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| Africa North |
| U.N. Council Boosts Somalia Force by 4,400 |
| 2013-11-13 |
| [An Nahar] The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday approved a 4,400-troop boost to the African force in Somalia, taking it to more than 22,100 troops deployed to tackle resurgent Islamist bad boys. The 15-member council voted unanimously to allow the increase while renewing the mandate of 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... force. The maximum size of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) will increase from just over 17,700 to 22,126. The extra troops are expected to start arriving in early 2014, diplomats said. AMISOM backs Somali government forces who have forced Shabaab fighters out of key cities over the past 18 months. But the al-Qaeda linked bully boyz have proved they can still stage major attacks on soft targets such as the Nairobi mall strike in September, which left at least 67 dead. The Æthiopian government warned on Tuesday that Shabaab is planning more high profile attacks. On top of the troop increase, the Security Council resolution also allowed the deployment of a special guard force to protect the U.N. mission in Somalia, which has been the target of several suicide kabooms. "As recent attacks show, Shabaab continue to pose a threat not just to Somalia, but tot the wider region," said Mark Lyall Grant, U.N. ambassador for Britannia, which has taken a leading role in international efforts to rebuild a functioning state in the lawless East African country. |
| Posted by:Fred |