ianstone
06-03-2010, 09:07 PM
Somali troops fight al-Shabab militants in Mogadishu
Along with the best links I have had on the whole conflict.
Best in depth information for ages, well worth a read. To
understand the conflict / piracy in Somalia
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47990000/jpg/_47990696_009436927-1.jpg Civilians were caught up in the cross-fire during Thursday's fighting Clashes between Somali government forces and Islamist militants have killed at least 17 people and wounded about 60 in the capital Mogadishu.
The fighting appears to be the start of a government offensive using troops trained in Ethiopia, analysts say.
The government controls only a few parts of the country.
Backed by African Union troops, it is trying to quash al-Shabab - an al-Qaeda-inspired group that control much of southern Somalia.
As well as Ethiopia - which officially withdrew from Somalia's conflict in early 2009 - Uganda is also believed to be training Somali soldiers ahead of the current offensive.
Meanwhile, the US - a key ally - has provided funding and logistical support.
Premature celebration? Reports suggest the operation has been successful in taking back key districts in the north of Mogadishu - near the presidential palace - from the militants. However many civilians are thought to be among the dead.
"The Somali government forces advanced on the terrorists' strongholds," a government official told AFP on Thursday.
"They took control of several neighbourhoods which had been held by the rebels... There are several bodies strewn across the streets," said the official, Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim.
The operation marks a reversal of fortunes for the transitional government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, says BBC Africa analyst Richard Hamilton.
But he adds that it is too early for the government to celebrate, as Somalia is still in effect a failed state. It has not had a functioning administration since 1991.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in two decades of conflict that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian emergencies.
Al-Shabab and other Islamist insurgents have imposed a strict form of Sharia, or Islamic law, in areas they control.
SOMALIA - FAILED STATE
KEY STORIES
Islamist rivalry http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/46457000/jpg/_46457237_45210460.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8284958.stm)
Why Somalia's allies have fallen out
FBI probe biggest plot since 9/11 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/front_page/newsid_10000000/newsid_10003000/10003036.stm)
Mogadishu's lost innocents (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8091403.stm)
Journalist: 'I saw my boss shot dead' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8103703.stm)
Somali justice - Islamist-style (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8057179.stm)
PIRACY HOT-SPOT
Pirate bay http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/45933000/jpg/_45933729_laugh_bbc_226.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8103585.stm)
How Somali port is tackling modern-day Blackbeards
Somali navy chief: World's worst job? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8096137.stm)
Inside story of Somali pirate attack (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8080098.stm)
Chasing the Somali piracy money trail (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8061535.stm)
Somali piracy: Global map (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8011158.stm)
Q&A: Somali piracy (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7734985.stm)
PERSONAL STORIES
'My life as a Somali doctor' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8280415.stm)
'It's a pirate's life for me' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8010061.stm)
'One more day here and I'll die' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8079871.stm)
BACKGROUND
Meeting Somalia's al-Shabab (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8133127.stm)
Profile: Somalia's President Ahmed (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7865808.stm)
Country profile: Somalia (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1072592.stm)
Q&A: Somalia's conflict (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4760775.stm)
Related links (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/10233602.stm#)
Related BBC links
World Service Africa (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/index.shtml)
BBC Somali (http://www.bbc.co.uk/somali/index.shtml)
FROM OTHER NEWS SITES
News24.com (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2872404448&z=950244168) 21 killed in Mogadishu battle - 8 hrs ago
France24 (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2872028926&z=950244168) SOMALIA: Govt troops battle insurgents for control of northern Mogadishu - 10 hrs ago
AFP via Yahoo! (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871910682&z=950244168) At least 21 civilians killed in Mogadishu battle - 11 hrs ago
Reuters UK (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871859140&z=950244209) Fighting in Somali capital kills at least 11 people - 11 hrs ago
Mail & Guardian Online (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871782952&z=950244209) Civilians killed as Mogadishu battles rage - 12 hrs ago
About these (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3676692.stm)
Somali government launched an offensive to retake neighborhoods in Mogadishu
[/URL]
Somali government troops launched a counter-offensive against Islamic militants in the capital, Mogadishu.
The government forces are trying to regain control over some neighborhoods, which it lost in last month when gunmen enable the youth movement of the Islamic approach to the presidential palace complex.
He says the Somali Section BBC radio that at least 28 people were killed and about 60 others were wounded on the battlefield. A government spokesman said that several neighborhoods have been restored in the process.
Bodies in the streets
The security official said the Somali Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim in an interview with Agence France-Presse, "The Somali government troops had advanced in the strongholds of terrorists this morning .. and was able to control the number of neighborhoods that were in the grip of insurgents."
