Secular Café: Somalia becomes more statist - Al Shabab on the run

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Somalia becomes more statist - Al Shabab on the run Oct 1st 2012, 23:20 Somali Troops Enter al-Shabab's Final Stronghold Quote: Al-Shabab has tried to overthrow Somalia's government and impose a hardline form of Islamic law in the country. The group once controlled most of southern and central Somalia, but had lost most of its territory in the past 18 months to pro-government forces. BBC News - Somali and African Union troops enter Kismayo Quote: The first Somali government and African Union troops are reported to have entered the strategic Somali port of Kismayo, witnesses and officials say. They have been battling the al-Shabab militia for control of the city. On Saturday, the al-Qaeda-aligned militants said they had withdrawn from Kismayo after an AU military assault. Kenyan and Somali forces had launched a beach assault on the Islamist group's last major bastion the day before, but had met some resistance. That city is near the southern end of Somalia, south of Mogadishu. From the VOA article, Quote: The loss of the city is a major blow to al-Shabab, which used Kismayo's seaport to import weapons and raise money through taxes. However, Al Shabab is still present in much of the countryside, and Somalia's armed forces have been helped by Kenya's in southern Somalia and Ethiopia's in western Somalia. Lateline - 01/10/2012: Somali capital improving Quote: EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: In Somalia, Islamist fighters have suffered a major setback with their last major bastion falling under an onslaught from African Union forces. Routed from the capital Mogadishu a year ago, Al-Shabaab rebels who had retreated to the port city of Kismayo came under heavy attack from both land and sea. In recent weeks, thousands of people have fled Kismayo, many of them travelling to the capital, Mogadishu. Africa correspondent Ginny Stein reports on a city with renewed hope, but where life remains precarious. Weep, libertarians, weep! Somalia is becoming more statist.

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