Somali Islamists Driven Out Of Kismayo Port

Somalia’s violent Islamist movement has been driven out of its headquarters in the southern port city of Kismayo.

It was the first amphibious assault by African troops since independence in the 1960s.

A Kenyan task force bombarded Kismayo then landed troops from seven ships, locals said. They then battled the al Shabab which rushed troops to the city’s port and its beaches three miles to the north.

Joined by Somali government troops, the Kenyans squeezed al Shabab from the north and with an attack from the south - which had followed months of painstaking operations - Kenyan forces inched forward against the Islamists, who claim allegiance to al Qaeda.

Kenyan military spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna said: "We came from the beach side and we're moving towards the main city. Our surveillance aircraft are monitoring every event taking place on the ground.

"For now, we're not everywhere. We've taken a large part of it without resistance. I don't see anything major happening," he added.

Kismayo is the most important strategic asset held by al Shabab. It has been the centre of its economic operations since it was driven from Mogadishu a year ago.

The natural port has been a money spinner by exporting charcoal and importing diesel which is then smuggled throughout east Africa. It has also been the only route for the importation of weapons by the radical Islamist group.

Samantha Lewthwaite, 28, the British wife of 7/7 bomber Jermain Lindsay, is believed to have fled to Kismayo after she was allegedly involved in a bomb plot in Kenya’s second city, Mombasa.

Kenyan police issued an arrest warrant for the mother of three soon after they uncovered the alleged plot last December.

Al Shabab had its roots in the Islamic Courts Union government which was established in Mogadishu after almost two decades of chaos and mayhem caused by warlords in Somalia.

The courts fell foul of the US which encouraged Ethiopia to drive it from power in 2007.

Extremists in the movement formed al Shabab and began reaching out to terrorist organisations around the world for support while conservative members of the courts eventually joined the transitional government. Its troops have joined the battle for Kismayo.

British staff officers have been involved in the planning of African Union operations alongside the Somali government in Mogadishu.

Their deployment to the region follows widespread concern that al Shabab had established al Qaeda-style training camps for Somalis based in the west, especially in the UK.

About 200 foreign fighters, of whom 50 are believed to be British, are reported to have joined al Shabab, western intelligence agencies have said.

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Kenyan Troops Storm Somali Militant Stronghold

By: Gabe Joselow

Kenya’s Defense Force says its troops took control of parts of the Somali port city of Kismayo Friday in a pre-dawn attack from the land, air and sea. The long-awaited operation is targeting the last major stronghold of the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab.

Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) launched the assault around 2:00 am local time from the Kismayo coast in coordination with Somali forces and the African Union peacekeeping force known as AMISOM.

KDF spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna says Kenyan soldiers secured the northern part of the town with little resistance from al-Shabab. “Since our troops got there early in the morning there have been no ground engagements -- serious ones -- there have been air strikes in key locations of the city to target strategic al-Shabab logistic bases,” he said.

Oguna said the militants still control the southern sector of the city, but he expects their fighters to disperse as troops close in. “We expect some of the members of al-Shabab to disappear into the local communities -- the junior commanders -- the key leaders will probably just leave and flee to other parts,” he added.

Two witnesses say the militants have mounted machine guns on the town's tallest buildings.

The Somali militia group Raskamboni is fighting on the side of the pro-government forces. The group's leader, Ahmed Madobe, told VOA that "we hope to take over the city within the coming hours." 

He noted, however, that al-Shabab relied economically on Kismayo and may fight to prolong its control.

Al-Shabab said in a series of Twitter messages Friday that it remained in control of Kismayo and had destroyed three Kenyan armored personnel carriers.

A witness in Kismayo said al-Shabab clerics urged residents during Friday sermons to stay and fight against the incoming forces.

He also said Kenyan ships have been shelling the city from the sea and that some civilians have been injured in the fighting.

The United Nations refugee agency reported Friday that about 12,000 people left Kismayo in the past month, in some cases to avoid forced recruitment by al-Shabab.

KDF spokesman Oguna said a humanitarian corridor is being provided for civilians who choose to flee, but some residents say the roads have been blocked.

Kenya has been vowing to take control of Kismayo since it first sent troops into neighboring Somalia in October last year, following a spate of cross-border attacks blamed on Somali militants.

Al-Shabab has used the town’s seaport to bring in weapons and other supplies to support their battle against the Somali government.

Kenyan forces were incorporated into the AMISOM peacekeeping mission in June, though Kenyan naval forces continue to operate independently.

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Kenya bomb Somali town from sea and air

Unknown warships off the Somali coast bombarded Somalia’s southern port city of Kismayo, 500 Km south of Mogadishu, Somali capital on Wednesday afternoon, forcing local residents to flee, reports said.

Kismayo residents, who requested anonymity, told the Media station in Mogadishu via telephone that the warships shelled villages in the heart of the rebel-held town on Wednesday,

“Missiles fired from unidentified warships are raining down into the town, we run to the concrete buildings, to save our selves and avoid casualties—the situation is very tense everybody is fearful,” another resident said.saying it was an apparent strike on Islamist militants’ bases.

