HARGEISA – An East African news agency ran a news story earlier this week defaming Somaliland’s representative to the United Arab Emirates.

Alleastafrica, a Nairobi-based gossip site that often propagates fake news, accused Bashe Awil Omar of conducting illegal business activities in Somaliland with a foreign businessman.

The site did not provide any evidence or facts to back up the slanderous claim.

They also maliciously referred to Bashe Awil Omar as Bashe ‘Morgan’ – a nickname belonging to the son-in-law of Mohamed Siad Barre, the former dictator of Somalia.

General Mohammed Said Hersi “Morgan”, also widely known as the “Butcher of Ha

rgeisa”, is a wanted war criminal who led the shelling and bombing of Hargeisa during the Somali civil war – which left up to 100,000 dead.

The report also mischievously labelled Omar solely as the ‘President’s son-in-law’ , and made no mention of his official title.

Ever since the site surfaced last year, many of their news reports on Somaliland have consisted of personal attacks against government officials. Many readers in Somaliland believe that the site is ran by reporters with links to the Government of Somalia.

The site does however, admit to not being a credible news source – stating on their website that they report ‘current news, social affairs and gossip’.

No word yet on whether Somaliland’s representative to the UAE will pursue legal action against Alleastafrica.com

SOURCE:THE NATIONAL-SOMALILAND