JAPAN: Somali FM says military operations to start soon against Al-Shabaab Islamic rebels
Record ID:
465633
JAPAN: Somali FM says military operations to start soon against Al-Shabaab Islamic rebels
- Title: JAPAN: Somali FM says military operations to start soon against Al-Shabaab Islamic rebels
- Date: 9th February 2010
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 8, 2010) (REUTERS) SOMALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AHMED JAMA JANGELI ARRIVES FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE NEW CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOMALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AHMED JAMA JANGELI SAYING: "We want to err on the side of caution. We want to do it right and the appropriate time would determined by the military commanders, but I believe it will be very soon, very, very soon when these operations will be taken. " JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Enlish) SOMALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AHMED JAMA JANGELI SAYING: "The Unity government of the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) is facing the same challenges that the previous transitional federal governments faced. The only difference is, I can say, is an extremist organisation known as Shabaab, who have links with Al-Qaeda, has grown over the years and is now the biggest and the strongest force in many parts of the country and they control some regions. They are well funded in the sense that they are getting a lot of funding from outside." JANGELI LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 24th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVAC2MWVXTX1NUS2SAD46G7B372V
- Story Text: Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Jama Jangeli told reporters on Monday (February 8), that his nation's Transition Federal Government was preparing to launch an imminent offensive against the Islamic Al Shabaab and other rebel groups in the country.
"We want to err on the side of caution. We want to do it right and the appropriate time would determined by the military commanders, but I believe it will be very soon, very, very soon when these operations will be taken," Jangeli told reporters in Tokyo during a visit to Japan.
For weeks, the Somali government has been threatening to launch a military offensive against al Shabaab, which has links to al Qaeda, and another rebel group, Hizbul Islam. Both Islamic groups want to impose a harsh version of sharia law in the country.
Somalia has not had an effective central government for almost two decades and the international community and neighbouring countries are worried about the threat posed by al Shabaab insurgents now controlling a large part of the country and fighting its fragile government.
Jangeli said al Shabaab had grown in force, partly because the organisation, which, he said, has links to al Qaeda, has been receiving funding from outside Somalia.
"The unity government of the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) is facing the same challenges that the previous transitional federal governments faced. The only difference is, I can say, is an extremist organisation known as Shabaab, who have links with Al-Qaeda, has grown over the years and is now the biggest and the strongest force in many parts of the country and they control some regions. They are well funded in the sense that they are getting a lot of funding from outside," Jangeli said.
The near-daily fighting between government and insurgent forces has killed at least 21,000 people since the start of 2007. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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