By Barry Moody and Barry Malone
Monday, February 02, 2009

Somalia's newly elected president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed (2nd R) walks with his bodyguards upon his arrival at the 12th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Antony Njuguna

Sheikh Sharif Ahmed enjoyed a standing ovation from African Union leaders in Addis Ababa, two days after he was elected to lead the Horn of Africa nation in a parliamentary vote.

But in Somalia, militant Islamists declared jihad against Ahmed and mocked his trip to his former enemy, rallying their supporters for war against the new government.

Ahmed headed a sharia courts movement that brought some stability to Mogadishu and most of south Somalia in 2006, before Washington's main regional ally Ethiopia invaded to oust them.

Washington accused hardline members of the courts movement of having links with al Qaeda.

AU Commission chairman Jean Ping, opening the second day of the annual African Union summit, introduced Ahmed, saying "some shades of hope have appeared in Somalia". Ahmed smiled, waved and bowed in response to the applause.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed Ahmed.

"All of us can take pleasure in the progress towards a peaceful settlement in Somalia," he said in his speech. "I count on your leadership and wise and visionary leadership."

MILITANT THREAT

Elected in a U.N.-brokered peace process in neighbouring Djibouti, Ahmed, 42, will fly to Mogadishu straight after the summit to put together a unity government and face the threat of militant Islamist insurgents led by the al Shabaab group, who control swathes of southern Somalia.

"We shall fight the so-called government of Sharif in every place!" Sheikh Hayakalah, who heads the Islamic court in the Shabaab-held port of Kismayu, told a crowd on Sunday.

Al Shabaab grew out of the armed wing of the sharia courts movement but later split with Ahmed.

"He is now with our number one enemy, Ethiopia, and calling for more support from non-believers. Imagine how Sharif, who was once our leader, deceived us and Islam," Hayakalah said.

The al Shabaab spokesman for Kismayu, Sheikh Hassan Yacqub, also attacked the new president.

"Sharif Ahmed is a traitor and we should fight him. Help us with your sons, weapons and wealth, so that we uproot this irreligious government of Sharif before it gets strong."

While Sharif has widespread support among many factions in Somalia, key to his success will be neutralising al Shabaab by defeating or isolating them or even bringing them into an alliance.

In Somalia there are rumours of splits within al Shabaab. Locals also say its popular support has waned due to hardline practices like prohibitions on watching foreign films, and executions and other public punishments.

Since an insurgency began at the start of 2007, some 17,400 Somali civilians have died in fighting, at least a million people have fled from Mogadishu, and a third of the population needs food aid in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Source: Reuters, Feb 02, 2009

soomaalidoonka @ 2/2/2009 11:15 PM EST  Sherriff was in Addis Ababa Behind him is Abdishakur, on his right hand is A.Abdisalaan, on his left is Nuur Cadde with few Abgaal body guards and he is a president of Somali republic ...goood boy real good...

butulukh@ @ 2/2/2009 9:09 PM EST  Shariif Time line: In 2006 he became the leader of ICU and he declare strugle against all enemies of Islam including Ethiopia, which is the number 1 enemy of somalia. Then he could not handle the hardship (kaneeco, daxan, cabsi and more) so he instead chose seek a conditional asylym form the US embassy in Nairobi. After that he went to Asmara to secure the leadership position of the movement. Once he he was elected for the head of the Re-Liberation movement he went to Jabouti to undermine the strugle against Ethiopia. We all know what next desire for the persidency of the country, shaving the beard,the biggest problem with him now is that he even bowed to please them. Alaahu Akbar, look the way he even walks.

xinfiniin @ 2/2/2009 8:20 PM EST  Caros lol, You reminded of maxamed dheere yalaxow's shirib back in the days as TFG stooge. Said he "Areey laba harti (menaing harti darood and harti abgaal) hawlbaa utaalaa hbargedir hoobiyaa uyaalaa".

Caraweelos @ 2/2/2009 8:10 PM EST  Dhoola tus, shirib iyo gaado ka ciyaar ka dhacay maanta xaafada Dharkiinley oo lagu soo dhoweynayo M/weyne Sh.Shariif.

xinfiniin @ 2/2/2009 6:41 PM EST  Dr Lam, After a whirlwind romance on the opposition it is high time we drop the gauntlet and face Sharif politically. Atleast Maxad dheere yalaxow your distant cousin said " areey xisbi mucaraad oo siyaasi damaqraadii aa samehaa". What we need to do is form political parties to fight Sharif. Let men of understanding take heed.. Sharif will invite all groups in Somalia to join him in rebuilding our shattered nation, restore our pride and enlighten our youngsters. Those with ill ideas including al xaraam B52 will answer ya calls