A late night raid on the home of a Paramilitary commander in the Somali capital Mogadishu has led to more questions than answers.
The home of Farhan Mohamed Qaroole was attacked overnight by a rogue unit of security forces in the Waberi district of Mogadishu. The attack sparked a fierce fire fight between the attackers and the paramilitary units guarding the home.
The attackers where said to be numbering a total of six and traveling in a Toyota pick up truck with a machine gun mounted on top, commonly referred to as a “Technical”. The exact number of deaths is not clear at the moment. The Somali government have out right denied the raid was carried out by security forces targeting the home of Farhan Qaroole.
However security sources that spoke with Halgan Media on condition of anonymity confirm one soldier was wounded during the attack. The wounded soldier was whisked away to the headquarters of the Crimimal Investigation Department (CID) for further questioning.
Who is Farhan Mohamed “Qaroole” ?
Farhan Mohamed (Qaroole) came up in the ranks as a commander in the “Jugta Culus” brigade of Al Shabaab. The “Jugta Culus” brigade consists of a unit of two dozen fighters mainly armed with PKM’s, RPG’s and small arms fire. These units function independently of Al Shabaab’s armed wing known as “Jabhad” and lead raids targeting military bases that host Somali government troops and allied foreign forces.
In 2010, Farhan Mohamed “Qaroole” was promoted to Al Shabaab’s powerful Amniyat unit, which oversaw intelligence operations for the Al Aqaeda linked Militant group. While operating within the ranks of Al Shabaab’s Amniyat unit, Farhan Qaroole orchestrated a series of deadly bombings and assassinations targeting government officials and security forces. His lethal accuracy earned him the nickname of “Hudayfa” and “Abu Nasri”.
Photo : Farhan Mohamed Qaroole
Following the (s)election of president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in 2017, Farhan Mohamed Qaroole was appointed as a commander in Somalia’s notorious Qatari backed National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), which came as a surprise to many people for obvious reasons. However it didn’t end there.
In 2018, Farhan Qaroole was once again appointed to a senior government position, this time as the leader of the Turkish trained Somali Paramilitary Force,?commonly referred to as “Haramcad”. The Turkish trained paramilitary unit under the leadership of Farhan Qaroole carried out horrific abuses and atrocities in Somalia, particularly in the provinces of Gedo and Galgaduud just to name a few.
The raid on Farhaan Qaroole’s home has led to widespread suspicion within Mogadishu’s security apparatus. Sources with intricate knowledge on the matter confirm the late night attack on Farhaan Qaroole’s home was a result of a schism and factional infighting plaguing Al Shabaab.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the attack on Farhan Qaroole’s home in the Waberi district was more of warning than an actual attempt on his life. The security forces that raided his home where ordered to do so, by another military commander affiliated with Al Shabaab.
The factional infighting plaguing Al Shabaab is not just limited to the leadership in the militant group but is also entangling government and military officials affiliated with the Al Aqaeda linked group, henceforth the raid on Farhan Qaroole’s home.
Halgan Media Service Desk
Email : info@halganmedia.net
