President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia reaffirmed his commitment to ridding the nation of al-Shabaab terrorists by the end of 2023 as the government organized 20,000 Somali soldiers for a
broad-based offensive against the terrorist organization. The government’s largest effort to free the nation from al-Shabaab’s control is represented by this army, according to President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud, who made this statement during a televised question-and-answer session in Dhusamareb on Thursday night. He emphasized that the support of the international community strengthens
their efforts to combat the armed group with ties to al-Qaeda.
“In the remaining months of this year, al-Shabaab will either be eradicated from Somalia, or they will be confined to a few isolated small areas where they can no longer pose a threat to the people and the government,” declared President Hassan Sheikh.
President Mohamud stressed that the government had made numerous attempts to communicate with al-Shabaab, but that each of those attempts had been rejected by the organization.
“Dialogue with these people right now is not an option. The Somali government has consistently offered amnesty under my direction, and that offer is still valid.
Mohamoud clarified that the military is currently concentrating on regaining control of the Galhareri and Elbur districts in the Galgadud region as part of the ongoing liberation process.
He stated with assurance that once these two districts are freed, al-Shabaab’s presence in Galmudug would become untenable.
He named the arms embargo as a major barrier to driving al-Shabaab out of the nation. The President expressed hope that the international community would loosen its sanctions against Somalia.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud begged the UN Security Council to lift the embargo on Somalia’s access to weapons in a speech last July.
He cited the government’s implementation of strong measures to thwart the flow of illegal weapons, including legislation regulating the ownership, production, storage, and use of firearms.
He said the situation in Somalia had greatly improved and noted that it was not the same country in 1992 when the Security Council imposed the arms embargo.
