Hiiraan Governor Declares Independence from the Central Government

Beled Weyne, Somalia (HOL) - The Governor of Hiiran Region Sheik Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma’ow said today in a press conference held in Beledweyne that his administration is no longer part of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

The Governor said that his administration took the decision after it became apparent to him that the region’s power has gradually been transferred to Mogadishu and decision important to the region are being made in Mogadishu. He cited as an example the two times Ethiopian troops invaded Beledweyne city, the regional headquarters, which he said came at the request of Mogadishu and not his administration.

At the time of the press conference, the Governor was surrounded by elders from the region. Notable absent from the press conference were, however, the region’s commander of armed forces Gen. Mukhtar Hussein Afrah as well as senior officers and MPs the central government put in charge of the region’s security. It is not clear if the Governor’s decision came from him alone or if other senior officers and leaders of the region share with him.

It looks as if the Governor made the decision in few hours because after his arrival from Mogadishu where he had meetings with the country’s interim President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed and the Prime Minister, he said that he had productive meetings with them and that from now on the region will cooperate with the central government.