Somali Government Steps Up Efforts Against Islamic Militants

Somalia stepped up efforts to rid the nation of Islamic militants and called on its neighbors including Ethiopia to support the efforts.

The government started the so-called Operation to Restore Peace and Stability in Somalia, according to an e-mailed statement from the prime minister’s office today.

“Today, the government and the people of Somalia have stood up against the evils of al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab terrorists, who have for so long, terrorized and killed countless Somalis and our neighbors,” Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said in the statement. “Our people have suffered harshly under their occupation. Today, we have initiated the process to liberate the tyranny of al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab from Somalia.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Nandini Sukumar in London at nsukumar@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Rummer at arummer@bloomberg.net