Sunday, October 24, 2010
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Hundreds of people on Saturday held rally in Mogadishu to protest against the continuing deadly Islamist insurgency and call for peaceful resolution of the conflict in the war-torn country.The protestors carried banners and placards with slogans criticizing Islamist insurgents and calling for an end to continued violence in Somalia.
The rally held at the Somali government controlled part of Mogadishu was organized by the city's local government and was attended by senior Somali government officials.
In a statement the Somali government said that the residents of the capital rallied to "show their anger and frustration against the ongoing atrocities by the militant groups, in one of the largest demonstrations in recent years."
Islamist groups have been waging a three-year insurgency against the internationally recognized Somali government which now controls only parts of Mogadishu.
Speaking at the rally, Somalia's acting Minister for the Interior, Sheikh Abdelkadir Ali Omar, called on the public to support the efforts by the security forces in bring stability to the war ravaged country. "Everyone has a role in bringing peace to the country. The security forces can do little if people do not work with them. We, therefore, ask the public to boldly take their role," the minister told the rally.
Islamist groups who control much of south and centre of Somalia have previously refused to negotiate with Somali government officials vowing to topple it and establish an Islamic State in the horn of Africa country.
Somalia has not had a strong central government for the past two decades when chaos and violence raged triggering piracy and Islamist militancy in the country.
Source: Xinhua