Terror free Somalia embedded with the troops
Somalia has begun a major offensive to clear an Islamist militia
allied to al-Qaida from the world's largest camp for people displaced by
war and famine.The attack on al-Shabaab is the first time
that Somalia's government troops, backed by African Union peacekeeping
soldiers, have moved out of the capital Mogadishu and taken the fight to
militia strongholds.Hundreds of soldiers pushed closer to
the town of Afgoye, north-west of Mogadishu, where up to 400,000 people
who fled their homes are squatting on land controlled by al-Shabaab.
The
militants have banned aid groups from their territory, despite the
effects of last year's famine and threats of further crop failures this
year. It follows months of relative stability in the capital since the
Islamists retreated in August last year.
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Somali troops, AU peacekeepers advance on key Al-Shabaab stronghold As a sweeping military offensive enters its second day on the outskirts of the Somali capital Mogadishu, hundreds of government troops alongside African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM) today reached Arbiska, near Afgoye in Lower Shabelle region.
Allied troops backed by military tanks and armored vehicles moved deep into the outskirts early on Wednesday after deadly fighting broke out in the al-Shabaab strongholds of Elasha-Biyaha, Siinka, Lafoole, and Arbiska.At least 11 people were killed, including seven civilians, according to a residents in Lafoole who spoke to terror free somalia .“I don’t know how many people died, but I can assure you that three people are dead in Kahda where the fighting started today," Luul Ali, a resident in Kahda, told tf.sf .
Somali forces allegedly also shot eight civillians on the way at Boqolka cemetery of Boqolka village on suspicion of being al-Shabaab fighters fleeing. Four of the the eight people died and the other four were taken to Madina Hospital in Mogadishu.
Somalia’s third army commander, Colonel Abdullah Ageey, confirmed government troops have reached Arbiska and are heading to Afgoye with in the next hours.
“I’m speaking to you from Arbiska, which is close to Afgoye. We have clashed with the Al-Qaeda fighters for hours here before we attacked today. They have tried to defend themselves, but we forced them to run away and they are firing shots at us from a distance over there. We will be continuing to pursue them wherever they go, and we hope to cross into Afgoye with hours," said Colonel Ageey.
Residents in Afgoye town told TF.SF that they have seen al-Shabaab convoys heading to Walaweyn, 90km from Mogadishu.“I have seen large convoys of al-Shabaab fighters fleeing from the outskirts of Mogadishu. While I was on my way to work, I saw them heading towards Walaweyn district," one resident in Afgoye town told terror free Somalia .Other sources claimed that al-Shabaab's top leaders, Fuad Shongole, Hassan Dahir Aweys and Ali Dheere, all fled to Marka, south of Mogadishu, yesterday. TF.SF however, has been unable to confirm these claims.Radio Andalus radio, run by al-Shabaab, went off the air last night before the allied forces could reach the station.“Equipment from Andlus radio station was removed last night by the fighters, but it is not yet clear where they took it," said Abdikadir Mohamuud, a resident in Siinka.The fighting has blocked the strategic road which links between Afgoye and Mogadishu and has caused a massive displacement of people since the first round of this offensive started on Monday.Al-Shabaab has not yet commented on today's offensive, the largest to be conducted in the area since al-Shabaab vacated the capital last August.
Somali government forces backed by African
Union peacekeeping troops on Tuesday moved on positions of the
anti-government group Al-Shabaab on the outskirts of the capital
Mogadishu, officials said, as cited by terror free somalia.
The allied forces launched the operation on the town of Afgooye, 30 km
northwest of Mogadishu which is one of the key towns that remains under
the control of the Al-Shabaab fighters.
The town is close to the camp of Elasha Biyaha which houses hundreds of
thousands of displaced people who fled from the Mogadishu during the
height of the violence back in 2007 and 2008.
The AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia said in a statement the operation
was aimed at bringing peace and security to the "largest concentration
of displaced people in the world."
The AU said they were trying to avoid built-up areas and that the
African peacekeepers and Somali national army were making progress
against Al-Shabaab.
"The Afgoye corridor holds one of the biggest concentrations of
internally displaced people in the world. We are helping them by
building security so that they can share in the economic revival of the
capital. They will now be able to access humanitarian services and
eventually return to their original homes in Mogadishu," Wafula
Wamunyinyi, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the
African Union Commission, said in a statement.
The radical group of Al-Shabaab which is allied to al Qaida said it has
repulsed the offensive by AU and Somali government forces.
Witnesses say that the rebels were forced to flee key positions on the
outskirts of the capital Mogadishu including a key airstrip in the
suburban district of Deynile. Residents have started to flee from their
homes as fighting closed in Afgooye.
Reports said the Al-Shabaab commanders in Afgooye were using
loudspeakers mounted on vehicles to call on people to join the fight
against Somali government troops and AU peacekeepers.
Somali government military commanders said that the allied forces were
closing to the main town of Afgoye on two fronts while a strategic
supply route linking southern and central provinces controlled by
Al-Shabaab was taken by government forces and AU peacekeepers.
The Al-Shabaab has lately been losing ground to Somali government forces
and AU troops. Its fighters fled Mogadishu last year after intense
offensive by Somali troops and AU peacekeepers.
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