"The fighting is still ongoing and there are many bodies strewn in the streets." Correspondents say Somali soldiers trained in Ethiopia who participated in the attack, backed by troops from the African Union.
Ali Moussa, head of ambulance services in a hospital in Mogadishu, "The clashes that day very heavy, has Almdwiap fire and mortar shells exchanged by the parties to the outlying neighborhoods."
He added: "Our teams have so far collected 16 dead civilians, and wounded 59 .. however, that the death toll is expected to increase since the fighting continued."
Hundreds have been killed this year in an exchange of fire reported in insurgent attacks by government forces and African Union troops on them.
Also killed thousands of people in the last three years of conflict in Somalia and displaced hundreds of thousands away from their
Somali government launched an offensive to retake neighborhoods in Mogadishu
[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/arabic/multimedia/2010/06/?redirect=100604_hs_fighting_somali_capital.shtml&news=1&host=www&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&lang=ar"] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/arabic/multimedia/2010/06/?redirect=100604_hs_fighting_somali_capital.shtml&news=1&host=www&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&lang=ar)
Somali government troops launched a counter-offensive against Islamic militants in the capital, Mogadishu.
The government forces are trying to regain control over some neighborhoods, which it lost in last month when gunmen enable the youth movement of the Islamic approach to the presidential palace complex.
He says the Somali Section BBC radio that at least 28 people were killed and about 60 others were wounded on the battlefield. A government spokesman said that several neighborhoods have been restored in the process.
Bodies in the streets
The security official said the Somali Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim in an interview with Agence France-Presse, "The Somali government troops had advanced in the strongholds of terrorists this morning .. and was able to control the number of neighborhoods that were in the grip of insurgents."
"The fighting is still ongoing and there are many bodies strewn in the streets." Correspondents say Somali soldiers trained in Ethiopia who participated in the attack, backed by troops from the African Union.
Ali Moussa, head of ambulance services in a hospital in Mogadishu, "The clashes that day very heavy, has Almdwiap fire and mortar shells exchanged by the parties to the outlying neighborhoods."
He added: "Our teams have so far collected 16 dead civilians, and wounded 59 .. however, that the death toll is expected to increase since the fighting continued."
Hundreds have been killed this year in an exchange of fire reported in insurgent attacks by government forces and African Union troops on them.
Also killed thousands of people in the last three years of conflict in Somalia and displaced hundreds of thousands away from their homes
Muslim in fighting slaughtering each other like dogs
Along with the best links I have had on the whole conflict.
Best in depth information for ages, well worth a read. To
understand the conflict / piracy in Somalia
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/47990000/jpg/_47990696_009436927-1.jpg Civilians were caught up in the cross-fire during Thursday's fighting Clashes between Somali government forces and Islamist militants have killed at least 17 people and wounded about 60 in the capital Mogadishu.
The fighting appears to be the start of a government offensive using troops trained in Ethiopia, analysts say.
The government controls only a few parts of the country.
Backed by African Union troops, it is trying to quash al-Shabab - an al-Qaeda-inspired group that control much of southern Somalia.
As well as Ethiopia - which officially withdrew from Somalia's conflict in early 2009 - Uganda is also believed to be training Somali soldiers ahead of the current offensive.
Meanwhile, the US - a key ally - has provided funding and logistical support.
Premature celebration? Reports suggest the operation has been successful in taking back key districts in the north of Mogadishu - near the presidential palace - from the militants. However many civilians are thought to be among the dead.
"The Somali government forces advanced on the terrorists' strongholds," a government official told AFP on Thursday.
"They took control of several neighbourhoods which had been held by the rebels... There are several bodies strewn across the streets," said the official, Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim.
The operation marks a reversal of fortunes for the transitional government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, says BBC Africa analyst Richard Hamilton.
But he adds that it is too early for the government to celebrate, as Somalia is still in effect a failed state. It has not had a functioning administration since 1991.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in two decades of conflict that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian emergencies.
Al-Shabab and other Islamist insurgents have imposed a strict form of Sharia, or Islamic law, in areas they control.
