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Somalia's Government Expects `Major' Surge in Violence in Mogadishu Today
Somalia’s government expects a “major” surge in violence today as the rebel al-Shabaab militia steps up an offensive over the Ramadan period, the Information Ministry said.
The militants are expected to target civilian, government and African Union-peacekeeper bases in the capital, Mogadishu, in their bid to oust the government, the ministry said in an e- mailed statement. Ramadan, the Islamic holy month during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, began on Aug. 10 and will end around Sept. 9.
“The government is well prepared and together with Amisom, has complete confidence in its plans to contain the violence,” the ministry said. Amisom is the AU Mission in Somalia.
At least 70 civilian died and 200 have been injured since al-Shabaab, which the U.S. accuses of having links with al- Qaeda, began a new offensive on Aug. 23 to oust the Western- backed government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The escalation in fighting comes after African nations pledged to strengthen their peacekeeping force in Somalia as they attempt to stop the conflict from spreading to neighboring states. Al-Shabaab last month claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, in which 76 people died.
The streets of Mogadishu were quiet this morning, though the ministry urged residents to stay indoors and to report any suspicious activity to the police or security forces.
‘Remain Calm’
“In the event that fighting breaks out, the government encourages people to remain calm and to stay in their homes, avoiding any unnecessary movement,” the ministry said. It warned that al-Shabaab fighters were dressing in government uniforms and women’s clothing, and using “donkey and cart bombs and large truck-borne” explosive devices.
Somalia’s government has been battling the insurgents since 2007. Most of southern and central Somalia has been seized by the rebels, while Sheikh Sharif’s administration controls only portions of Mogadishu. The country is host to more than 2,000 foreign fighters, from India, Pakistan and elsewhere, who are providing funds and training for terrorist operations, according to the AU.
Somalia hasn’t had a functioning central administration since the ouster of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The Horn of Africa nation is one of the poorest in the world, according to the World Bank.
To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at smcgregor5@bloomberg.net.
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