By Guled Mohamed
Friday, February 16, 2007
A Somali government source said the operation to clear the compound -- where nearly 100 people lived -- was to allow for troops to monitor Mogadishu airport, feared to be a target for insurgents when Ugandan troops arrive to secure the capital.
The 1,500-strong Ugandan force, part of an African Union peacekeeping mission, is to deploy in coming days in the city, where the government is struggling to impose security after defeating Islamists in a December war.
Homeless families moved into the compound after it was evacuated when a dictator was ousted in 1991 and Somalia descended into anarchy. Residents said they received a government letter three days ago asking them to leave.
"When I came back from work I found the building deserted, even my children are missing," said resident Maram Isse.
"I saw a wounded man lying in the compound. I understand he pulled a gun after he was ordered to vacate by the troops, forcing them to shoot him in the leg."
The man had apparently refused to leave his shop, which was in the building.
A government security source said Ethiopian and government troops were now occupying the building, which has a good view of the airport a few kilometres (miles) away. "There are growing fears the airport might be targeted, that's why the troops repossessed the building in order to monitor security and prevent any attacks at the airport since Ugandan forces are expected to land anytime from tomorrow," the source said.
KHAT ATTACK
Some Islamist fighters, who have vowed holy war since being routed by government and Ethiopian troops in a lightning December offensive, have threatened to attack any foreign troops dispatched to Somalia.
Remnants of the movement, which controlled Mogadishu and much of the south from June last year, have been blamed for the near-daily attacks that have sent hundreds of residents fleeing.
The Ugandan force will secure the capital while the AU waits for other African troops to arrive in other Somali cities as part of the 8,000-strong planned force.
Ugandan army Captain Paddy Ankunda, a spokesman for the AU peace mission, said the Ugandan troops would be deployed next week: "(The date is) ... not yet clear -- a lot of things still have to be worked out."
Meanwhile in southern Somalia, local militia prevented a truck from Medecins Sans Frontieres-Spain from crossing a bridge and shot in the air, but no one was hurt in the incident.
"Our people ... were visiting the Bhardheere bridge, and at one end of the bridge there were private militia for khat traders," said William Nyabyenda, logistics coordinator for MSF-Spain, referring to the leafy stimulant popular in Somalia.
"There was a dispute between the khat people and our security, and one of their militiamen shot in the air. Our team reversed to get back to back to the compound. They were not hurt and are safe in the compound."
(Additional reporting by Tim Cocks in Kampala and Bryson Hull in Nairobi)
Source: Reuters, Feb 16, 2007