Mogadishu — Al-Shabaab, the strongest radical Islamist group opposing the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia has invited Islamists everywhere to act against the diplomatic missions of Uganda and Burundi.
"We urge our brothers from Chechnya, Pakistan, Afghanistan and from anywhere around the world to attack the diplomatic missions of Uganda and Burundi," said Sheikh Abu Mansur, an Al-Shabaab leader.
The call came at a rally in Mogadishu by the group to seek public support. The event took place at Maslah Compound in the northern suburbs of the Somali capital.
According to Al-Shabaab officials, the rally was meant to demonstrate public support towards the movement's latest attacks on the positions held by the government forces and by the peacekeepers serving the African Union Mission in Somalia, Amisom.
Businesses in the western neighbourhoods of Mogadishu were closed for many people to join the rally. The place was completely secured by Al-Shabaab militants and the Islamist leaders who declared their rejection of the presence of the Amisom peacekeepers in Somalia.
Relevant Links
Several battalions from Uganda and Burundi numbering 6,133 are in Mogadishu to protect vital government installations including the port, airport and Villa Somalia, the state house in the capital.
Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali Abu Mansur, the former spokesman of Al-Shabaab told the gathering that jihadists (holy warriors) were getting the upper hand in the battle fields in Mogadishu.
The sheikh stated that if government soldiers defected and joined Al-Shabaab they would enjoy guaranteed security.
Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment
at this rate, the government of Uganda should realize that its security forces are not the best there is, or are not even making an attempt at being the best for its citizens. all the victims of the bombing were innocent victims i must say, and why they are suffering to such extent is that the government won't withdraw its peace keeping forces from Somalia....quite absurd!!!! claims of investigation have been made, but basing on how faulty and in-effective the people that carry out these investigations are more than half the time, these culprits may not be publicized or dealt with soon enough...but instead, the people killed may be greater in number by then. to all the lost souls, R.I.P, and to the injured...quick recovery. God grant all the grieved the strength to move on, and remember the good memories shared with their loved ones.
the peace keeping forces are meant to preserve peace wherever they are. any attempt to remove uganda's soldiers from somalia will be looked at by the al shabab and their cohorts as a token of cowardice something which they actually root for. they are tring to create fear and capitalize on it. they have reached a stage of threatening all africans countries. africans should not succumb to pressures by these somalians zoombies. we must act promptly and show them that crime does not pay.