the Somali Lower House Parliament, Sadia Yasin Samatar.
Local sources say that Puntland and the federal government have already discussed the incident in Bosasso, with the federal government agreeing to pay compensation to the soldiers who died in the fighting.