AMISOM launches fresh assault to liberate Somalia

By Joshua Kato and agencies       
   
The African Union Forces (AMISOM) contingent in Beledweyne town, the central Somalia region of Hiiraan on Sunday launched a fresh assault to clear the remnants of the militant groups from the region.

This is an area under the Djibouti contingent.  Djibouti has got 800 soldiers under AMISOM. The other troop contributing countries are Uganda with 6,700 troops, Burundi with 4,400, Kenya with 4,700 plus Sierra-leone that has 1,000 soldiers.

Col. Osman Dubbad, the commander of the Djibouti forces in central Somalia said a joint force from AMISOM and the federal government of Somalia liberated new locations in the region following morning operation on Sunday.

“Our forces launched new operations to fight against the remnants of those anti-peace elements in this region.” Col. Dubbad told the media in Beledweyne later on Sunday.  Last week, the AMISOM contingent was attacked by the militants however it is not clear if the offensive is in reaction to these attacks.

“We have now two new locations namely Baardheere and Raangaab. These two areas were previously one of Al Shabaab’s main bases in the region.” he added.

According to Hiiraan police commissioner the joint forces did not encounter any resistance from al Shabaab as they have moved from Beledweyne, the region’s capital where more than 20 people- mostly members of Somali Police Force were killed in a deadly suicide attack claimed by al Shabab last week. Hiiraan lies in the north-west of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
“This is an operation meant to dismantle the terrorist group attacking the big cities.” the police commissioner Isaq Abdulle said.

Although Al shabaab have been beaten from most of the major towns in Somalia, they still control the key port town of Baraawe in the south and vast areas in the central of the country.

Two weeks ago, the United Nations (UN), the funders of AMISOM, authorized the deployment of 4,400 more troops under AMISOM in order to enhance offensive operations to capture the entire country from the militants. If the extra number is deployed, it will raise the total number of troops under AMISOM to 22,000.