Some news accounts quoted locals as saying that at least one person was killed and another has been seriously injured in the naval shelling.

No government has yet said it carried out the attack.

Kismayo, a key town and the largest town controlled by Al shabab that is located near the Indian Ocean on the southern tip of Somalia

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Somali President speech on the UN Mini-Summit on Somalia

Ladies and Gentlemen

Mareeg.com-I am humbled and feel privileged to be given this opportunity to join you through the use of technology and make my statement from Mogadishu. I am both proud and happy to address you.

Allow me to present my compliments to you and I regret to say that, I couldn’t make it to be with you physically New York due to prevailing circumstance in the transition of authority and wider consultation with parliamentarians and various stakeholders in this historic time of our nation. However, I have sent a high level delegation, led by the Prime Minister.

Ladies and Gentlemen

This is a very important occasion. As I address you, our resolve to build a new Somalia is underway and further strengthened afresh. I must warmly convey my gratitude to UN, African, Arab League, European Union, United States, OIC as well as all others that, in a way or another, stood beside us in our difficult times. I extend on behalf of the Somali people and on my own behalf, the deepest gratitude to all nations, forces, and international organizations and personalities who supported us in the darkest times of our nation all along the way in the past decades.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

After the end of the long transition period and the rebirth of the third Republic:

Federal Republic of Somalia as well as the election and the smooth power transfer that followed, Somalia has re-attained its distinguished position in the world community and has assumed its responsibilities both in the national and in the international fields, thus earning the support and esteem of the entire human family.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In my capacity as the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, I proclaim before you that, my administration for the coming years will be characterized by the new approach I proposed in my vision – THE FOUNDATIONS OF A NEW BEGINNING- a six-pillar policy framework that I deem to be essential to the realization of the priority issues aimed at salvaging Somalia.

The forthcoming Prime Minister, whom I intend to appoint soon, will set up and lead a competent Federal government with functional institutions that are capable of delivering

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socio- economic recovery in the country,. The administration, as a whole, will give priority to the promotion of sustainable peace, political dialogue and economic development through justice, democracy and unity where the rule of law and good governance guide the activities of the government.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for organizing this timely Mini-Summit on Somalia. Today, you are there to define priorities for peace building and stabilization in Somalia by launching a high level dialogue between representatives of the international community and the new Somali leadership on the new Government’s priorities with special emphasis on Rule of law, Economy Recovery and Service Delivery.

The most important intervention is to ensure a coherent approach for international assistance in support of a Somali-led plan of action, including timelines for a donor conference; to commit to supporting AMISOM beyond 2012; as well as to enhance efforts to rebuild the Somali security institutions. The theme you are deliberating on is

"From Transition to Transformation: the New Agenda for Somalia" which comes barely two weeks after my election and months after London and Istanbul conferences. I hope the Somali delegation at the Mini-Summit will seize this opportunity to align our home-grown priorities with our international partners in the provision of funding for the state-building projects.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In my capacity as the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, I proclaim before you that I am embarking on my mission, with a new approach, by doing things differently to lay strong foundations for building reliable and functioning state institution.

To change this situation with the new approach, our priorities will remain in:

1- Creating an enabling environment for full stability, rule of law and good governance. With credible justice system.

2- Re-building national economy that focus to restore decent livelihoods for the Somali population.

3- Peace-Building with comprehensive reconciliation of all levels with emphasis on social integration for Somali refugees and IDPs.

4- Strengthening International Relations with the aim of recovering national image through effective relationship with the region and the world at large.

5- Encouraging national unity using dialogue as vehicle for a united Somalia.

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Kenyan Navy Vows More Attacks in Kismayo

Kenyan military spokesman Cyrus Oguna said that Kenyan navy and ground forces will not stop launching assaults in southern Somalia until they seize Kismayo, the rebels' last key bastion.

Kenyan military spokesman Cyrus Oguna said the Kenyan navy shelled rebel gun placements on the jetty at Kismayu on Wednesday morning, after fighter jets launched air strikes on a warehouse and armoury near the airport on Tuesday.

"It is what we call shaping up operations for the eventual attack on Kismayu. The attack by ground forces is not yet (on). What we hit yesterday are targets we have been mapping for some time," Oguna told Media.

Local residents confirmed both the airstrikes and the shelling. Oguna said there were no immediate details of any casualties.

"We have information that there were a lot of explosions after the warehouse was hit and the armoury as well so these were basically munitions and guns, mainly machine guns and anti aircraft guns," he said.

Kenya sent its troops into Somalia last October after the rebels were blamed for carrying out a series of raids on Kenyan soil targeting its security forces as well as western tourists.

The Kenyans, who are expected to lead the assault on Kismayu, are now within 40-50 km (24-30 miles) of the port city at Jana Cabdallah. "As and when the time is right, they will begin to march towards Kismayu," Oguna said.

Somalia has made progress in the past year in battling the militants who had taken control of large swathes of south-central Somalia from 2007.

The Horn of Africa country elected a new president earlier this month, but still faces security challenges, mainly bomb attacks carried out by al Shabab.

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