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| Africa Horn |
| Troops 'Liberate' Islamist Stronghold in Somalia Offensive |
| 2014-08-31 |
| [AnNahar] 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... forces claimed to have liberated a former Shabaab stronghold in Somalia on Saturday as part of a joint offensive with government troops aimed at capturing key ports from the Islamist fighters. The AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said it had captured the town of Bulomarer, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu. The town was the scene of an attempted raid by French commandos in January 2013 to free a secret agent being held hostage. The bid failed and resulted in the death of two French soldiers and the hostage. The new offensive is aimed at capturing key ports from the Lion of Islam group in an effort to cut off one of its main revenue sources. "Operation Indian Ocean started late last night... The enemy is fleeing and the forces are making successful advances so far," said Abdukadir Mohammed Nur, the governor of southern Somalia's Lower Shabelle region. Witnesses reported hearing booms from heavy shelling and seeing convoys of tanks and armored vehicles southwest of Mogadishu. AMISOM and Somali government troops were also seen on roads towards Barawe, the last major port held by the hardline gunnies on Somalia's Indian Ocean coast. "The operations will not stop until the al-Qaeda gunnies are eliminated," Nur added. The al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab are still a powerful and dangerous force but have lost a string of towns to the 22,000-strong AU force. Deployed in Somalia in 2007, AMISOM has made a series of advances in the past three years, but the launch Saturday of a new offensive targets the Shabaab's lucrative charcoal trade. In previous offensives by AU troops, Shabaab fighters have fled in advance of the main column but later returned to stage guerrilla-style attacks. Shabaab fighters continue to launch attacks even in the heart of Mogadishu, including recent brazen commando raids on the presidential palace and parliament. Ali Mohammed, who lives close to the Bulomarer, reported hearing "heavy shelling", while another resident, Hussein Mumin, described seeing military convoys including "several tanks." Somalia's government in a statement claimed Shabaab fighters were "fleeing in the face of advancing Somali and AMISOM forces," adding that Barawe was the "next objective". The southern port of Barawe is now one of the few major settlements under their control, and is vital to Shabaab finances, as the main hub of a multi-million dollar charcoal trade. Charcoal, which is mainly exported to Gulf nations, generates at least $25 million (19 million euros) a year for the Shabaab, according to U.N. estimates. The Shabaab are fighting to topple Somalia's internationally-backed government, and regularly launch attacks against state targets, as well as in neighboring countries that contribute to the AU force. The fighting comes as the United Nations ...a formerly good idea gone bad... and aid workers warn thon the lam areas of Somalia are struggling with dire hunger and drought, three years after famine killed more than a quarter of a million people. Somalia's government, selected in a U.N.-backed process in 2012, was widely hailed as offering the best chance in decades to repair the war-ravaged country. But the return of extreme hunger, accusations of corruption and continued Shabaab attacks in even the most heavily defended zones have cast a shadow over the government's record. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |