What do you know about the underlying issues of the conflict in Hiiraan and the promise that has been made to resolve it?

What do you know about the issues underlying the tension in Hiiraan and the promises that have been made?

Some members of the Hiiraan community are facing a serious conflict between the federal government of Somalia and the Hirshabelle administration to which the region belongs.

The current tension appears to be escalating and could lead to conflict, as various aspects of these issues have been discussed.

The conflict is not new and has not just begun; it has been ongoing for years, rooted in several issues that some analysts have summarized.

The grievances between Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle – Power-sharing

Many believe that the current grievances are rooted in issues that began with the establishment of Hirshabelle, and are not limited to just political matters.

It also appears that the complaints from communities are not only about Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan, which are the two regions referred to as Hirshabelle, but that there are issues even within Hiiraan itself.

The former Minister of Petroleum, Resources and Mines of Somalia, Mohamed Mukhtar Ibrahim, who is also an analyst on Somali affairs and the broader Horn of Africa, told the BBC:

"Some of the grievances in Hiiraan are based on how Hirshabelle was formed, which resulted from the merger of the regions of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle. Among the major grievances is political power-sharing," said Mohamed Mukhtar.

The former Minister of Internal Security, Xasan Jimcaale Xundubay, also shares this view. He states: "The grievances of the people of Hiiraan are based on the fact that this region was one of the eight regions previously, and they believe that Hiiraan is larger than being included in Hirshabeelle, and it could be a regional administration if the two regions are separated."

Xundubay added that since Hiiraan was once part of the eight regions of Somalia, it was allocated during the revolutionary government's division of regions, but the Hiiraan region was not touched.

Additionally, former Minister Xasan Xundubay mentioned that "when the Hirshabeelle administration was first established, it was not built on a framework based on deep dialogue and reconciliation to avoid the current events from happening."