Somalia hosts regional summit on fight against Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Army Commanders and Defense Ministers from the Horn of Africa are meeting in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, with the main focus being the ongoing crackdown against Al-Shabaab militants who are wreaking havoc in the country and the Horn of Africa.

The Defense Ministers are selected from Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and other Troops Contributing nations to Somalia like Uganda and Burundi, who have been integral in the peace-building process in the region. Somalia has been fighting violent extremism since 2007 when Al-Shabaab first struck.

The team is a pacesetter for the upcoming meeting for the head of state and governments of the frontline nations, which are critical in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The meeting starts on February 1, 2023, with Kenya and Ethiopia expected to be the main participants given their proximity to Somalia.

For the last couple of months, the Somali National Army has been pursuing Al-Shabaab militants from several fronts across Somalia, with the help of US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], and local militia, who heeded the government call.

The combined team effort has led to the death of over 500 Al-Shabaab militants according to statistics given by the federal government of Somalia, which is also targeting taxation bases of Al-Shabaab. The government has so far closed over 200 bank accounts and 70 mobile phone firms responsible for helping Al-Shabaab do monetary transactions.

Kenya has close to 3,500 soldiers in Somalia while Ethiopia has about 4,500 who control Sectors II and VI respectively mainly in Jubaland which borders the two nations. The Al-Shabaab has been targeting the two countries by invading their territories, with the group making attempt to cross over to Ethiopia in September last year.

In Somalia, Al-Shabaab has been raiding Forward Operating Bases of the soldiers from the two countries and has previously succeeded. For Kenya, the group raided El-Adde and Kulbiyow Forward Operating Bases, killing over 270 soldiers in general.

Ethiopia has also been on the receiving end but her soldiers have managed to contain the militants in Dolow and other neighboring towns. But the September invasion put the country on high alert according to military experts, forcing the country to declare sections of Jubaland a Buffer Zone.

GAROWE ONLINE