On Tuesday, Somalia's struggling transitional government threw down the gauntlet on Islamic terrorists, according to a U.S. intelligence report obtained by the Terrorism Committee of the National Association of Chiefs of Police.The Somali government issued a March 30 deadline for members of Somalia’s terrorist organizations to surrender as the military and police forces intensified their counterterrorism operations in the capital city of Mogadishu and in some regions of Somalia. Those who disarm and surrender are promised full health care and help in areas such as employment and education.Somalia's Prime Minister Mohammed Abdullahi Mohammed requested that the Somali people help the army and security forces who are battling terrorists, insurgents and pirates and to help fight those who are trying to topple the fledgling government. After meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Mohammed praised the Somali military operations saying the defeat of the al-Qaeda-affilated Al Shabaab was going as planned.He went further by claiming terrorist and militant organizations would be driven from all of northern Africa.According to a statement released by the office of the Prime Minister Tuesday, cabinet ministers have unanimously agreed to impose a sea blockade on insurgent-run seaports, such as Kismayo, Barawe, Marka and other harbors under Al Shabaab control. It is believed that Al Shabaab is complicit with the Somali pirates who have captured ships and abducted individuals for ransom. “All boats and ships sailing towards and from Al Shabaab controlled seaports will be confiscated by the government," the statement said. The Somali government requested the help of the international community in enforcing sanctions against Al Shabaab, al-Qaeda and bands of Somali pirates .In the summer of 2009, Somali security officials said they would impose a military blockade on airports and seaports in terrorist-run areas of the war-torn country. Unfortunately, the blockage never materialized and the Somali pirates quickly increased their power off the coast of Somalia and North Africa.Western nations such as members of the European Union already offered military trainers and millions of dollars in an attempt to set up strong police and military forces for Somalia with the ability of assuring peace and stability in that country. For example, Japan promised at least $10 million for the Somali police training program.The current crop of police recruits will be part of thousands of Somali government forces who are said to be prepared to take on Al Shabaab militants who control large territories in south-central Somalia, according to a government official during a press conference for the foreign news media.Thousands of members of the Somali military who had been trained in neighboring Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and France are now in Somalia, but have still failed to bring peace to capital city of Mogadishu, let alone the whole country.
Jim Kouri,Examiner.com
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