US-backed forces of the Somalia Transitional Federal Government and AMISOM enter the town of Wanlaweyn. The Horn of Africa nation is being occupied by imperialism utilizing proxy forces from the region., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Somalia: Double explosion kills civilian in Kismayo
10 Oct 10, 2012 - 11:11:19 AM
KISMAYO, Somalia Oct 10 2012 (Garowe Online) – Two explosions in the port city of Kismayo killed a civilian and injured others on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.
The first explosion which was caused by a grenade did not result in any casualties. The bomb went off in the Via Afmadow neighborhood in the port city of Kismayo.
The second bomb to go off in Kismayo was believed to be an improvised explosive device (IED) which was aimed at Somali forces who driving through a busy intersection in Kismayo’s center.
According to local sources, the explosion killed 1 and injured 2 people. There were no military casualties or injuries in the bombing.
Al Shabaab has not claimed responsibility for the attacks. Authorities have not speculated as to who were behind the attacks on Wednesday.
The city of Kismayo is under curfew after a string of attacks has cautioned the allied forces currently in control of the port city.
There were mass arrests of alleged Al Shabaab agents in Kismayo earlier this week. Authorities in Kismayo said that the investigation is still pending.
The city of Kismayo for many years was under the control of Al Shabaab but after a land and sea assault by allied forces late last month, the city was captured from the terror organization whose agents reportedly fled south east.
Kenyan forces that are in Somalia are under the mandate of AMISOM and successfully assisted Somali forces in capturing Kismayo after almost 1 year of being in Somali soil. Kenyan military officials stated that they would leave Somalia when the AMISOM mandate expires.
The mandate for Kenyan Defense Forces and AMISOM expires on the 31st of October, unless the UN Security Council extends their mandate. AMISOM’s mandates are renewed six-monthly by the UN Security Council.
GAROWE ONLINE
KDF kill 3,000 al Shabaab in one year .
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 00:05
BY DOMINIC WABALA
Kenya Defence Forces have killed over 3,000 al Shabaab militia during combat since October last year when they entered war ravaged Somalia in pursuit of the al Qaeda linked insurgents.
Defence Minister Yusuf Haji yesterday revealed that over 3,000 fighters had been killed and assorted weapons and gun mounted vehicles destroyed or captured during the year long operation.
KDF has lost 22 soldiers and officers, as well as a helicopter during the one year it has been in Somalia. It will mark its first anniversary in Somalia on Sunday, October 14.
"It is worth mentioning that to be a peace keeper is a sacrifice a soldier has to make on behalf of the international community, his country and the military. During this operation, the enemy has lost over 3,000 militants not to mention the assorted arms and technicals (vehicles) that have been captured," Haji said.
He was speaking during a ceremony by Brand Kenya where school children around the country presented 5,000 patriotic and encouragement letters and messages of goodwill to KDF soldiers fighting in Somalia.
President Kibaki yesterday called for the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration of the al Shabaab insurgents surrendering to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) forces.
Speaking in Kampala, Uganda, when he held bilateral talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, the Head of State noted that as part of the reconstruction of Somalia, there is need to take urgent measures to disarm those surrendering so as to avoid regrouping of the same.
At the same time President Kibaki reassured the Somalia leadership and its citizens that Kenya has no ulterior motive but its ultimate desire is to see Somalia return to peace and stability.
“In carrying out the stabilization efforts, I would wish to assure your Excellency that Kenya has no other agenda and its only desire is to see Somalia return to peace and stability,” said the President.
He called for extension of KDF's Amisom mandate in Somalia that expires at the end of this month. Haji yesterday thanked the Chief of General Staff General Julius Karangi for his leadership which he said had allowed KDF to make an unparalleled historic achievement in contemporary African military.
Haji said that by defeating al Shabaab, KDF has proved to the world that the Kenyan military is a professional outfit with the ability to keep peace in the region and the world.
"The achievement of the KDF, by defeating an al Qaeda linked militant outfit in Kismayu is no mean achievement. We have indeed proved to the world our professional skill and ability. KDF have made us proud and proved to the the world that Kenya continues to flex her muscles as a regional military worth its profession," the Defence minister said.
