Ethiopian pullingout from Hudur was repaced by Al-Shabab Somali Islamists

Somalia's Al-Qaeda linked insurgents, on the back foot after months of losses, are eyeing a potential withdrawal of arch-foe Ethiopia in the volatile southwest, raising security and humanitarian concerns.

Heavily armed Shebab fighters swept into the town of Hudur, capital of Bakool region, just hours after Ethiopia's surprise withdrawal from the town on Sunday.

Hot on the heels of the Ethiopians -- the strongest military power in the southwest region ever since their November 2011 invasion -- fled allied Somali militia forces and a column of some 2,000 terrified civilians.

Security sources say the withdrawal from Hudur could signal a wider pull out of Ethiopian forces including from the key city of Baidoa, warning that if this happens, the 17,000-strong African Union mission (AMISOM) would be hugely overstretched.

"Everything suggests Ethiopia is determined to withdraw from Baidoa" in coming days, a security source told AFP.

Ethiopia, which has repeatedly said it wishes to withdraw, is reportedly frustrated that its requests for AMISOM troops to take over its positions have been ignored.

"The Ethiopians have been talking for quite a while of how much they want to leave...so far it was seen more as a posture," said a source close to AMISOM, adding they were frustrated at how much the military operation was costing.

Whether Ethiopia continues to withdraw also depends on the reaction of the international community and whether the Shebab reoccupy the areas they pull out from, the source added.

The withdrawal from Hudur "is a reminder that what they do is of strategic importance and that the Shebab is not defeated," the source added.

Relations between Addis Ababa and the Somali government are also tense, with a parliamentary delegation travelling to Baidoa on Sunday in a bid to persuade Ethiopia not to leave, a humanitarian source there said.

Addis Ababa -- long seen as a traditional enemy of Somalia -- is a controversial presence in Somalia. Ethiopia entered Somalia in a 2006 US-backed invasion, but was driven out three years later by a bitter insurgency.

-- Major boost to Shebab morale ---

But while Shebab forces are weak and unable to hold out against the heavy weaponry of Ethiopia or AMISOM troops, Hudur's capture marked a sharp turnaround and a major boost to their morale.

Sources say that while their return to Hudur was expected, the speed with which they retook the town took many by surprise.

"If Al-Shebab reoccupy all the places Ethiopia withdraws from, it would change things," the AMISOM source said, adding that Hudur's rapid capture "clearly shows that holding ground is not enough to win over an insurgency."

AMISOM would struggle at its current capacity to take over Ethiopian positions, while Somali troops who worked closely with Ethiopian troops would not necessarily cooperate so well with other forces, sources said.

Hudur's capture, the Shebab's most important territorial victory for over a year, prompted jubilant celebrations amongst the Islamists, who vowed to "wage jihad" until total victory in messages posted on its Twitter account.

Top Shebab military commander Mukhtar Robow led the celebrations in the town.

So far, Hudur is the only major town Ethiopians have pulled out of, but with troops packing kit in Baidoa in apparent preparation to leave, many are worried as to the impact of a retreat.

Security sources say several thousand Ethiopian troops have dominated southwestern Somalia since their 2011 assault on Shebab bases in November 2011, shortly after Kenyan forces invaded Somalia from the far south.

Kenyan troops have since joined AMISOM. Ethiopian forces have remained separate, although they collaborate with the mission.

While AMISOM already have a significant force in Baidoa, reinforcements are battling to open up the final 50 kilometre (30 mile) stretch of road connecting the city with Mogadishu, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) to the southeast.

But given the large amount of Ethiopia's heavy equipment and weaponry based in Baidoa, troops would be unlikely to be able to stage a rapid pullout as they did in Hudur.

"The behaviour of the Ethiopians is ambiguous," another security source said, asking whether they were "really leaving or pretending?"

PressTV - Somalia tries to come out of the horror of civil war: Duale Yusuf

Somalia tries to come out of the horror of civil war: Duale Yusuf

Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:4PM GMT

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Interview with Duale Yusuf.

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Somalia has been pushed outside this operation and that’s why it’s failed. But if Somalia were given a chance to be part of this operation, Somalia would have a chance to come out of the horror of civil war.

What happened, the American brought over 25,000 troops with civilians who were armed already – without any police; there was no authority around and that was the biggest problem.

