Friday, September 07, 2012
Despite the latest military successes being witnessed in Somalia, security forces particularly in the strife torn capital Mogadishu are finding it hard to maintain its security.
The Al-Shabaab fighters continue to launch spontaneous guerrilla attacks prompting the security forces to launch an all-out security operation that saw close to 400 youngsters apprehended in an early Wednesday morning swoop.
Sporadic gunfire was heard in Mogadishu on Wednesday night in some of the districts in the capital after days of calm. Security official in Mogadishu however say that the search operations will continue until the remnants of Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu are completely eliminated.
The head of Mogadishu intelligence cautioned the locals that they risk being arrested if found engaging in activities that cause insecurity in Mogadishu. 44 of the 400 arrested were charged with being Al-Shabaab accomplices in Mogadishu.
The security swoop comes days after Somali government and the African Union troops recently seized town as far as 90 kilometers out of the capital from the Al-Shabaab who have been on the back foot in the past year.
Somali and AU troops were deployed earlier on Wednesday in Elma’an port about 40km North East of Mogadishu as the force continues to secure more territory from Al-Shabaab under the operation code named ‘‘ Free Shabelle’’.
Under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) banner, the recently introduced AMISOM police for the first time took part in the security operation aimed at improving the general security state of the capital.
This security operation comes in the wake of heightened security ahead of the much anticipated September 10th presidential election that will see Somali MPs elect a new president.
Similar crackdowns of this nature had been carried out in the past but today's dawn crackdown incorporated for the first time by the recently introduced AMISOM police.
Somali Security officers are of the view that this door to door search and seize operation will continue throughout the entire 16 districts of Mogadishu.
Source: PressTV