Somalia: AMISOM Goes on the Offensive

By Nicholas Tago

MOGADISHU---After two days of skirmishes, AMISOM forces, in support of the TFG, have extended the secure area to the North East of Villa Somalia, in the Districts of Boondhere and Shibishi.

All the buildings surrounding the Ministry of Interior are now under AMISOM and TFG control.

Inspecting the new positions, Colonel Michael Ondoga, Uganda Contingent Commander said:"The operations to extend our area of control have been successful.  We continue to offer increasing security to the Government.”

A number of extremist insurgents have been killed in the fighting with only five minor injuries to our own troops.  At least five dead bodies were found in the new positions, and we believe more will have been injured and died and their bodies recovered".

Earlier today radio reports carried Al Shabab claims of successes against AMISOM forces but these are entirely false and were clearly intended as a deception and a distraction from the reality on the ground.

The Districts of Boondhere and Shibishi are critical to the protection of the main Government premises in Villa Somalia and progress here pushes the extremists further away and further reduces the daily threat to Government functions.

 Increasing the secure area around the Transitional Federal Government is a priority mission objective.  Government cannot function when it is under fire each day.

“The further we push the extremists out of the centre of the city, the quicker we can reduce extremists' reign of terror, and give space for the government to govern and provide services for their people”, Col Ondoga said in a statement sent to newsrooms.