But now over 22 years later, we have experience, the time has changed. If America wants to change their tone... "

Related Viewpoints:

• US war machinery killing children

An analyst says, after two decades of violent US intervention and tribalism Somalia has the political and educational means to transcend into a civil society.

In the background of this after two decades of civil war and foreign intervention in Somalia it seemingly is emerging out of chaos with a new Constitution, a new parliament and new president and dreams of a civil future. During the past month a significant step has been made with formal relations being reestablished with the United States. US drone strikes in the country have continued to date as part of the counter terrorism policy and the war on terror has taken its toll by further deteriorating conditions in the country and exacerbating poverty and a humanitarian crisis in certain parts of Somalia. All attempts at self-determination by the Somali people have been sabotaged by the US and its regional allies, Kenya and Ethiopia, all in the name of foreign interests, as well as with local tribalism problems. So this sudden turn around by the United States to extend diplomacy and begin to involve Somalians in decisions about Somalia is being seen as a ray of hope.

Press TV has interviewed Duale Yusuf, foreign secretary of the Somali Unity Council about this issue. Joining him is Hassan Dudde, Director Somali Economic Forum, London and Said Mohamud Isse, freelance journalist & blogger from Kenya. The following is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What are your thoughts as you hear about American formerly shaking hands with Somalia for the first time in 20 years. Are you optimistic and trustful of the whole situation?

Yusuf: If we go back to 1992 when America invaded Somalia under operation ‘Restore Hope’, since that time we see a lot of difficulties Somalia has been facing.

When America invaded the country they didn’t start to help straight away to establish a form of police or legal framework.

Press TV: Indeed a lot of writers at the time noticed that Somalians weren’t even in the equation. When the Americans came the aid agencies were there and the Americans and the aid agencies were talking with the UN and other bodies about what to do for Somalia, but no Somalian was involved.

Yusuf: That is correct. Somalia has been pushed outside this operation and that’s why it’s failed. But if Somalia were given a chance to be part of this operation, Somalia would have a chance to come out of the horror of civil war.

What happened, the American brought over 25,000 troops with civilians who were armed already - without any police; there was no authority around and that was the biggest problem.

But now over 22 years later, we have experience, the time has changed. If America wants to change their tone... You know, one of the foreign secretaries - Rumsfeld said recently I think in 2008, 2009 that Somalia was a place of al-Qaeda...

Press TV: A place for al-Qaeda?

Yusuf: An al-Qaeda base, that’s what he said and I believed in it so if America is changing their mind today that would be brilliant. We welcome that.

Press TV: According to our other guest, Said Mohamud Isse, he says, “In 1993 in operation Restore Hope when American came to Somalia and that mission led Somalia for 20 years in conflict. That mission was supposed to help Somalis, but it led Somalia to suffer for so many years. Now this new occupation by America some Somalis believe it will lead to prosperity and stability in the country”. Do you agree with that?

Yusuf: I disagree with that. American drones are now inflicting more killing in Somalia and also the Kenyans and Ethiopians had a great support from the United States. As you know in 2006... Somalia had a 16 year civil war... When the Islamic Courts came up they cleaned out all the warlords and all tribalisms and life came back... but who destroyed that?

Ethiopia received military support and financial support. Ethiopia couldn’t invade Somalia without the support of the United States of America. Now in 2010 they also supported the Kenyan invasion in Somalia. There is no coverage of the killing and the destruction of Somalia.

So if America wants to have a good relationship they should... you know, Somalia is not a sovereign country today. Kenya occupied and violated the sovereignty of Somalia since 2010.

Press TV: We’ve got a lot of issue, which we’ve already outlined that the government needs to look at, but a lot of people may not be aware of the existence of a little place called Somaliland.

Do you see Somaliland as a bit of a model for Somalia to look to for inspiration as to how they may go forward? First of all explain what Somaliland is for those who don’t know.

Yusuf: Somaliland is the north of Somalia, which was declared after the collapse of the central government in 1991.

But there are a lot of disagreement because Somalia are tribes and the cause of the problem for the last 22 years is the tribalism. And if we didn’t have that we would now have a functioning government.

But the problem is that unless the clans who live in that area unite and form a government called Somaliland, it would be very difficult. The majority of Somalians, we want to unite - as the United Kingdom always combined together.

Scotland wants to be independent from Britain, but still the British are saying we need to be united because of our economy and we are stronger. So we as Somalians we need to be united.

Press TV: So you mean to incorporate Somaliland into one big Somalia?

Yusuf: Absolutely. Another thing is for it to be Somali-led. We don’t want a foreign intervention anymore. If the Somalians led the international community, Somalians - patriots, we can build again our country because those previous problems are now fading away. Tribalism is, inshallah, fading away and this president is trying to combine the hearts and minds of all parts of Somalia.

But remember - 22 years of conflict - it devastated the land and the international community neglected Somalia including the United States. And the Arab Muslims, too. We don’t only blame the West, but Muslim countries as well. But mostly who we blame is Somalia. Now is the time that we must recognize that unless we help ourselves, no one is going to help.

Press TV: In terms of the practicalities of making this happen there is a huge expatriate community in the diaspora who’ve got some wonderful ideas, but the hard reality on the ground for Somalians in Somalia is: we are still dealing with poverty; there are still concerns about al-Shabab; there are issues of press freedom; the different tribal issues that you discussed...

So, what would you say to a Somalian in Somali right now? You have optimism, but they may say because you’re outside, fine for you.

Yusuf: I think it comes down to leadership. Somalia has lacked a leader for the last 20 years and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud looks like a new leader, optimistic, educated person and has come from a background of civil society and he is willing to listen.

I met him a few days ago, with the president himself, and we talked about how we’re going to change and how we’re going to solve all of these problems. We have talked about a lot of issues and he is ready to work with the diaspora and the people at home.

The first problem we need to fight is poverty. Secondly, peace and reconciliation among all Somalians. The third phase is to establish work, people have to be provided with jobs, employment. And these three things will destroy any difference among the community and all terrorism around the country. And the younger generation - we have more graduated Africans than any African country.

So now we are well-equipped in education, well-equipped in experience of difficulties so here is the time we want to change the hearts and minds of all tribalism. That’s why we call for Somalia unity, that’s why we want to work with the president with the community to support each other. Let Somalians support each other with the president and with the community so Somalia can come out of these difficulties.

We are ready to govern our lives, our future and that’s what we want for the next years to come. 

Somali army recruits to be trained in Somalia [501822938] | The Africa Report.com

Posted on Monday, 04 February 2013 16:11

Somali army recruits to be trained in Somalia

  

AT LEAST 3,000 SOMALI RECRUITS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN UGANDA SINCE 2010/PHOTO©REUTERS

Somalia will soon start training its military recruits in its own territory after years of them being trained in Uganda.

European Union head of delegation in Uganda, Roberto Ridolfi, said with effect from this year the training will be conducted in Somalia.

"The mission will progressively move to Mogadishu to have a greater impact on the security sector. The mission will also advise Somali authorities within the ministry of defence and contribute to capacity and institutional building" Ridolfi said.

At least 3,000 Somali recruits have been trained in Uganda since the exercise started in 2010.

The most recent batch of 551 Somali army recruits held a pass out parade last Friday evening at Bihanga military training school, 400 kilometres west of Ugandan capital, Kampala.

The new recruits have undergone an intensive training conducted by both the Uganda People's Defence Force and the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) and are expected to constitute part of the Somalia national army infantry, deployed to fight Al-Shabab insurgents.

They will be deployed in the field as soon as they get back to their home country.

Currently troops from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Ethiopia are fighting the Al Shabab in Somalia alongside the Somali army.

Somalia's Deputy Defence Minister, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud hailed the AMISOM troops in his country for restoring peace and stability in the country which has been in turmoil since 1992.

Read the original article on Theafricareport.com : Somali army recruits to be trained in Somalia [501822938] | The Africa Report.com 
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Ethiopia: British MP Denies UK funding the Notorious Liyuu Police Force

Somalilandsun - British MP responds to Guardian Report accusing the government of funding the Liyuu police force as misleading.

Lynne Featherstone MP said " Not a penny of British money will go to the Liyuu force. We take human rights extremely seriously and recognise that reform of the special police is critical for achieving a safe and secure Somali region. That's why we are discussing with UN partners how we might work together to improve the police's human rights record. This is something that Human Rights Watch has called for. The Peace and Development programme as a whole will help over 300,000 people get access to safe, clean water, give thousands of young people an education and help 700,000 people get a job and earn an income. This is in addition to the hundreds of thousands of people who will receive better access to justice and security. The Somali region of Ethiopia is one of the most deprived areas in the country. This programme is intended to create the conditions they need to lift themselves out of poverty. "

Lynne Featherstone MP is the International development minister

Ethiopia, Kenya decided to takeover Somalia

---

Mareeg.com-In implementing their recently concluded regional security cooperation agreement and reaffirming their indefinite military occupation of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya have decided to takeover and perhaps later annex Somalia under the cover of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).  Since only Ethiopia exercises uncontested power within the Organization, on December 6, 2012, IGAD Joint Committee of Ethiopia and Kenya under the auspices of former Kenyan Minister, Mr. Kipruto Arap Kirwa, IGAD Facilitator for Somalia Peace and Reconciliation (IFSPR), issued a statement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Grand Stabilization plan (GSP) for South and Central Somalia.

