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| Africa Horn |
| Somali troops clash with insurgents |
| 2009-07-13 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Somali government troops backed by African Union peacekeepers battled insurgents on Sunday in clashes that killed at least 43 people in north Mogadishu, residents and officials said. Somalia's government and a 4,300-strong AU force (AMISOM) have been unable to take control of rebel strongholds in Mogadishu and other parts of the Horn of Africa nation despite international support and training. "We have killed 40 fighters from al-Shabaab group and we continue to repulse them. We have now pushed them back from three northern districts of Mogadishu. AU peacekeepers were assisting us," said Salad Ali Jelle, a parliamentarian who was involved in Sunday's fighting. Rebels were not immediately available for comment. Mogadishu's deputy mayor said the insurgents had captured an area near the presidential palace at the weekend. "AMISOM backed us up in this latest operation because the rebels were only one kilometer to the presidential palace," said Abdifitah Shawey. "We lost three soldiers in battle." Somalia's interim government has been pushing for a stronger mandate for AMISOM to allow its soldiers to help government forces fight opposition groups. Ugandan and Burundi peacekeepers are only allowed to defend themselves if attacked and protect key sites such as the presidential palace, airport and harbor. |
| Posted by:Fred |