Security Improved In Somali Capital, Minister Says

Visits: 1386
(Rating 0.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 0
0 0
Share via Social Media

Security Improved In Somali Capital, Minister Says

Share

Security in the Somali capital of Mogadishu has been improved as government forces, with the help of African Union peacekeepers, put more areas under control, a Somali official said. "It is also important to note that there are vast areas of Mogadishu, over 55 per cent of the territory now, which is controlled by, along with the AMISOM forces, the Somali army, the Transitional Federal Government forces, military and police," Somali Minister of Information, Post and Telecommunications Abdulkareem Jama told a news conference here on Friday. The AMISOM refers to the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia. Jama's words came at a time when the UN Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution next week to increase AMISOM troop levels from 8,000 to 12,000, according to diplomatic sources here. The minister described the AMISOM presence as "critical," saying the extra peacekeepers will be deployed to further extend government control in his country. Since taking power in November, the new Somali transitional government has made substantial progress to secure Mogadishu, where about 70 to 80 percent of the population now live in areas under government control, he said. However, there are "vast ghost zones" in areas controlled by the Shebab rebel group, the minister added. A strong central government has been absent for almost two decades in Somalia following the fall of former strongman Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991. The mandate of the current government runs through August 2011.