20 September 2009

The African Union (AU) has called on the international community to provide more weapons to the Somalia Western-backed government to battle Islamist militants.
somalia refugees
The envoy of the AU to Somalia, Nicolas Bwakira, told reporters on Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya that: "If we go after Al-Shabaab, we'd destroy them in no time." He added that rebels have been trying to oust the UN- recognized government.

The announcement for more weapons follows suicide bombings on Thursday at the headquarters of the AU peacekeepers in Mogadishu which left more than eight peacekeepers dead, including senior officials.

The AU plans to deploy 8,000 peacekeeping troops in Somalia but at the moment there are about 5,000 troops from Uganda and Burundi. Nigeria and Ghana have promised troops already but so far these pledges remain unfulfilled, AfricaNews reporter said.

Since being deployed in Mogadishu, Somalia in 2007, the African Union peacekeeping has lost 34 troops. Somalia has not had an effective government since warlords overthrew Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

africanews