Shabaab conduct Yemen - Style Suicide Attack on Peace Keepr Compound

It appears that the new tactics of the last few months continue; it suggests that international Islamist insurgents have significant influence in a four shabaab groups. Since their offensive of a a couple of months ago, and then defensive action, non Somalis appear to be taking more and more leadership, as demonstrated by recent suicide attacks against Peace Keepers.

The report is still early, but it appeArs two vehicles with UN lgogls got inside a Ugandan Compound,

-Shimron Issachar


MOGADISHU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Islamist Al-Shabaab group in Somalia on Thursday claimed responsibility for two suicide car bomb attacks that simultaneously targeted bases of African Union (AU) peacekeepers around Mogadishu's international airport, a local radio reported.

An unnamed official from the Islamist Al-Shabaab movement quoted by the independent Shabelle radio station in Mogadishu as saying the two suicide car bombs bearing UN logo managed to enter inside the camp where Ugandan contingent of the peacekeepers were based next to the airport in the capital.

The rebel official claimed one of the suicide car bomb attacks targeted the venue where officials from the United States, the UN and NATO were holding a meeting inside the base of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), while the other hit a meeting place for officials from Somali government security officials. He said the "attack achieved its objectives."

Neither AMISOM commanders nor Somali government forces have spoken about the attack, which came only three days after a senior Al-Shabaab commander, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, was killed in a U. S. raid in the south of Mogadishu.

But witnesses in the area say that the expositions were "massive and deafening" with black smoke pillowing from the bases in the south of the restive Somali capital.

Heavy shelling ensued targeting Mogadishu's main Bakara market following the suicide attack.

Traders and shoppers at the market busy in business fled in panic as the end of Ramadan Eid Al Fidr festival due in three days's time.

The Rest @ Xinhuanet




Update: 10 49:PM GMT

Somali rebels in Mogadishu hit an AU base on Thursday with two suicide blasts.

• The explosions killed 9 people but hospital officials stated at least 7 more people have been killed.
• Among the dead is Deputy Commander of the AU mission AMISOM.
• A spokesperson for the terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks.
• The bombing, according to Voice of America, was in retaliation for the murder of a wanted senior al-Qaeda official, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a Kenyan who was killed by the United States-led military operation. “We got our revenge! We have got our revenge for our brother Nabhan.
• Two suicide car bombs targeting the AU base, praise Allah,” exclaimed the al-Shabaab spokesperson, Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage.
• According to one witness, Farah Hassan, two United Nations vehicles entered the base, which was followed by two more vehicles carrying government military personnel.

“We thought they were real U.N. cars carrying white people, but moments later deafening thunder shook the ground. The area was covered with flames and clouds of smoke,” Hassan told Reuters.

Somali Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle said that the drivers were foreigners who spoke English and identified themselves as working for the United Nations, reports Reuters.

On the same day of the attacks, al-Shabaab issued several demands for the release of a French hostage, who is a security consultant, and an immediate end to French support of Somalia’s government.

This bombing is the worst attack since February when two suicide bombers infiltrated another base.


Source Digital Journal

AMISOM may do more than Peace keeping in Somalia

Al-Shabaab fighters have vowed to seize arms from AU peacekeepers in Mogadishu if their mandate id changed.

The spokesman of Al-Shabaab, Sheikh Ali Mohamud Raghe, said AU’s intention of changing the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Somalia would be opposed.

The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has requested the international community for help to repel the Islamist forces trying to overthrow it.

In response, the Inter-governmental Agency on Development (Igad) member countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia have requested the AU to change the power and mandate of Amisom from peacekeepers to peacemakers.

If Igad’s request is endorsed by the AU and UN, the Amisom forces will not be limited to defensive capacity by also to fight the rebels in order to enforce peace.

This came as a possibility when the conflict in Somalia was made one of the main agenda items at AU Summit in Sirte, Libya, yesterday.

Reacting to the latest development, the spokesman of Al-Shabaab, said the new move would offer Islamist fighters an opportunity to seize weapons from Amisom.

“It is a chance for our mujahideen (holy warriors) to seize weapons from Amisom soldiers should they come out of their hideouts,” said Sheikh Ali Dhere.

“It will be a great chance for our fighters to test their fighting skills that will surely lead to the defeat of the foreign soldiers,” he added.

Sheikh Ali Dhere condemned the African leaders who met in Libya for discussing the agenda item he named as being against the Somali people.

“They are there to talk about how to harm the Somali people,” said Al-Shabaab spokesman.
The AU Summit, however, did not conclude a resolution allowing the Amisom peacekeepers to directly support the TFG.

The Rest @ The nation (Kenya)