A British couple are believed to have been taken to Somalia and held for ransom, reports the BBC.
“A pirate called Hassan told the Reuters news agency: ‘The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean.’
The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, [...]
Battles between insurgents and African peacekeepers killed 17 civilians and wounded 58.
News24 reported, “An alliance of the al-Qaeda-inspired Shebab group and the more political Hezb al-Islam group on May 7 launched a countrywide military offensive aimed at toppling Sharif, who has largely owed his survival to Amisom’s protection.”
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From the Mail & Guardian, “China has not ruled out military action to rescue the crew of a coal ship hijacked by Somali pirates, although it is also pursuing negotiations, a Chinese military spokesperson said.”
China will based its decision on whether to use a military option on “will depend on developments.”
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[Mail & Guardian]– Heavy fighting broke out on Thursday between rival Islamist factions in the Somali port of Kismayo, shattering a key alliance in the insurgency against the Western-backed government.
Hundreds of families fled the key southern port as the al-Qaeda-inspired al-Shabaab and Hezb al-Islam battled for control.
“The fighting is very intense, [...]
Kenya has stepped up surveillance of its border with Somalia after the killing of a top regional al-Qaeda leader during a lightning US military operation, military officials said on Sunday.
“We have taken measures. There is enough security at the border points, it has just been increased and this is a review we [...]
Islamist insurgents vowed to pursue their campaign until African Union peacekeepers leave Somalia, a day after sending the force reeling from twin suicide attacks on its headquarters.
At least 16 peacekeepers were killed on Thursday when suicide bombers from the Shebab, an al Qaeda-inspired group, rammed stolen UN vehicles into the mission’s [...]
