Islamist Leader Asks for Patience

Hiiraan Online
Friday, June 12, 2009

advertisements

Chairman of Hisbul Islam Sheik Hasan Dahir Aweys has asked Somalis to be patient while they work towards expelling what he called foreign troops who are present in Somalia.

Speaking at Hureira Mosque in Mogadishu after the Friday prayers, Sheik Hasan said that foreign troops in Somalia are inflicting pain, death and destruction on Somalis and that whenever they attack them, these foreign troops shell indiscriminately civilian populations.

“The reason they shell civilian populated areas is so that people would blame us and they would be able to continue their occupation” said Sheik Hassan.

“So, is it better that civilians flee so that we can liberate the country or that civilians stay and foreign troops can continue their occupation” asked Sheik Hasan the audience.

This is the second time Sheik Aweys speaks in public since rumours about his death or serious injury spread in the public and media.

Heavy fighting has been taking place in several areas in Mogadishu between Islamic militants led by Sheik Hasan and their ally Al-Shabaab on one side and troops loyal to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) on the other side. Sheik Hasan is accused of having ties to Al-Qaida by the West and is in the US and UN list of terrorists.

Home
Email