Garowe Online (Garowe)
13 September 2009
Bossaso — Security forces in Somalia's self-governing State of Puntland have seized control of two locations notoriously used by human traffickers, Radio Garowe reports.
The two locations, Marero and Shimbirale, have been notorious hotspots where human traffickers have conducted their illegal business of transporting migrants across the Gulf of Aden to the shores of Yemen.
Hundreds of people die each year making this dangerous journey, with survivors telling horrific stories whereby human traffickers have thrown people overboard in the high seas to avoid detection by Yemeni naval forces.
In recent weeks, Puntland's commercial port city of Bossaso, which is located along the Gulf of Aden, has been teeming with Somali and foreign migrants, mostly from neighboring Ethiopia. It is suspected that most of these people are preparing to voluntarily pay to take the dangerous journey across the Gulf of Aden.
Col. Osman Hassan "Afdalow," the police commander in Bari region where Bossaso is located, is leading police operations against the human traffickers in Puntland and has established police checkpoints at these two locations.
Puntland security sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Garowe Online that the order to establish police checkpoints came from the office of President Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole."
"The government [of Puntland] has succeeded in building security forces who receive regular monthly salaries since President Farole was elected in January," said the sources.
Puntland's leaders have repeatedly appealed for international help in the fight against piracy and human trafficking, which government officials say are crimes that have tarnished Puntland's reputable image in recent years.
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