As explained in the prerelease statement, the GSP covers political reconciliation, local administration, national security, rule of law, and delivery of necessary assistance to communities in need. In addition to Ethiopia and Kenya, a Somali team liaised with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia and led by former head of the Somali National Security Services (SNSS), General Mohamed Sheikh Hassan attended the IGAD Joint Committee deliberations in Addis Ababa. It is not clear if the new federal government had full knowledge of the team’s existence, working responsibilities and accountability.

The Office of IFSPR is independent from IGAD’s Secretariat. The IGAD Facilitator is based in Addis Ababa, while the IGAD Secretariat is based in Djibouti. For further background information, on April 28, 2010, aMemorandum of Understanding on Somalia has been signed among AMISOM, UNPOS, and IGAD Facilitator. This tripartite MoU marginalizes IGAD Executive Secretary, Inj. Mahboub Maalim who is of a Somali-Kenyan origin from Somalia peace process.

The new IGAD Joint Committee initiative takes place while the international community- the donor countries, the United Nations, the Arab league, the Organization of Islamic Countries and the African Union are reviewing their strategic cooperation with the newly elected post transitional federal government in the light of the decisions reached during the Mini Summit held in New York in September 2012. Furthermore, it comes out after the first official visit of the president of the federal government, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Ethiopia and Djibouti and in the midst of his official visit to Turkey with which the federal government has signed important economic and security agreements.

Fortunately with unblinking honesty, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG), Peter de Clercq published a brief titled “What next for the United Nations in Somalia?” in the Tumblr blog of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in which he highlighted the ongoing strategic review process dictated by the new political dispensation. While reading the brief is more informative, the DSRGS made the following critical points:

5. That the federal Government has sought UN and AU support for rebuilding the security apparatus (national army and police force), rebuilding a credible judiciary system, implementing a decentralization and local/regional administrations as well as undertaking a comprehensive capacity building of Somali Institutions;
5. That the UN has committed to align itself along the “six pillars” plan announced by the President of Somalia and the new UN mission will concentrate on state and peace building. He quoted President Hassan Mohamud saying to the UN Review Mission: “If you don’t start treating us as a viable State, we will never become one.”
5. Finally that the ambitions of the new administration match the challenges ahead and that the administration has asked a space to think through and implement the new strategy laid out by the president in his “six pillars” strategy.

It is absolutely buoyant to see that an official of UNPOS is capable to voice such a rightful and honest statement in opportune time so that the end of transition would not be a farce. The DSRSG argued forcefully that “peace building is a complex business, but not giving this important [Somali] initiative a chance brings even bigger risks.” Time will tell if his views are embraced wholeheartedly and implemented without delay by his leaders. 

Rather than reinforcing the message of his deputy and five days before the signing of the MoU in Nairobi, Kenya planned for December 13, 2012, the SRGS, Dr. Augustine Mahiga, issued a statement  in which he welcomed the IGAD Facilitator Initiative for Somalia. The assertion that the new initiative is a Somali-owned, led process is far from the truth.

The content of MoU raises many questions and concerns. It consists of a preamble and 9 articles. The preamble stresses the threat of terrorism, threats of State, human insecurities, other emerging security concerns, commitment of government of Somalia to work within IGAD’s framework and stabilization, and the “required partnership engagement” for greater stability in Somalia. Article 5 of the MoU overrides and restricts the constitutional, political and administrative responsibilities, prerogative and citizens’ relationship of the Somali Government.

First and foremost, the MoU delegitimizes the federal government and pre-empts its sovereign leadership role in the internal and external affairs of Somalia. It attempts to completely abort the prospect of the international efforts geared towards statebuilding and peacebuilding in Somalia. It is takeover, not support of Somalia. Above all, it ignores the political arrangement created by the adoption of the provisional constitution, the ending of the transitional period and the rehabilitation of Somali State in accordance with the political platform announced by the new Government.

