From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sun Sep 07 2008 - 15:09:44 EDT
Exiled Somali Islamists reportedly arrive in southern port city
Sunday, September 7, 2008, Mareeg Online
Reports reaching us from Kismaayo [southern Somalia] say that a large
plane carrying some members of the Somali opposition group, especially
members of the Eritrea-based faction [Alliance for the Re-liberation of
Somalia, ARS] arrived in the town yesterday.
The delegation was received by some members of their alliance in
Kismayo.
The two sides last night held a secret meeting that centred on the
situation in the town.
Sources in Kismayo say Sheikh Hasan Ali, aka Hassan Turkey, was among
the officials who met the delegation.
The delegation handed over assistance they brought from Eritrea to
Hassan Turki and other groups. The delegation stayed in Eritrea for more
than a year.
Their mission to Kismayo is said to be aimed at setting up an
administration that would do something about public services and
reconcile the clans in the region.
The plane, which brought the delegation from Asmara, later flew to the
Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
This is the first plane to have arrived in Kismayo following the ouster
of MP Barre Adan Shire aka Hirale from town.
The arrival of the delegation in Kismayo comes at a time when a
delegation led by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad [chairman of the other ARS
faction that is based in Djibouti] is expected to visit Middle Shabelle
Region in south-central Somalia.
The Djibouti faction of ARS had recently signed a peace agreement with
the Somali government aimed at restoring peace in the country.
To contact the reporter on this story: Abdi Guled in Moadishu via Mareeg
at Abdi Guled
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