Beledweyne (AX) – Somali lawmaker Abdimalik Abdalla on Sunday rejected allegations that the local Macawisley forces in Hiiraan region are forming a new insurgency, stating that their sole aim is to defend their rights and oppose the electoral roadmap being pursued by the federal government.
The lawmaker made the remarks during a visit to the Lamagalay headquarters in Beledweyne, where he and other local officials met with Macawisley fighters stationed at the facility. The local forces recently took control of the former Hiiraan regional administration headquarters.
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Officials accompanying the lawmaker on the inspection visit confirmed that the discussions focused on the overall security situation and the importance of strengthening unity among the people of Hiiraan region.
Abdalla strongly denied reports that the local forces were organising a national rebellion or receiving support from foreign governments. He also recalled that the Macawisley had previously fought alongside government forces during operations that defeated Al-Shabaab.
“They say an insurgency is being formed, but that does not concern us. When we were fighting alongside the government, were we not Macawisley? Or were we Al-Shabaab?” Abdalla said.
“To those spreading malicious propaganda, I say: take that story elsewhere. We stand for the defence of our rights. We are not guests in Somalia; we are the Somali government,” he added.
The lawmaker also firmly opposed any extension of the government leaders’ terms in office, while issuing a strong warning against attempts to divide the brotherly communities.
The remarks come amid escalating political and security tensions arising from the formation of the new Hirshabelle administration and the federal government-led electoral process.
Additional Macawisley fighters have been arriving in the regional capital, Beledweyne, to reinforce forces already stationed there, as military movements have been reported in the region amid growing opposition to the process through which the Hirshabelle administration was formed.
The Macawisley forces, made up of local residents who took up arms to defend their communities, played a major role in joint operations conducted by Somali government forces against Al-Shabaab, particularly during the major offensive that began in 2022.