Other glaring shortcomings of the MoU include the exclusion of Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Burundi, and the empowerment of IGAD Facilitator over UN/AU Facilitators. The MoU creates multiple overlaps and weakens the centrally guided and coordinated implementation of the approved Somali National Security and Stabilization Plan (NSSP), which outlines in detail the establishment of complex structures at national, regional and district levels and the legislations required to create a secure and safer Somalia. These tasks fall under the jurisdiction of the President, Federal Parliament and the Council of Ministers.

During his first visit to Kenya in November 2012, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia stated that his country views Kenya as a strategic all-weather partner and friend in a troubled region. He also defended Kenya’s direct control of the process for setting up administrations in Jubba and Gedo regions in violation of Somali sovereignty, provisional constitution and UN resolutions.

It is interesting to see if the international community and the United Nations are willing to go along with the Ethiopian and Kenyan takeover of Somalia in violation of the latter’s independent self-governance and political transformation. The Ethiopian bid to secure its regional power role at a time of state failure, civil conflicts and undemocratic regimes in power could be potentially a destabilizing factor rather than a stabilizing power in the region.

As a matter of urgency, the federal government has to streamline its strategic dealing with the international community, develop and practice protocols and procedures for uprooting its internal dysfunctional behavior and creating disciplined working habit that will strengthen its decision making and execution process. The basis of this reform must be the development of a national political platform that will boost national loyalty to a clear domestic and foreign policy agenda. In a nutshell, to diminish the unwarranted external influences and interferences, the federal government must act quickly by mobilizing the public awareness on citizenship, sense of patriotism, justice, social harmony and common interests.

Mr. Mohamud M Uluso

mohamuduluso@gmail.com

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The Horn of Africa: rebuilding or in meltdown? | beyondbrics

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2012/12/11/the-horn-of-africa-rebuilding-or-in-meltdown/#ixzz2EqUm8JvY

There could hardly be a more poignant or devastating reminder of divisive instability that has spread throughout the Horn of Africa.

On Monday, I moderated a discussion panel on how arts and literature can help rebuild society in the Horn of Africa. But I shouldn’t have been there at all.

Yusuf Hassan, the intended moderator and a Kenyan MP of Somali descent, was absent because of a stark symbol, not of society rebuilding itself, but of society in meltdown: a bomb attack.

The parliamentarian was injured by shrapnel from an explosion in his Kamukunji constituency in Eastleigh, a largely Somali community in Nairobi, on Friday evening. A boy who had come up to greet him was killed instantly, among five who died. It was the second blast in three days.

Kenya’s only Nairobi MP of Somali descent, who has regularly spoken out against the al-Shabaab jihadis who control some of central Somalia, Hassan says he doesn’t know if he was the intended target of the attack.

“In the case of Eastleigh we had no idea maybe a year ago we’d be affected by some of the problems that affect people from the Horn of Africa. Many of these people have fled war, they came here for sanctuary,” he said from his hospital bed. Both his legs are fractured; his right ankle is almost severed.

“It appears the attempt is to create discord and conflict. These communities [in Eastleigh] have lived side by side for over a century,” he said of relations between Somalis and non-Somalis who commute into the city each day for work.

Somalis have become accustomed to fatal tumult in more than 20 years of instability and war. A recent return to fragments of stability as the threat of al-Shabaab ebbs may not be enough.

Ayan Mahamoud

“We have a state but we don’t have a nation,” said Ayan Mahamoud, managing director of KAYD Somali Arts and Culture, which helps put on the Hargeisa International Book Fair. She was among the panelists co-hosted by Kwani Trust, a Kenyan literary network, and the Nairobi forum, a research body managed by the Rift Valley Institute, discussing how arts and literature can help in societal reconstruction.

Hadraawi, speaking from the audience

“Poets are more important than politicians in Somalia,” she said, pointing to audience member and poet Hadraawi, famed as the Somali Shakespeare and hailed for helping to bring down the dictatorship of Siad Barre in 1991. He was imprisoned for his popular criticism for five years in the mid-1970s and later joined the opposition in exile.

Hassan, whose father was a social historian, said poetry had always had great power throughout the Horn and played a big role both in war and reconciliation. “Every poem has a role in society for peace and reconciliation after a devastating war – usually used to send a signal of peace to the other side,” he said.

