Thursday 23,Jan,2025 {HMC} Delegations from Somalia’s Federal Government and the breakaway region of Somaliland arrived in Jigjiga on Thursday to participate in the anniversary celebrations of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia.

The federal government’s delegation included Deputy Minister of Information Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala and Deputy Minister of Petroleum, who Somali Regional State officials warmly received at Garaad Wiil-Waal Airport in Jigjiga.

Somaliland’s delegation, led by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ali Hamud Jibriil and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Abdullahi Jama, was welcomed in the border town of Wajaale before making their way to Jigjiga.

The Somali Regional State’s anniversary, marked on January 23, celebrates its establishment in 1993. The celebrations have drawn other delegations, including members of the Somali diaspora, to Jigjiga for the occasion.

The Somali Regional State was initially established with its capital in Godey, under the leadership of Abdullahi Mohamed Sa’adi, its first president. The capital was later relocated to Jigjiga, which remains the region’s administrative hub.

Source Hiiraan online

Thursday 23,Jan,2025 {HMC} Puntland regional administration has on Thursday displayed a helicopter to assist its forces in their ongoing operations against the Islamic State group in the Bari region.

The aircraft will primarily transport military supplies and evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield, where challenging mountainous terrain has hampered emergency responses.

The helicopter will deliver critical supplies, such as medicine, to soldiers deployed on the front lines. The remote and rugged areas where the clashes are occurring are often inaccessible to traditional emergency vehicles.
While Puntland officials did not disclose the origin of the helicopter, they emphasized that it reflects the administration’s commitment to increasing support for its forces as they work to eliminate the Islamic State’s presence in the region.

Brigadier General Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed, spokesperson for Puntland’s security operations, reported that 15 Islamic State fighters and seven Puntland soldiers were killed during intense clashes on Sunday and Monday. Over the two days of fighting, more than 20 people lost their lives, with at least 10 others injured.

This week’s violence follows Puntland’s military offensive, launched last month after months of preparation, targeting extremist groups operating in the region. Although Puntland has faced threats from both Al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants, the current operation is focused on eradicating the Islamic State group.

Source Hiiraan online

Thursday 23,Jan,2025 {HMC} s armed forces, fulfilling part of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro’s campaign pledge to boost military pay.

According to a presidential decree on Wednesday, the salary increase will be implemented in the 2025 fiscal year, marking the first of several annual increments promised by President Irro during his campaign. He had pledged to raise military salaries by 250% during his first term in office.

“I have issued a decree that the permanent salaries of the various national forces will be increased by 50% in each fiscal year during the first term of the government, based on the permanent salaries of the fiscal year 2024,” President Irro stated.

The decree also mandated the implementation of an IRIS Biometric Registration System for all Somaliland armed forces. The registration process is set to begin on February 1, 2025, and must be completed within 30 days.

The salary increases will take effect once the biometric registration and census of the armed forces are finalized, according to the decree.

President Irro further pledged to improve the professionalism and capability of Somaliland’s military. His government plans to provide enhanced training and modern equipment to the forces to strength national security.

Hiiraan online