Somali forces discover cache of weapons

  1. Posted on Monday 15 August 2011 - 11:15
    abdi
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    Abdirashid Abdi Diis, AfricaNews reporter in
    Somali security forces in conjunction with African Union peacekeeping troops (AMISOM) on Saturday discovered a colossal cache of weapons in Bakaraha area - one of sections recently abandoned by al-Shabab Islamist militants, in the country's capital, Mogadishu, according to local media reports.
    AU endorses more troops to Somalia.
    The rebels had withdrawn their militant fighters from the bases they had all over the capital last week after they had some days of bitter confrontation with Somalia’s interim government forces backed by AMISOM.

    It is believed that the discovered weapons were being used by the remnants of rebels carrying out hit-and – run attacks and possibly planting mines against government soldiers.

    The reports said the large store of artillery was found in a disused house in Bakaraha market area, adding that security officers had given out a response there following a tip-off waved by the residents.

    It said the security personnel had met 137 pieces of artillery heaped in an abandoned house located in that neighbourhood in the capital’s commercial hub.

    “The extremists were storing up large stocks of munitions in order to make improvised bombs to launch a campaign of terror in Mogadishu”, the Suna Times quoted Paddy Ankunda, the spokesperson of AMISOM as saying.

    Since the Islamists pulled out themselves from Mogadishu the government officials have been warning the civilians not to go near where they had retreated from, saying the areas were infected with explosive devices and need to be uncontaminated for human beings to visit there.

    Mogadishu has been seeing hundreds of people seeking food and water after the troubled Horn of Africa nation’s south and central parts were ravaged famine in 60 years.

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