... the personification of Somali state failure...Lions of Islam have lost a strategic town to resilient members of the Somali National Army [SNA], sources told Garowe Online, in one of the major milestones as the country pushes the Lions of Islam in several frontlines ahead of the anticipated exit of 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.
According to sources, the military seized Miinkeey town which is at least 40 kilometers West of Hudur, the capital of Bakool, another al-Shabaab-prone region within the Federal Republic of Somalia. The national army is currently conducting an operation against al-Shabaab.
During the raid, officials said, several al-Shabaab Lions of Islam were killed while others were captured alive, pending prosecution in the military court. This comes just moments after the United Nations
...the Oyster Bay money pit...
Security Council approved an extension of the presence of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] by six months.
The council said the extension was in compliance with the request by the government of Somalia, which called for a technical pause of the withdrawal of ATMIS troops from the country. ATMIS along with the US Africa Command have been working closely with the Somali National Army.