(07-08-23) DHUUSAMAREB – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia has embarked on a series of meetings with the traditional elders of Galmudug on Sunday. The primary agenda centres around the strategic role these elders can assume in the ongoing efforts to dislodge Al-Shabaab from its remaining strongholds in Galmudug.
Highlighting the intrinsic link between the Galmudug culture and the broader liberation blueprint, President Hassan Sheikh underscored the criticality of these traditional elders. “They’re the backbone of our eradication initiative and should be at the forefront, leading community organisation, sharing crucial intelligence, spearheading the campaign, and bolstering the armed forces,” he remarked.
The President candidly addressed the most pressing challenge in Galmudug: the pervasive violence. In order to surmount this obstacle, the president urged the Galmudug elders to champion unity, rally behind the government, and assist the National Army in their mission to purge the nation of terrorists responsible for the consistent bloodshed.
The elders responded with equal gravity. Committed to backing the President in his vision of a terrorist-free Somalia, they emphasized the Galmudug community’s role in fostering peace and unity. “The path to peace runs through Galmudug,” one elder was quoted as saying.
The meetings come on the heels of President Mohamud’s arrival in Dhusamareb to spearhead the second phase of offensives against Al-Shabaab.
With the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) set to withdraw their last troops by December 2024, the onus is squarely on the Somali National Army to assume complete security responsibilities before the stipulated deadline.
