The war in Somalia has not ended, and will not end anytime soon. It is beginning to look like Iraq for the UIC that was just run out of the country by Ethiopian troops and the Somalian government is bend on revenge. They declare they will not give up and will die to take Somalia back. They are now influenced by the Al-Queda and are planning guerilla attacks in Mogadishu. Over 2000 Islamist guerilla troops are believed to reside in the capital city. The Somali Islamists have been educted by the Al-Queda to fight like terrorits – car bombs, suicide bombings, etc will now develop in Somalia. This will be another Iraq.
The original story.
Ban Ki-Moon, a 62-year-old native of South Korea, has been en stated the successor of Kofi Annan of Ghana this week. He started off by promising attention to Sudan, which has been experiencing a crisis in the Darfur region. Escalating violence and human rights abuse is a major issue on the agenda which the former Kofi Annan began to solve. We will see how this new Secretary-General proves he is the man for the job by the way he handles the ethnic violence in Darfur.
Ban has also stated he will meet with the African Union and help keep an eye on the current situation with Ethiopia and Somalia. Talks to support the 7,000 AU troops in Darfur with UN peace-keeping troops have been engaged.
On North Korea, Ban has stated it is a top priority. He’s been making some sort of diplomacy with South Korea’s foreign minister to limit his nuclear ambitions. The only challenges that stand in the way are international support. The UN cannot be run by one man or one country alone. It must be a common goal sought by all in order to be swiftly tackled successfully.
Photo courtesy of Reuters
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
Somali Islamists are actively driven out of Somalia by a coalition of Ethiopian soldiers and the transitional Somali government. Kismayo, a Somalian port, is reportedly the last Islamic-held strong point after the capital, Mogadishu, was surrendered on December 28th.
3,000 Islamist fighters are reportedly on full defense in Kismayo and are prepared to fight. Ethiopian troops and artillery are advancing towards the port with a Somali government army ready to expel the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) from the east African nation.
Baidoa, the city in which the current weak government is fortified, has been reported threatened by the Islamic militia. The UIC claim the militia’s purpose to invading Mogadishu was only to restore order. They seemingly did so, by driving out many of the capital’s warlords and pacifying clans since June. This was a feet the UN and the US failed to achieve in the early 90’s amidst UN relief efforts.
This seems to be a battle for control of Somalia. Most of Somalia is already Muslim and doesn’t seem to mind UIC help and support. But is the UIC harboring terrorists like Ethiopia claims, or are they trying to pacify the land of Allah?
Photo courtesy of BBC and Associated Press
