Somaliland
Buhoodle conflict claims Somaliland army chief
February 11, 2012 · 15 Comments
HARGEISA — President Ahmed Silanyo dismissed the country’s army chief on Thursday after a week of escalating tensions and fresh clashes left scores dead in eastern regions.
General Mohamed Hassan Abdullahi (also known as “Jidif”) was fired after only 90 days on the job since replacing the former long serving General Nuh Ismail Tani in early December.
Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo’s office, in a statement on Thursday, said Jidif will be replaced by General Ismail Mohamed Osman “Shakale”. General Shakale served under the Somali National Movement (SNM), one of the rebel groups that toppled Mohamed Siad Bare, Somalia’s last dictator, as a regiment commander. Before his appointment he was serving in the troubled eastern regions and has been credited for his leadership skills and actions against the tribal separatist in Buhoodle region.
President Silanyo also fired Ibrahim Aideed Ahmed, the tactical operations commander of the armed forces, replacing him with immediate effect by Abdullahi H. Jama on the same day.
No reason was given as to why they were sacked but reports from Hargeisa claim friction between the President and the army chief has spiked after Jidif accused Silanyo of holding the army back. He told a local television station that President Silanyo was blocking the army from carrying pre-emptive strikes against the tribal insurgents. He insisted they were only ordered to remain in their bases and were like a sitting ducks highly vulnerable to attacks.
Recent clashes in Buhoodle claimed the lives of 14 soldiers and injured another 21 from the army and four trucks. On the militia side 43 were killed, over 70 wounded and 14 were captured. It was the bloodiest conflict in Somaliland in recent years and it has displaced thousands in Buhoodle. A conflict that also claimed the job of two of Somaliland’s highest ranking military men.
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Saturday, Feb 11, 2012
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Tags: army chief, Buhoodle conflict, Jidif, Silanyo, Somaliland
Readers Comments (15)
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At this rate ur gonna fire the entire government coz u aint gonna defeat khatumo state
There is no such thing as Khatumo State. There is SSC who are nothing else but terrorists. What they need to realise is that it is people of Buuhoodle who are going to pay the price. No education, health service,…
I knew Silanyo has sympathy for those terrorists because he has some affiliations. Somaliland needs someone from Tuur's side, they know how to punish faqaash. Soon or later Somaliland will come to its sense and nominate someone from that side who will clean the region of these group like in 1991 when he brought them to the table on a leash.
This conflict has nothing to do with faq@sh or the S.N.M. Its just a skirmish between the Somaliland army an one of our troublesome militias. Nothing more than that.
Silanyo was incompetent under S-N-M, 20 years later he is still the same. He can't make decisions nor take responsibilities for his short comings. I think Silaanyo is nice friendly man but not a leader nor a military man.
I would personally hire Ibrahim Dhagaweyne as the army chief. He is a real S-N-M legend. I do not like his party or him becoming a politician, I think he should join the Defense department.
Silaanyo is weak, he probably named a committee to help him fire Jidhif. All he does is committees. Silaanyo all eyes are on you right now and if you cant do the job in the east, shift old man, we have people who can bring the conflict to a completion within hours.
He cant even defeat a small tribe how did he wanted to defeat Siyad Barre in 1980s?
@Keyse I absolutely concur with you brother. That is a brilliant idea and well thought. We need straight shooters like you to call a spade a spade. I highly respect the president and i have no vendatta but unfortunately his political strategies are not working on the ground. No need to recycle old guards when we have strong,vibrant,energetic and well qualified men in uniforms who can steer and bring about desired military results within a short time frame. The president is creating unnecessary fracas by instructing the military to hold back in their barracks instead of smoking out SSC terrorist from their hide out. Somaliland extended an olive branch and even offered amnesty to the ragtag militia of khatumo seeg but in a twist of events the desperate militia chose to wage unfruitful war that has seen innocent buhoodle people die while some running helter-skelter and others becoming refugees. If Galaydh was wise enought he would have thought of developing areas inhabited by his clansmen and not wage a guerilla warfare and in the process take to task Somaliland Government on developmental issues. In reducing himself to a warlord is not worth enough for a PhD holder like him. The devastating consequences are now being paid by his own people. In a nutshell, Somaliland has to safeguard it's territorial integrity,combat terrorism and strengthen peace and coexistence.
why do you hate buhoodle so much brother
It is very unfortunate. The youth of Somaliland were so brain washed all they talk about is how to killed and eliminate "Faqash" and the youth of south so brain washed that all they believe is how to kill any one who is not with Al-Shabab. Brain washing the youth and altering history will be a lose-lose situation.
How can a Muslim always busy himself with the killing of others as we have seen with the youth on both sides and those who brain wash them. The world has changed and has become like a small village where we all need each other and we Somalis better go back to the teachings of Islam and reevaluate our actions. May Allah (SWT) guide us all. Nuura
Carpet bomb the place, up the ante, arrest the the bugger and then talk, or just waste resources and precious lives, the President needs to grow some balls or risk losing face.
There are many ways to win over the SSC. They need to be offered social care, hospitals renovated and stocked. They should be pursued to appreciate peace and progress with Somalilanders. Especially the women and children who suffer. Proposals should be drawn up to find solutions to their concerns. Offer to manage access to clean water and fix public amenities.
Khaaq tuf state LOL
LOL!!! @abdi that just made my day honestly!!! never thought of that.
Somaliland should take their Army back out of Budhoole, there is nothing in Budhoole.
And Somaliland will not win.
Its funny how politicians in Africa know how to use the masses. Therefore, Somaliland is not an exception. Wars will not add anything except misery and death. Gone are the days when people used to boast of their fire-power and muscle. This is the 21st century, we do not fight bloody wars, we fight psychological and economic wars. Wake up people and avoid these cheap clan propaganda that will not take us anywhere. We should concentrate on developing ourselves rather than destroying life and property.
i am surprised over the girls in this chat because they are the ones who is actually speaking the truth we don't need more wars in our beloved Somaliland we need peace and stability as an everlasting solution and we need to talk and fined a way to have peace with the Dhulbante clan. I am agreeing with abdirahman but not with all he say we need to pool back our troops from the water holes in sool joogto . may peace come to all of us