Somali troops move into Mogadishu as rebels pull out

African Union peacekeepers and soldiers hold famine-hit capital, but insurgents insist withdrawal is just a change in tactics Somali government soldiers and African Union (AU) peacekeepers have moved tentatively to secure former rebel-held areas in Mogadishu, a day after al-Shabaab insurgents announced a retreat from the city. Supported by armoured vehicles and tanks, the troops encountered sporadic resistance, and at least once soldier was killed in a gun battle. But reports from Mogadishu suggested that the vast majority of the Islamist fighters had left the city – or gone underground. The retreat by the rebels, who still control most of famine-struck southern Somalia, took many people by surprise. An al-Shabaab spokesman, Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage, told local radio on Saturday that the move was “a change in tactics” . But analysts have suggested it is a sign of the increased weakness and divisions in the Islamist ranks that stem from rebels’ handling of the famine gripping the country, as well as a shortage of cash. Some hardline leaders have tried to play down the humanitarian crisis in Somalia and refused to admit lifesaving aid organisations, including the World Food Programme. Tens of thousands of Somalis have died this year of hunger-related causes, according to the UN, and 3.7 million people need urgent food aid. Most are in rebel-held areas. The transitional federal government, which has little credibility among Somalis and little to celebrate in recent years, called the insurgents’ withdrawal “a tremendous step forward”. The rebels have controlled most of Mogadishu for several years after emerging from the ashes of a moderate Islamist group that was destroyed by the invading Ethiopian army in late 2006. Following the Ethiopian pullout two years later, only 9,000 AU peacekeepers prevented al-Shabaab from taking over the entire capital – and perhaps the country. The retreat from Mogadishu followed a strong AU offensive over the past fortnight that saw the rebels lose significant ground, including control of Bakara market, a key source of “tax” revenue. But while it is a boost for the government, it does not equal victory over the rebels. The al-Shabaab insurgents proved extremely adept at guerilla warfare during the Ethiopian occupation, and have carried out countless roadside bomb attacks, suicide missions and assassinations. The rebel leaders may have decided to return to this style of conflict, rather than trying to hold ground against the better-armed peacekeepers. Somalia’s prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, said the government’s priority was to secure areas abandoned by the rebels in Mogadishu, and assess the needs of the population. Parts of the capital hosting large numbers of people who fled hunger in the countryside were declared famine zones last week. Four other areas in southern Somalia – two of them entire regions – are also experiencing famine conditions, the UN says. Ali said the al-Shabaab pullout would give the international community “the necessary confidence and assurance” to increase the aid effort in Mogadishu. But humanitarian workers are likely to be cautious owing to the weakness of the government as well as the insurgents’ brutally effective track record. The rebel cause has attracted global jihadists who were invited in by some of the top al-Shabaab leaders who hail from the breakaway northern region of Somaliland, rather than southern Somalia where the group is based. It is these al-Qaida-linked leaders that have opposed the international aid effort. But another section of al-Shabaab’s leadership is from southern Somalia, and is much closer to the local people. The rift between the two groups is believed to have widened as the drought turned into a famine. Somalia African Union Famine Xan Rice guardian.co.uk

Posted by on August 7, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.