Somali rebels seek public support
Somali Islamist rebel group Al -shabab is calling for the residents across the insurgent controlled area to join its loyalist fighters against Somali Transitional Federal Government Forces (TFG) and their strong allied battalion from African Mission in Somalia. The Islamists now seem to be under siege as they battle with their rival fighters from different directions including looming air strikes in their stronghold regions in the country’s southern and central parts.Speaking at a gathering of elders near Somalia’s capital city, Mogadishu, Abuu Abdala said that he was optimistic that his side will win the war.
“This is a single boat carrying Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Burundi, Uganda that aims to destroy Somalia and Islam, claimed Abuu Abdala.
Recently Al-shabab fighters lost a strategic town of Baladweyne in central Somalia after TFG solders and other militia groups getting back up from the locals received a hand of helping from Ethiopian military forces.
Also Kenya defence Forces (KDF) is advancing to seize several villages after they had entered south Somalia beyond hundred miles late last year in the pursuit of Al-shabab loyalist fighters. Since then Al-shabab has been sneaking into to Kenya to carry out series of reprisal attacks.
The latest one being Wednesday’s Administration Police Camp raid where six people were killed and 3 others were wounded in a fire exchange between Kenyan security officers and Al-shabab militants in Gerille area on the Kenya-Somalia border. Also four others including a district officer were abducted into Somalia during the melee.
Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991 after former president Mahamed Siyad Barre was toppled in a military coup.