Haji did not talk about an incident on 24 October in which a KDF soldier is reported to have opened fire on a group of unarmed Somali civilians 50 kilometres from the port city of Kismayu. KDF at the time condemned the incident and said the soldier had been arrested and would be prosecuted.
Haji yesterday warned that while al Shabaab is no longer in control of southern Somalia, the group is still dangerous because it has ceased being a viable political alternative to the Somalia government but is moving back to to being a local insurgency.
"Amisom will have to adapt its tactics to respond to this new change in battle space and it will have to be more effective at protecting crucial trade routes from kidnappers and bandits. Our government and the people of Kenya have sacrificed their lives and resources to liberate Somalia fro al Shabaab and we assure the people of Somalia we shall stand with them at all times," Haji said.
He appealed to Somali nationals to unite and consolidate on the gains made in the peaceful elections of MPs, Speaker and President and bring lasting peace to the war torn country.
Chief of General Staff Gen Julius Karangi said that Kenya has liberated over 200,000 square kilometres of Somalia that had previously been under the control of Al Shabaab and destroyed their structures.
He said that KDF has now started offering humanitarian aid to suffering population in Somalia and have so far drilled two boreholes in Badhadhe and Gerille and rehabilitated two others in Jana Cabdalla apart from offering medical assistance.
"We have destroyed their facilities and captured their economic facilities like money transfer in Afmadhow which transacted over 100,000 US dollars in a month.
KDF is not an occupations force. It was only interested in routing out al Shabaab who were masquerading as a religious group. They had taken us for granted and took advantage to attack us," the CDF said.
Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
Somalia: Al Shabaab Ambushes Somali, AU Troops Outside Mogadishu
9 October 2012
Bufow — Al shabab militants have ambushed on Tuesday a convoy of military vehicles carrying Somali soldiers and their allied African Union forces outside the capital Mogadishu, reports said.
A witness told Shabelle Media Network that the surprise attack took place at Bufow area, just some 100 Km south of Mogadishu as the allied forces were travelling to the port city of Merce, the provincial capital of Lower Shabelle region.
There was no information on the figures of the casualties as a result of the fierce fighting on Tuesday between Somali forces together with AMISOM troops and Al shabab fighters.
No official from both sides was available to reach for further comments on the attack.
Somalia in row with militias in captured town
•Security of town falls primarily on government forces, spokesman states
Mr Aden Ahmed Hersi alias Rufle, the spokesman of the Somali government forces in Juba region has told the media that a clan-based grouping is disturbing the attempts to stabilise the town of Kismayu, 500 kilometres south of Mogadishu.
Kismayu, the main port town in Jubaland in Southern Somalia, was seized from Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda linked radical Islamist group in Somalia, in late September by an alliance made of Kenyan troops serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), Somali government forces and Ras Kamboni Brigade, a largely clan-based militia loosely allied with the other forces.
Mr Hersi stated that Ras Kamboni Brigade built an association with ONLF (Ogaden National Liberation Front), a rebel group mainly active in Eastern Ethiopia.
He added that the two militias were trying to get control of Kismayu.
Talking to Shabelle Radio, an independent broadcaster in Mogadishu, Mr Hersi said, “Somali government forces in Jubaland are finding themselves increasingly uncomfortable as Ras Kamboni Brigade and ONLF extend their illegal control over Kismayu.”
A legislator in Mogadishu, Mr Dahir Amin Jessow, refuted the very existence of a militia group operating alongside the Somali government forces in Kismayu.
“An accepted force can cooperate with the Somali government force, but militants in competition with the government are unacceptable,” said MP Jesow on Tuesday.
“There is no logic in chasing Al-Shabaab fighters out (of Kismayu) to have other militants challenging the policies of the Somali government in,” he added.
He reiterated that the security of Kismayu falls primarily on Somali government forces and Amisom peacekeepers in the Jubaland.
He added that unruly militia in the region will create an unnecessary crisis.
“The Somali government cannot accept an armed political grouping operating in parts of the country,” remarked the legislator. He added that such arrangement was illegal.
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