Revolutionary Voice

Kismayo, a port in southern Somalia and the last Islamist stronghold in the nation, has been fled by the militia upon combined forces of Ethiopian troops and fighters loyal to the current Somalian government. Kenya has strengthened it’s border with Somalia to prevent a snowball effect rolling in from the north. No one wants this military action to spread across the continent of Africa and provoke international conflicts.

The expulsion of the Islamist militia, a part of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), will unlikely stop the fighting and their influence through a predominantly Muslim nation. The African Union has been asked to support this maneuver and help keep peace within the African Community. A reported 30,000 displaced people and many casualties have turned the international eye upon Somalia.

BBC reports:
An Islamic commander, Sheikh Yaqub Ishak, confirmed his forces had left Kismayo, but said they would not “stop fighting the Ethiopian invader”. The Islamists have rejected offers of talks with the government, saying Ethiopia must withdraw its forces first.

Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told the BBC that his country was ready to commit 1,000 troops as part of an African regional peace-keeping force, with a mandate to protect the government and help train troops.

Map courtesy of usaid.gov