Hiiraan Online
Monday, September 28, 2009

BeledWeyne (HOL) - Pro-government forces have retaken the strategic city of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiiraan region. The forces were commanded by Gen. Muqtaar Hussein Afrah who supports Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Gen. Mukhtaar and his forces were able to take control of the city after brief fighting with opposition forces. 
 
HOL was able to meet with Gen. Mukhtar at the city’s police centre. Gen. Mukhtar told HOL that his forces have taken control of the whole city and added that from now groups opposed to the TFG will not be allowed to control any part of the city. 
  
HOL asked Gen. Mukthtar which group had control of the city before his forces have retaken it. He responded that his forces took control of the city from groups opposed to the government, and in particular Hisbul Islam which recently announced that they control the city. 
 
HOL also spoke to MP Mohamed Dhaqane Ilmi who is among the senior officers the TFG tasked with establishing a pro-government administration in the region. Mr. Dhaqane told HOL that opposition forces will never be allowed again to take control of the city and that today residents in the region have been librated from (the) oppression (of opposition groups). 
 
This latest development comes few days after the Governor of the region Sheikh Abdirahman Ibrahim Ma’ow announced that he formally joined Hisbul Islam and said that his administration does not recognize the TFG. 
  
The whereabouts of the region’s governor is not known. Eyewitnesses report that they saw him leaving the city with his forces. Also, it is not also know the number of people injured or killed as a result of the fighting.
 
Senior TFG officer who are currently present in the city include Gen. Muqtaar Hussein Afrah, Mohamed Dhaqane Ilmi, Adam Abdi isse (Garaase), Tobane Gururey and Salad Hareed all of whom recently were staying El-Gal area which is located just outside the city.