NAIROBI — The African Union force in Somalia has boosted its size and set up nine new positions in Mogadishu where it is protecting the government from a fierce Islamist insurgency, an official said Friday.

"Numbers of troops have gained up slightly above 7,000 (...) to 7,200 since July," said Wafula Wamunyinyi, the AU's deputy representative for Somalia.

"We have steadily increased our area of control in Mogadishu, we have made progress and taken new positions," Wamunyinyi told reporters.

The AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which first deployed in the war-torn capital Mogadishu in early 2007, comprises five battalions from Uganda and three battalions from Burundi.

It is tasked with protecting the embattled Somali government, which is boxed in in the south of Mogadishu, with units mainly positioned at the airport, the presidential palace and a road from the airport to the president's residence.

In recent weeks, the hardline Shebab fighters have intensified battles to oust the Western-backed government, but Wamunyinyi said the onslaught has been contained.

"If we get the correct support, troops deployment and equipment, we are going to expand our presence towards the north (of the city)," he said.

The pan-African bloc pledged to increase the troop numbers after the Shebab claimed responsibility for deadly July attacks in Uganda that killed 76 people. On Thursday, Uganda said it was ready to deploy 10,000 soldiers to Somalia.

Copyright © 2010 AFP