KENYA: Somali PM downplays recent conflict that killed 30 after rebels attacked Mogadishu airport

Record ID: 361277

  • Title: KENYA: Somali PM downplays recent conflict that killed 30 after rebels attacked Mogadishu airport
  • Date: 23rd October 2009
  • Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (FILE) (REUTERS) AFTERMATH / BLOOD ON GROUND / DEAD ANIMALS
  • Embargoed: 7th November 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA421XVMIFORDIKMAR9FM521RVK
  • Story Text: Somalia's Prime Minister said on Friday (October 23) that hardline Islamist insurgents al-Shabaab are not gaining any ground.
    This was said a day after the group attempted to shell the president's plane, and threatened to attack Burundi and Uganda, who contribute to an African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in Somalia.
    Omar Ali sharmake -- speaking to journalists in Kenya's capital -- downplayed Thursday's attack and said al-Shabaab had no support among civilians.
    It was not actually an assassination attempt, it was just an assault. They just threw some cartridges to the airport when the President was about to leave, and I think apart from -- that does not mean that al Shabaab has gained any control or any ground. I think al-shabaab it's now having lots of many problems -- they have lost support of the population," said Sharmake.
    The United States accuses the rebel group, which wants to topple President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's fragile U.N.-backed administration and impose its own strict version of Islamic law across the country, of being al-Qaeda's proxy in the failed Horn of Africa state.
    Reuters witnesses said AU troops fired at least 35 rockets into the capital's Bakara market area on Thursday (October 22) after al-Shabaab gunmen there launched mortar shells at Ahmed's plane as he left the airport for a summit in Uganda.
    Al-Shabaab insurgents said they will strike the capitals of Burundi and Uganda in revenge for the rocket attacks. At least 30 people were killed in the fighting.
    Several African nations had committed to send troops to reinforce AMISOM, but have so far failed to do so, some saying in private that they are put off by the incessant violence.
    "We have a strategy in place, which includes support for the TFG. The TFG will be taking the lead as always and with AMISOM there and their effort strengthened -- our effort is to strengthened AMISOM so that they can be able to provide security. The point was all the ingredients are in place -- now is really time for us to implement," Lynn Pascoe, U.N. under-secretary for Political affairs who met Sharmake.
    Burundi and Uganda both have about 2,500 peacekeepers in the Somali capital for the AU's AMISOM force.
    Thursday's clashes were some of the heaviest to rock Mogadishu for weeks, and they underlined the difficulties facing the 5,000-strong AU mission.
    While winning some hearts and minds by giving residents access to clean water and free medical treatment, AMISOM has been unable to do much more than secure the city's airport, sea port, presidential palace and a few roads in between.
    Its soldiers come under near-daily attacks from roadside bombs and rebel artillery, and last month al-Shabaab hit their main headquarters with a twin suicide car bombing that killed 17 peacekeepers, including the Burundian deputy force commander.
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