18 March 2009

Rwandan President Paul Kagame warmly received Somalia's new leader, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, where the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation, Radio Garowe reports.

Rwanda's leader pledged to assist President Sheikh Sharif's new government in the areas of security and development, in two-day talks held in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

Joint meetings between Rwandan and Somali government officials focused on security cooperation, especially with regard to Rwanda's previous promises to train Somali security forces.

Mohamed Ali "America," the Somali ambassador to Kenya who is part of President Sheikh Sharif's delegation, told reporters that Somali and Rwandan ministers for foreign affairs and defense held talks to discuss areas of cooperation and mutual interest.

Somali President Sheikh Sharif visited a number of sites while in Rwanda, including the memorial compound for the 1994 victims of the Rwandan Genocide.

Since his election in January, the Somali leader has visited a number of countries in East Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi and Uganda, to shore up regional support for his nascent government.

Fighting Between Islamists and Government is Underway

Meanwhile, heavy fighting between al-shabab Islamists and government soldiers is underway in Rabdhure district in Bakol region in southwestern Somalia, Shabelle's Muhyadin Hassan reports on Wednesday.

The fighting stated after the government soldiers who were routed in recent fighting with al-Shabab in the region attacked the town where al-Shabab Islamists have been controlling recently.

Witness told Shabelle Media that a vehicle has been burnt from the government soldiers. People were killed and wounded in the fighting, but it is not known the exact figures yet.

Al-Shabab Islamists ousted the government soldiers from Baidoa and Hudur towns after the Ethiopian troops left the country two months ago.

Somali New Government’s Officer Surrenders to Islamists in Gedo Region

Balad Hawo — Colonel Abbas Ibrahim, a former Somali officer who was one of Jubba Valley Allaince has surrendered to the Islamic administration of al-Shabab in Balad Hawo town in Gedo region, officials told Shabelle radio on Tuesday.

Government and Islamist administration officials in Gedo region confirmed the surrender of Colonel Abbas Ibrahim to the Islamic administration of al-Shabab in the region.

Colonel Abbas has been one of the high officers of Barre Aden Shire (Hirale), the former chairman of Jubba Valley Allaince and Somali MP who was chased forcibly from the port town of Kismayu 500 kilometers south of the Somali capital Mogadishu after heavy fighting between the Alliance and Islamist forces in the region.

Colonel Abbas and more other officials of the Alliance and government had been in Dolow town in Gedo region recently and it is unclear the reason of his surrender to the Islamic administration of al-Shabab in the region.

Osman Mohamed Abdi, a deputy chairman of al-Shabab organization in Balad Hawo town told Shabelle radio that the surrender of colonel Abbas is part of efforts that the Islamic administration of al-Shabab forgave government officers and other officials those had a close relation with Ethiopia.

Mr. Osman said that their administration is ready to welcome the Somali MPs and the officials that the government appointed for Gedo region earlier if they surrender to the administration with the deadline and follow the order of the Islamic administration in the region.

Anyhow, the step of colonel Abbas for surrendering himself to the Islamic administration in Gedo region is a great message to more MPs and other officials in Gedo region who are against the Islamists in the region and it is not the first time that colonel Abbas surrenders to Al-shabab Islamic administration who controls much of southern Somalia.