Islamist Rebels under Attack in Somalia
African Union and Somali government troops battled Shebab rebels in the anarchic capital Mogadishu Thursday, as Kenyan troops in the south continued their assault on Islamist positions there.
Heavy fighting broke out before dawn in Mogadishu as AU-backed Somali forces advanced on holdout Islamist Shebab positions, officials and witnesses said.
"We are moving towards the final strongholds of the terrorist militants, and we hope we will be taking control of the whole city soon," Ibrahim Abdalla, a Somali security officer told Agence France Presse.
The fighting was centered in the northwest Deynile suburb, a remaining pocket still held by the al-Qaida linked militants in war-torn Mogadishu.
"Our forces are now in control of most parts in Deynile, where they attacked this morning," he added.
African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) troops and government forces have been pushing into remaining rebel areas in Mogadishu, after the bulk of the Shebab abandoned fixed positions in August.
"We have no casualties on our side except two soldiers who were slightly injured, but the enemy left several of their dead bodies," Abdalla said.
"We are moving forward until we eliminate them completely."
Despite largely withdrawing from the capital, the Shebab still control large swathes of southern and central Somalia, and remain a serious security threat to the city.
Shebab fighters in southern Somalia are also facing assaults from Kenyan troops and tanks backed by air strikes since Nairobi declared war on the insurgents and confirmed it had moved its forces across into Somalia on Sunday.
Kenya's military said Wednesday that its troops were based some 100 kilometers (60 miles) into Somalia, as they prepared to push forward to seize the town of Afmadow, where Somali government forces were already fighting.
But Nairobi's unprecedented military incursion into Somalia, which it said had already killed dozens of Shebab fighters, triggered warnings of bloody retaliation by a top Shebab leader.
The Shebab deny involvement in a spate of abductions from Kenya, including that of a French woman who died in captivity, that Nairobi says prompted its attack on the militants.
Kenya issued warnings Thursday of heightened security during a national holiday for independence heroes, with top leaders expected to attend a military parade at the main football stadium in Nairobi.
In Somalia, a string of suicide bombs have been set off in the capital since the Shebab said it was abandoning face-to-face battles against AU and government troops, and switching to guerrilla tactics in the city instead.
A suicide bomber died late Wednesday after his explosive belt detonated before he reached his target, near south Mogadishu's busy Banadir road junction, Somali government security officials said.
"His plans backfired and killed him," said security official Mohamed Afrah, adding that the young man had been wearing a "suicide belt."
"We don't know what he was planning to target, but he blew up near a humanitarian organization," he added.
"The bottom half of his body is there this morning", said Hassan Muktar, a witness.
Earlier this month, a suicide bomber exploded a truck laden with explosives killing at least 82 people and wounding many more.
Witnesses said civilians were wounded in the crossfire Thursday as AU tanks and troops pushed into the Shebab-held positions before dawn.
"The fighting started early in the morning while people were still sleeping, and nobody had the chance to evacuate," Muhidin Ali, a resident in the area said.
"Many families are trapped amid the clashes, and I saw at least four civilians injured in the crossfire."
Source: Agence France Presse
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