Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud said Somalia is seeking a political solution in addition to military action to end an insurgency perpetrated by the Al Qaeda linked militant group, the Al Shabaab.
In an OSINT statement during a conference at the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday 17th November 2015, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud said that Somalia does not intend to end the phenomenon of Al Shabaab with the barrel of the gun only, given that there is always the alternative of reconciliation.
In a nutshell, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud implies a possible success that could emerge with talks between the Somali government and the main terrorist group, the Al Shabaab that has crippled Somalia’s economy for decades.
Interestingly however is the presence of many other armed militant groups in Somalia that are against the federal government. These include such rebel groups as Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a, a Somalia-based paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to radical Islamist groups.
Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a has in the recent past conflicted with Somali government in regions it claimed control of.
In the initial disagreement on February 11, 2015, a dispute erupted in Galgaduud, west of Dhuasamareb between Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a and Somali National Army fighters, and led to the death of at least 16.
Negotiations between governments and opposing forces have worked down history, giving Somalia a chance to give it a shot. Governments are however made to deal with individuals within opposing factions who come out dissatisfied with results of negotiations lest they evolve into another opposing faction.
