AU forces plan to cover al-Shabaab strongholds

The African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) confirmed it had controlled about 95 per cent of the war-torn country’s capital, Mogadishu, and overpowered al-Shabaab militants.The regional peacekeeping mission in Somalia has declared its intentions to move and secure south and central SomaliaAmisom, in collaboration with TFG, will conduct its operations in three phases aimed at freeing the people of Somalia from the shackles of atrocities.According to the mission’s force com“We hope we’ll be able to extend our operations to have the whole of Mogadishu city liberated.“We also have a sizeable number of TFG-allied militia waging war against al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda,” explained Mr Mugisha.Mr Mugisha said Amisom had relatively stabilised the security situation in Mogadishu, adding that any serious faction that aspires to attain political power would not carry out terror attacks on the same people it looked forward to rule.According to the peacekeeping mission, militias loyal to TFG are carrying out their operations south west of Mogadishu near the Kenya-Ethiopia border to prevent terrorism.“Today, 95 per cent of Mogadishu is under the control of Amisom and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). We will move to the south as soon as we gain full control. Terrorism has nothing to do with military strength. Infact, it shows how weak and desperate the group is,” said Mr Mugisha.Conquering Mogadishu falls under Phase 1 of the Amisom concept of operation that aims to liberate the whole of Mogadishu.The second phase is meant to take control of all townships surrounding Mogadishu and later to the central and southern parts of Somalia, including Kismayu.He said that as soon the peacekeeping force had acquired complete control of Mogadishu, they would move to the central and southern areas, including Kismayu.Mr Mugisha said the second phase of their operations may help prevent more attacks on Kenya by al-Shabaab militants that has so far seen two tourists kidnapped in Lamu, part of Kenya’s coast.

Speaking in Nairobi on Friday, Amisom force commander Maj-Gen Fred Mugisha said recent terror attacks by al-Shabaab revealed how “weak and desperate” the group had become....more