TFG Plans To Disarm Mogadishu

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001173

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S FRAZER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017
TAGS: PTER ASEC MOPS SO ET UG
SUBJECT: TFG Plans To Disarm Mogadishu


Classified by PolOff John O'Leary. Reason 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C) TFG security chief Mohamed Warsame Farah told
EmbOffs on Tuesday (3/13) that TFG troops, in conjunction
with Ethiopian and Ugandan military forces, will begin a
large-scale security operation on Wednesday (3/14) in
Mogadishu aimed at blunting the ongoing insurgency.
According to Farah, 15,000 troops (12,000 TFG) will take
part in the action, with elements first sealing off the
city. The remaining troops will then seal three
neighborhoods suspected of harboring Islamic insurgents and
go house-to-house in search of "weapons, foreigners, and
Shabaab". He expected the operation to take three to four
days.


2. (C) Farah said that he and his operatives have been
laying the groundwork for this operation for the past few
weeks, meeting with clan and sub-clan leaders to garner
their support for the TFG--or at least to curb their
opposition. He indicated that only two sub-clans remained
"hesitant" to accept the TFG's authority in Mogadishu.
Consequently, he des not expect major resistance when the
troops go door-to-door.


3. (C) The TFG's goal is to remove weapons from the
general public, as well as to stem insurgent activity, said
Farah. He believed that residents would surrender their
weapons rather than fight to keep them if they believed
that the TFG could protect them. Farah said the TFG,
therefore, was concentrating troops in Mogadishu to
increase citizen confidence in the TFG's policing ability.


4. (C) The General indicated that certain citizens with a
"special need" to keep firearms at home, such as legitimate
businessmen, would be allowed to keep licensed weapons.
The TFG, though, wants to disarm the militias and place the
fighters into a DDR program; and Farah is in the process of
visiting East African and Gulf countries seeking DDR
support. Farah acknowledged, however, that a DDR program
does not currently exist; and he did not know how the TFG
would manage the disarmed militia until one can be brought
online.


5. (C) According to the pro-Islamist website Xogwaran,
TFG President Yusuf had appointed Siad Hersi, aka General
Morgan and the "Butcher of Hargeysa" (for his role in the
government's attacks in Somaliland in the late 1980s),to
head the expected security operation in Mogadishu. General
Farah categorically denied that Hersi would have any role
whatsoever.


6. (U) Comment. The Somali press has been reporting for
the past few days that a major security operation was in
the offing, noting that Ethiopian troops appeared to be
concentrating in and around Mogadishu. Additionally,
Deputy Defense Minister Jelle told reporters on Sunday
(3/11) that security troops would begin sweeping the city
for arms this week. Jelle said that the TFG would have
Mogadishu under control within 30 days. End comment.

Ranneberger