Beggars charged with destabilizing Somalia's Puntland

Abdi Hajji Hussein
Bosaso, Somalia
May 16, 2011

The statement of Puntland comes only day after three people including two famous businessmen in Bosaso town, Puntland’s commercial hub.

The semi-autonomous state of Puntland in northern Somalia has accused displaced beggars from southern regions of the country of destabilizing the security of its territory.

Muse Abdurrahman, a Puntland police officer, said they had learned that most of the culprits who customarily carry out insecurity activities in Puntland arrive in Puntland under the guise of displaced beggars.

“The authorities will step up efforts attesting that the vagabonds are involved insecurity and terrorist actions in the towns under the control of Puntland,” Abdurrahman explained. The officer declined to give details about how needy and displaced people could be involved in conducting crimes including assassinations and planting roadside bombs.

The statement comes one day after three people, including two famous businessmen, were gunned down in Bosaso, Puntland’s commercial hub.

Unidentified men armed with pistols on Saturday shot and wounded a civilian at the center of the town of Galka’yo in Mudug region in central Somalia. The assailants fled the scene.

Security in Puntland has been precarious and unreliable despite the deployment of more security forces in Galka’yo.

Source: All Headline News (AHN).
Link: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90048581?Beggars%20charged%20with%20destabilizing%20Somalia%26%23146%3Bs%20Puntland.