The discussion is part of a week-long event, Conversations with Writers from the Horn, part of the biennial Kwani? Litfest. While Kenya’s art scene thrives, participants from other countries experience first-hand the depravities, indignities and fear of being threatened for their work.

Eighteen media figures have been killed in Somalia this year, many of whom spoke out against al-Shabaab. Panellist Meaza Worku confines her work in Ethiopia to the realm of social ills – comic books to combat HIV, radio plays to combat sexism – but dares not drift into politics. Many more write from exile.

Ayan Mahamoud, Joseph Eluzai and Katrina Manson.

Joseph Eluzai, South Sudanese short story writer and panellist, heard the shot that last week killed fellow writer, critic and columnist Isaiah Abraham outside his Juba home. Abraham, pen name for Diing Chan Awuol, regularly criticised government corruption in his writings.

Little more than a year after words from one of Eluzai’s poems were incorporated into the world’s newest national anthem, when South Sudan arrived on the map in July 2011, he is disheartened by the direction of his country’s independence project.

“The space for expression is being narrowed down to pro-government,” says Eluzai.

Photos by Paul Munene/Kwani

AMISOM Somali troops capture Islamist stronghold Jowhar

African Union, Somali troops capture Islamist stronghold

By by Peter Martell (AFP) – 1 hour ago  

NAIROBI — African Union troops and Somali forces seized the formerly Islamist-held town of Jowhar Sunday, wresting control of one of the largest remaining towns held by the Al-Qaeda linked Shebab, officials said.

"We took control this morning and are now establishing security in Jowhar," Colonel Ali Houmed, a spokesman for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), told AFP.

"AMISOM troops alongside Somali National Forces entered the town, there was little fighting as the Shebab largely fled ahead of us."

The loss of Jowhar is a significant blow to the Shebab, who have lost a string of towns in recent months to the 17,000-strong AMISOM force, as well as to Ethiopian troops who invaded Somalia last year from the west.

Shebab spokesman Abdiaziz Abu Musab confirmed to AFP that the extremist forces had pulled out of the town, which lies some 90 kilometres (55 miles) north on a key road from the capital Mogadishu.

"We have withdrawn our troops from Jowhar for strategic reasons," Abu Musab said, adding that the forces had pulled out without suffering any casualties and remained "close by" to the town.

"We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar," he added.

Jowhar, the regional capital of Middle Shabelle region, had been under the Islamists' control since 2009, after Ethiopian troops in a US-backed invasion pulled out in the face of a bloody insurgency.

Its capture brings a step closer the prospect of AU troops pushing northwards being able to link up with Ethiopian soldiers ahead in the Hiraan region.

Shebab fighters are on the back foot, with AU troops also battling to open up the road northwest from Mogadishu to link the capital with Baidoa, which is held by Ethiopian soldiers.

The fighters have largely retreated ahead of each assault, with some reportedly relocating to the Galgala region of the northern Golis mountains in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region.

The Golis mountains, straddling the porous border between the autonomous state of Puntland and self-declared independent Somaliland, are honeycombed with caves and difficult to access.

The northern mountains have been under longtime control of warlord, arms dealer and Shebab ally Mohamed Said Atom, on UN Security Council sanctions for "kidnapping, piracy and terrorism."

Kenyan troops -- who invaded Somalia a year ago before later integrating into AMISOM -- have also pushed up from the south, and seized the Shebab bastion and major port of Kismayo in September.

But the Shebab remain a potent threat, still controlling rural areas as well as carrying out guerrilla attacks -- including suicide bombings -- in areas apparently under government control.

The Shebab, who abandoned fixed positions in the war-torn capital Mogadishu last year, have also carried out a series of guerrilla attacks there.

The hardline insurgents still control the small port town of Barawe, lying some 180 kilometres south from the capital.

Somalia has been in political chaos and deprived of an effective central government since the fall of President Siad Barre in 1991.

However, a new administration took office in September, ending eight years of transitional rule by a corruption-riddled government.

Over a million Somalis are displaced inside the country while over a million are refugees in neighbouring nations, according to UN figures.

The United Nations this month appealed for $1.3 billion to support 3.8 million people -- about half the population of the war-torn country -- it said are in need.

In 2011, famine in the country caused by extreme drought exacerbated by conflict caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and affected more than four million people, according to the UN.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

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