| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Horn |
| Somali Islamists flee stronghold towards Kenya |
| 2007-01-02 |
| Defeated Somali Islamists fled their defences near a southern town and headed towards the Kenyan border on Monday in what looked like the end of a nearly two-week war with the Ethiopian-backed government. Several thousand Islamist fighters, who abandoned the capital to take a stand 300 km (186 miles) to the south near the port of Kismayu, The leaders and fighters of the Some Kismayu residents said the Islamists were going to the hilly region of Buur Gaabo, just on the Somali side of the border. "If they go there, it will be very hard for the Ethiopians to get them," one resident said, comparing the region to Afghanistan's Tora Bora region where the Taliban hid. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 Thank you, Old Patriot dear. You are as ever a font of useful information. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-01-02 20:04 |
| #6 The problem is, TW, it's also home to nomadic herders and trading caravans that leave dust clouds behind them, except during the very short "rainy season". You can see people for miles (including vertically), but only boots on the ground can detect who's who. "Technicals", on the other hand, would stand out like fruitcake in a pie-eating contest. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-01-02 16:56 |
| #5 You can't walk in that dusty, dirty area without leaving footprints. And plumes of dust floating in the air behind you as you go, Old Patriot? The kind that airborn (or satellite) observers might easily observe? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-01-02 15:31 |
| #4 The author of this piece needs to learn a bit of geography. The Tora Bora area extends to 15,000 feet high. The highest point in southern Somalia is about 7,000 feet. There are forests around Tora Bora - the only vegetation around and in the Somali "highlands" are a few short scrub trees and other desert vegetation. You can't walk in that dusty, dirty area without leaving footprints. There are very few caves. There's no friendly government just across a border through the middle of these "highlands". I think the Islamists are in for a terrible, terrible surprise. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-01-02 14:19 |
| #3 Call the Orkin man. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-01-02 10:04 |
| #2 To bad Somalia is so damn close to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. I expect a good flow of money, arms and fighters. It certainly isn't over. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2007-01-02 03:36 |
| #1 headed further south along the Indian Ocean coast towards neighbouring Kenya Red Sea, you dummies! (not sure Kenya would be too happy to allow them to pass) |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-01-02 01:19 |