Five of Somali Faction Leaders Agree to End Rivalry

Five of the Mogadishu's main faction leaders have reached an agreement to end their long standing rivalry and struggle for power.

The agreement was signed at the end of a three-day meeting in South Mogadishu on Tuesday by the faction leaders, Hussein Mohamed Aidid, Hussein Hajji Bod, Mohamed Qanyareh Afrah, Mohamed Hussein Addow and Osman Ali Atto.

Under the agreement, an all inclusive administration will be set up for the regions of Southern Somalia as soon as possible.

The faction leaders called for the restoration of law and order in the capital. They agreed to reopen Mogadishu's air and sea ports soon, which have remained out of use since 1995.

The faction leaders also announced the unification of their political opinions regarding what they called the restoration of the Somali nationhood.

They called on the remaining other politicians to join them in their efforts of what they called rescuing the nation from new dangers facing the territorial integrity and the unity of Somalia.

The governor of Hiran Region Hassan Mohamed Qalad characterized the agreement as a positive step forward. And politicians in the central region of Hiran have cautiously welcomed the agreement.

However, the well-known militia commanders including the former head of operations for Hussein Aidid's faction Mohamud Mohamed Siganeh and the commander of Ballidogleh airport Abdukarim Farabadan said this agreement has taken place without their consent and knowledge and therefore will not be materialized.

Other politicians have claimed that these five faction leaders all belong to the same Hawiyeh tribe and therefore can not talk on behalf of all the people in southern Somalia.


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