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Somalia announces plan to defeat al-Shabaab
[SHABELLENEWS] Somali President Mohammed Abdullahi said Wednesday his government -- elected in February this year -- had strategized to defeat the myrmidon group al-Shabaab...  the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...in two years. "Al-Shabaab has been active in Somalia for the last ten years causing huge destruction," Abdullahi said during a joint news conference in the Æthiopian capital, Addis Ababa following a close session with Æthiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. Al-Shabaab is intent on expanding its reach to neighboring countries, and that gives a reason for cooperation against the menace posed by the myrmidon group, the Somali president added. He praised the support provided in this regard by Æthiopia and Kenya as well as the 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... Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). "AMISOM has been working together with government and the sacrifices of [men in uniform] of neighboring countries will not go in vain," he said, commending the regional collaboration against the al-Qaeda affiliated group. Æthiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, for his part, said his discussion with the Somali president was on "major pertinent issues" including the fight against terrorism, the current drought that affects both countries as well as development cooperation. "We sink or swim together," Hailemariam said. "We cannot thrive leaving other nations behind." The prime minister added that lack of security in Somalia would ultimately affect neighboring countries by way of a spillover effect. Posted by: Fred 2017-05-04 |
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