MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has spoken out for the first time about the rendition of Abdikarim Muse Qalbi-Dhagah since the release of Qalbi-Dhagah last month.
Qalbi Dhagah was handed over to Ethiopian government on August 28, 2017, following a raid by Somali force on his hotel in Galkayo, central Somalia.
Mr. Farmajo reportedly held talks with the leader of Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), Mohamed Omar Osman in Asmara of Eritrea.
Speaking to VOA Somali, Osman said the president expressed regret about the extradition of Qalbi-Dhagah.
According to Osman, President Farmajo apologised for the refoulment of Qalbi Dhagah.
Despite the remarks of the ONLF leader, the government of Somalia has not yet commented on the meeting.
ONLF commander Qalbi Dhagah was freed by Ethiopia last month by Addis Ababa authorities though Prime Abiy Ahmed’s pardon.
Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in September last year extradited Qalbi Dhagah, a highly decorated former Somali military officer to Ethiopian regime, a move initially denied and dismissed by the Somali government.
Immediately the move led public uproar, the government of Somalia subsequently moved to declare him as a terrorist in the same rank with Alshabaab militants.
The government of Ethiopia confirmed the handing over, citing a security partnership treaty between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu.
After the uproar, the Somali parliament had formed 15 member committee to probe the circumstances under which Qalbi Dhagax, was handed over Ethiopia following a heated debate over extradition in House.
Two months later, the committee tabled their report and heaped blamed at the intelligence agency NISA over what it said was a transmission of wrong information to the government.
The report subsequently declared the extradition as illegal and observed that ONLF was not a terrorist organization as indicated by the cabinet September
Qalbi Dhagah, a senior leader of Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) was wounded in 1977 war against Ethiopia.
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