Somalia situation

Two Suicide Bombers Strike AU Peacekeeper Base in Somalia


By Alan Boswell
Nairobi
17 September 2009

Two suicide bombings have rocked the headquarters of the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, killing the second-in-command and injuring the head general. The UN says at least 30 personnel were injured and being evalcuated for treatment. An Islamist militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two vehicles entered and then exploded in the African Union peacekeeping force compound, sending a heavy trail of black smoke into the skyline of the capital city.

Among the dead is the top Burundian military officer in Somalia and deputy commander of the peacekeeping force, General Juvenal Niyonguruza. The head military official, Ugandan General Nathan Mugisha, was injured in the attack.

The peacekeeping force is composed of about 5,000 Ugandan and Burundian troops. At least nine peacekeepers were killed, and some reports have indicated that Somalis may be among the dead as well.

An eyewitness at the Mogadishu airport, which is situated next to the AMISOM base, says the two cars entered the compound and then exploded near the petrol station located in the base. The two cars reportedly carried the United Nations insignia on their sides.

The eyewitness says the two vehicles first attempted to enter through the airport, but were refused access by security guards. He said the cars then drove over to the AMISOM entry way.

A security officer has reported that vehicles were allowed inside because the guard at the AMISOM gate assumed they were with the United Nations.

Heavy mortar exchanges have since erupted in the Bakara market area of Mogadishu, killing a number of civilians and wounding many more.

A spokesman for the al Shabab terrorist group claimed the suicide attack was in retaliation for the killing of a wanted senior al-Qaida operative in the region.

Kenyan Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, who was hiding with the Islamic militant group in southern Somalia, was killed Monday in a U.S.-led military operation.

Suicide bombings are historically an alien practice in Somali culture, but al-Shabab has begun to seriously integrate the tactic as it increasingly seeks to link its campaign with other radical Islamic movements around the world.

The al-Qaida linked Kenyan killed Monday was wanted by the United States for his alleged role in the bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel in a popular tourist destination of the coast of Mombasa. He is also believed to have been involved in a botched attempt to shoot down an Israeli charter jet leaving the Mombasa airport the same day.

Meanwhile, the terrorist group released a set of demands for the release of a French hostage who was acting as a security advisor to the Mogadishu government. The terms include demands that all AMISOM forces be pulled out of Somalia.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/09/mil-090917-voa13.htm

UK forces free pirate-held Italian ship

© AFP/ EU NAVFOR
18:05 11/10/2011
ROME, October 11 (RIA Novosti)
Tags: piracy, Somalia, Italy, Rome

British special forces have freed an Italian cargo ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia earlier this week, the Italian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Montecristo, with a crew of seven Italians, six Ukrainians and ten Indians, was boarded and hijacked by five armed men who approached the vessel in a small boat.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Italian and UK defense ministries. Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa is scheduled to hold a news conference on the issue later in the day.

Piracy has surged off the Horn of Africa in recent years, especially off the east African nation of Somalia, which has had no functioning central government for two decades.

As of late September, Somali pirates were estimated to hold at least 504 hostages on 30 large ships, 18 smaller foreign vessels and one stranded barge, according to international piracy watchdog Ecoterra International.

The toll includes two Italian vessels: the Savina Caylyn, seized in February, and the Rosalia D'Amato, hijacked on April 21.

http://www.en.ria.ru/world/20111011/167578918.html

URGENT: Al-Shabaab takes hostages after US cargo plane crash lands in Somalia

Mogadishu (dpa) - Islamist group al-Shabaab has taken hostages from a US cargo plane carrying 12 military personnel that crash landed south of Mogadishu, Somali officials and witnesses tell dpa.

http://www.dpa-international.com/news/international/urgent-al-shabaab-takes-hostages-after-us-cargo-plane-crash-lands-in-somalia-a-47123051.html&sa=U&ved=0CBMQFjAAahUKEwjcmcCJkubIAhULkywKHZQsDPM&usg=AFQjCNFvGXcyRCyS9H6UttEih6oe3XdS8g

Russia condemns Al-Shabaab militant group for attack on peacekeeping mission in Somalia

More:
http://tass.ru/en/politics/850058

Al-Shabab retakes key Somalia port city of Merca
Source: BBC

Islamist militant group al-Shabab has taken control of the port city Merca, residents say.

Merca, some 70km (45 miles) south-west of Mogadishu, is now the biggest town under al-Shabab control.

African Union forces who had held the port city for three-and-a-half years withdrew earlier on Friday morning.

The loss is one of the biggest setbacks for the African Union force in its decade-long battle against al-Shabab, analysts say.


