Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has said that the regional state of Puntland does not need African Union peacekeepers to defeat al-Shabaab militants.
Addressing Journalists in Mogadishu after arriving from a state official visit to Italy, Mr Sharmarke stressed that Puntland has the capability to fight against the extremists without the support of foreign troops.
‘’There is no need for AMISOM troops deployment, Puntland and Somali forces have the capacity to defeat them [al-Shabaab],’’ he said.
The Prime Minister added that the Somali government is providing support to Puntland in the battle against the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.
His remarks came after Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal government Mohamed Omar Arte raised the possibility of AMISOM troops deployment to the autonomous region.
AMISOM, which was established by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council in January 2007, operates in Somalia’s Southern territories, assisting the federal government in fight against the al-Qaeda-linked extremists.
Last week, Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali strongly rejected the need of AMISOM soldiers or foreign troops in the battle against al-Shabaab fighters in the Northern coastal villages.
Horseed Media
No need for AMISOM troops deployment to Puntland – Somalia PM
Published: March 21, 2016
