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Shebab Militants Seize Somali Port
[ALMANAR.LB] Somalia's Shabaab faceless myrmidons retook their former stronghold of Merka on Friday from African Union...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... troops who pulled out of the port they had held for three-and-a-half years, the governor said. The loss of Merka, the regional state capital of Lower Shabelle, is one of the biggest setbacks for the AU force in its nearly decade-long battle against the Shabaab. "The AU troops pulled out of the town and Shabaab The historic port, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu, was captured in August 2012 by African Union troops. It is one of the first major towns the Shabaab have seized back and it gives them access to a sea port again. There was no immediate response from AMISOM or government officials. Residents confirmed the takeover, saying heavily armed Shabaab fighters swept into the town with holy warrior black flags, before addressing residents. "AMISOM forces moved out at midday and the local administration and all other Somali security forces left a few minutes later - and then heavily armed Shabaab "They have been addressing residents at the district headquarters." The Shabaab are fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, which is protected by 22,000 AU troops. The faceless myrmidons have lost ground since being routed from Mogadishu in 2011 but continue to stage regular shooting and suicide kabooms, and in recent months staged a series of brazen raids on AU bases. Posted by: Fred 2016-02-06 |
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