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-35502016

Several dead in Al Shabaab suicide attack in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia Several people were killed and many more injured when at least two suicide bombers blew themselves up near two popular restaurants on a busy in a regional capital of Somalia, witnesses and officials said.

Officials said the bombings on Sunday evening occurred near a busy junction in the town of Baidoa, which lies about 245 km northwest of Mogadishu, the capital of both Somalia's Southwest State and the Bay Region.
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Al Shabab, an Islamist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attacks. Officials said at least 20 were confirmed dead. But the death toll was feared may rise because the bombings injured dozens.

Witnesses said that a car bomb exploded outside a restaurant across from the Hotel Baidoa around 5 p.m., a time when people gather after work.

The restaurant's outdoor cafe, frequented by government workers and business people, was crowded. The bomber was killed in the explosion.

As crowds of people fled, a second suicide bomber set off his explosives in a restaurant about 1,000 feet from the first, the authorities and witnesses said. Both restaurants were in the center of the city, near a traffic intersection known as Afar-Irdoodka.

"Thirteen dead bodies were collected by the ambulances and were brought to the hospital," Abdifatah Ibrahim Hashi, the director of Baidoa Hospital, said in a telephone interview.

Seven others died at the hospital from their wounds, he said, adding that 42 people were being treated and another 18 had been released.

The dead included Hassan Ibrahim, deputy minister for disarmament and militia rehabilitation for Southwest State, governor of the Bay Region Abdirashid Abdi Abdullahi told reporters.

"The enemy always targets soft targets, especially civilians," Abdi Abdullahi said. "Their target is to terrorize the public and bring death and destruction, and I condemn these barbaric attacks."

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack saying the bombers "targeted government officials and forces".

Its military operation spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters that there was a police station near the targeted area.

The Islamist group often carries out such suicide attacks in the capital and elsewhere in its bid to topple Somalia's Western- backed government. The group wants to impose its strict version of Islamic rule in the Horn of Africa nation.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/241735613/several-dead-in-al-shabaab-suicide-attack-in-somalia

Russia to Consider Equipping Somalian Forces for Fight Against Terrorism

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20160419/1038247385/russia-somalia-cooperation.html#ixzz46JX2PNaU

George1 wrote:Russia to Consider Equipping Somalian Forces for Fight Against Terrorism

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20160419/1038247385/russia-somalia-cooperation.html#ixzz46JX2PNaU

i suppose thats one way of getting rid of old soviet equipment. But the Somali's also need training, if not most the arms will end up in Al shebab's hands, the AU are also present here but seem to be getting a bit of a rough time. I visited Somaliland (autonomous breakaway region of Somalia) last year and their armed forces would not be able to stop Al shebab, and if Mogadishu falls you will find Putland (semi autonomous region) and Somaliland will be the next targets, before moving onto Kenya, Djbouti, and Ethiopia. Ethiopia's south and Djbouti are easy targets and with huge gains to be made. I hope that it doesnt get to that though, i've got friends in Ethiopia.

Somalia, Kuwait agree to increase military cooperation. I think right now Somalia needs as much help as it can get hopefully this will involve Somalia getting some free equipment and training and if there lucky some UAE troops on the ground.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/somalia-kuwait-agree-increase-military-cooperation/

Somali military base attacked

Somali town attackedAl Shabaab group fighters attacked a military base with a suicide car bomb in the south of Somalia, killing 27 soldiers in a blast heard by residents of a nearby town.

The attack follows a June attack on the base by al Shabaab that wounded seven soldiers. The group is battling to topple the central government and impose its rule based on its own strict interpretation of Islam’s sharia law.

There was no immediate comment from government officials about the attack on the base in Baar Sanguni.

“We first attacked the base with a suicide car bomb and then stormed,” said Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s spokesman for military operations. “We killed 27 soldiers and took the base. Some soldiers fled into the jungle.”

The military was sending reinforcements to the base following reports of an explosion and heavy fighting after the rebel attack, one official said.

“We have sent reinforcements,” Majo Mohamud Aden, a Somali military officer, told Reuters from Kismayu.

“We understand there was an explosion and heavy fighting between al Shabaab, who attacked the base, and Somali forces. We have no details so far.”

Residents of Jamame, 70 km away, heard the blast, followed by gunfire.
“We heard a huge blast after early morning prayers. Then heavy exchange of gunfire followed. It was in the direction of Baar Sanguni,” Osman Abdullahi told Reuters.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52491:somali-military-base-attacked&catid=49:National%20Security&Itemid=115

On orders from President DT, most of the 700 or so US troops currently in Somalia will either withdraw entirely or be moved to nearby countries by early 2021.