Somalia vows ‘forceful, comprehensive’ fight against violent groups

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – Somalia is determined to mount a “forceful and comprehensive” fight against violent groups in the country, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has announced.

He identified ISIS and al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, as the main threats to Somalia.

All militant organizations will be countered through “military and non-military means,” Barre said after meeting officials of the African Union’s Security & Peace Council in the capital Mogadishu.

The premier’s office tweeted a clip of his speech at the event, in which he underscored the importance of joint operations to eliminate the threat of terrorism from the region.

Since at least 2007, al-Shabaab’s deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces has claimed thousands of lives across the Horn of Africa country.

The United Nations has also warned of growing instability in the country, with the UN chief’s periodic reports on Somalia this year detailing attacks by pro-ISIS groups and al-Shabaab.

A report released this February expressed “grave concern” over al-Shabaab’s “serious threat to the peace, security and stability of Somalia and the region,” as well as the “continued presence in Somalia of affiliates linked to” ISIS.

It also warned that the nature of the threat posed by al-Shabaab “has evolved,” emphasizing that “international support to Somalia must adapt accordingly to consolidate the security gains achieved.”

There were at least 1,518 civilian casualties – 651 killed and 867 injured – in terrorist attacks in Somalia in 2018, followed by 1,459 – 591 killed and 868 injured – in 2019, according to UN in Somalia.