Submit your comments on this article |
Africa Horn |
200 Islamists surrender in Somalia |
2012-09-24 |
More than 200 fighters from the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab surrendered Saturday in Somalia to troops from the African Union's Amisom peacekeeping force. A statement, issued from the AU's base in Addis Ababa, said the insurgents were disarmed and taken into custody in Garsalem, about 80 kilometres from Mogadishu. Eight militants were killed in the region in fighting before the surrender, according to the AU, which called the Saturday's capture a meaningful defeat for al-Shabaab. United Nations refugee officials said Friday that at least 10,000 people have fled this month from Kismayo, a key Somali port city controlled by al-Shabaab, for fear of an impending battle over the area. African Union forces and militias loyal to Somalia's government have been advancing toward Kismayo. |
Posted by:badanov |