SOMALIA - FAILED STATE
KEY STORIES
Islamist rivalry http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/46457000/jpg/_46457237_45210460.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8284958.stm)
Why Somalia's allies have fallen out
FBI probe biggest plot since 9/11 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/front_page/newsid_10000000/newsid_10003000/10003036.stm)
Mogadishu's lost innocents (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8091403.stm)
Journalist: 'I saw my boss shot dead' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8103703.stm)
Somali justice - Islamist-style (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8057179.stm)
PIRACY HOT-SPOT
Pirate bay http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/45933000/jpg/_45933729_laugh_bbc_226.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8103585.stm)
How Somali port is tackling modern-day Blackbeards
Somali navy chief: World's worst job? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8096137.stm)
Inside story of Somali pirate attack (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8080098.stm)
Chasing the Somali piracy money trail (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8061535.stm)
Somali piracy: Global map (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8011158.stm)
Q&A: Somali piracy (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7734985.stm)
PERSONAL STORIES
'My life as a Somali doctor' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8280415.stm)
'It's a pirate's life for me' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8010061.stm)
'One more day here and I'll die' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8079871.stm)
BACKGROUND
Meeting Somalia's al-Shabab (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8133127.stm)
Profile: Somalia's President Ahmed (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7865808.stm)
Country profile: Somalia (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1072592.stm)
Q&A: Somalia's conflict (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4760775.stm)
Related links (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/10233602.stm#)
Related BBC links
World Service Africa (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/index.shtml)
BBC Somali (http://www.bbc.co.uk/somali/index.shtml)
FROM OTHER NEWS SITES
News24.com (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2872404448&z=950244168) 21 killed in Mogadishu battle - 8 hrs ago
France24 (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2872028926&z=950244168) SOMALIA: Govt troops battle insurgents for control of northern Mogadishu - 10 hrs ago
AFP via Yahoo! (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871910682&z=950244168) At least 21 civilians killed in Mogadishu battle - 11 hrs ago
Reuters UK (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871859140&z=950244209) Fighting in Somali capital kills at least 11 people - 11 hrs ago
Mail & Guardian Online (http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z2871782952&z=950244209) Civilians killed as Mogadishu battles rage - 12 hrs ago
About these (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3676692.stm)
Somali government launched an offensive to retake neighborhoods in Mogadishu
[/URL]
Somali government troops launched a counter-offensive against Islamic militants in the capital, Mogadishu.
The government forces are trying to regain control over some neighborhoods, which it lost in last month when gunmen enable the youth movement of the Islamic approach to the presidential palace complex.
He says the Somali Section BBC radio that at least 28 people were killed and about 60 others were wounded on the battlefield. A government spokesman said that several neighborhoods have been restored in the process.
Bodies in the streets
The security official said the Somali Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim in an interview with Agence France-Presse, "The Somali government troops had advanced in the strongholds of terrorists this morning .. and was able to control the number of neighborhoods that were in the grip of insurgents."
"The fighting is still ongoing and there are many bodies strewn in the streets." Correspondents say Somali soldiers trained in Ethiopia who participated in the attack, backed by troops from the African Union.
Ali Moussa, head of ambulance services in a hospital in Mogadishu, "The clashes that day very heavy, has Almdwiap fire and mortar shells exchanged by the parties to the outlying neighborhoods."
He added: "Our teams have so far collected 16 dead civilians, and wounded 59 .. however, that the death toll is expected to increase since the fighting continued."
Hundreds have been killed this year in an exchange of fire reported in insurgent attacks by government forces and African Union troops on them.
Also killed thousands of people in the last three years of conflict in Somalia and displaced hundreds of thousands away from their
Somali government launched an offensive to retake neighborhoods in Mogadishu
[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/arabic/multimedia/2010/06/?redirect=100604_hs_fighting_somali_capital.shtml&news=1&host=www&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&lang=ar"] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/arabic/multimedia/2010/06/?redirect=100604_hs_fighting_somali_capital.shtml&news=1&host=www&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&lang=ar)
Somali government troops launched a counter-offensive against Islamic militants in the capital, Mogadishu.
The government forces are trying to regain control over some neighborhoods, which it lost in last month when gunmen enable the youth movement of the Islamic approach to the presidential palace complex.
He says the Somali Section BBC radio that at least 28 people were killed and about 60 others were wounded on the battlefield. A government spokesman said that several neighborhoods have been restored in the process.
Bodies in the streets
The security official said the Somali Colonel Ahmed Ibrahim in an interview with Agence France-Presse, "The Somali government troops had advanced in the strongholds of terrorists this morning .. and was able to control the number of neighborhoods that were in the grip of insurgents."
"The fighting is still ongoing and there are many bodies strewn in the streets." Correspondents say Somali soldiers trained in Ethiopia who participated in the attack, backed by troops from the African Union.
Ali Moussa, head of ambulance services in a hospital in Mogadishu, "The clashes that day very heavy, has Almdwiap fire and mortar shells exchanged by the parties to the outlying neighborhoods."
He added: "Our teams have so far collected 16 dead civilians, and wounded 59 .. however, that the death toll is expected to increase since the fighting continued."
Hundreds have been killed this year in an exchange of fire reported in insurgent attacks by government forces and African Union troops on them.
Also killed thousands of people in the last three years of conflict in Somalia and displaced hundreds of thousands away from their homes
Muslim in fighting slaughtering each other like dogs