However, the Special Representative has also expressed his dismay at the current ongoing disputes in Parliament.
“I am following, with great unease, the unhelpful debate about Parliamentary issues now taking place in Mogadishu ... I am sure that the leadership of the Government and Parliament will see beyond their differences and concentrate on addressing normal government tasks that affect the population, both inside and outside the country
...
In this respect, I am receiving the Chairman of the United Nations Sanction Committee on Somalia and Eritrea, the Mexican Ambassador to the UN, Claude Heller, during the visit of a delegation from the Committee to the region. They will meet with representatives from the Governments of Somalia and Kenya, other regional officials and members of the UN in accordance with their mandate. The delegation will follow up and continue to raise the issue of impunity which has long been a devastating factor in the Somali crisis. It should be clear that sanctions apply to all who contribute through their actions to the destabilization of Somalia."
Shabelle Media: President sharif, MPs agree to vote for the Speaker
The transitional president of Somalia Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed and more parliamentarians have met at the presidential palace in Mogadishu on Monday and agreed to vote for the transitional speaker Sheik Aden Mohamed Nor Madobe.
Abdukadir Osman Ali (Shiddo), one of the MPS who met with the president told Shabelle radio that they had been discussing for hours saying that the president and the religion minister of Djibouti Dr. Hamud Ali Ahmed had requested from the law makers to halt arguing the post of the speaker for reasons that the government might collapse.
Mr. Shiddo said that the lawmakers refused the appeal of the president and minister first, but lately accepted agreed voting for the speaker for the first coming session that will be held in Mogadishu.
However, Garowe Online is still reporting Lawmakers to appoint new speaker soon
Some 315 Somali lawmakers have promised to held parliamentary sittings, without the current speaker in the coming days as power struggle continues to derail the work of the fragile government in Mogadishu.
In a statement released after meeting in Mogadishu on Monday, the lawmakers said the plans are set for their meeting which would held in ‘a secure place’.
“We are planning to hold our parliament sitting in a secure place and elect a new speaker with or without the consent of the president and the current speaker,” said lawmaker Omar Islow, who was among the MPs met in Mogadishu.
The lawmakers also met with President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to discuss the motion against speaker Sheikh Adan Mohammed Nur (Madobe). They said the president has urged them to calm the situation at the parliament and look for consensus.
Lawmaker Ma’alin Jiis, who is among those oppose to Sheikh Adan Madobe, said they would not compromise their stand, which he said was in accordance to the law.
and
Sharif's close associates out in up-coming cabinet reshuffle
A major reshuffle that would trim Somalia’s bloated cabinet and left some influential members out is on offering in the coming days, confidential sources told Garowe Online.
The decision to reshuffle the cabinet is an attempt to end in-fighting within the government was reached by both President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke
"The efficiency of the Somali government was the focus of a meeting held in Villa Somalia between President Sheikh Sharif and the cabinet,” said a minister who requested not to be named told GO.
The minister said many of his colleagues who were stern supporters of the president would find their way out while the premier would stand for reappointment after the president dissolves the government.
Among those who are expected to lose their positions are Treasury minister Abdurrahman Omar Osman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan and Prof. Abdirahman Haji Adan Ibbi, Deputy Prime Minister who is also Minister for Fisheries.
“Once the president dissolves the government, the premier would have to relinquish his positions to be reappointed again, but the main aim is replace Sheikh Hassan Sheikh Adan and Abdirahman Ibbi as deputy prime ministers,” he said
The reshuffle is to accommodate, pro government group Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama, which recently inked power-sharing agreement with the TFG in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Five cabinet positions were allocated for the group.
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Mareeg Online: Ahlu Sunna accuses Somali government for shelling in the capital
Sheik Abdullahi Sheik Abdirahman (Abu Yusuf), the information secretary of Ahlu Sunna clerics has Monday accused the Somali government for the shelling happened in Mogadishu on Sunday and said that the government would take responsibility.
More 10 people died about 50 others wounded after heavy shelling targeted to Bakara market and parts of the neighborhoods of Hawl-wadag district in Mogadishu yesterday.
“To defeat the rivals or to leave is important, but killing civilians is intolerable thing indeed. More died many others wounded. The women and the children can not bear that. We liker to talk to the government more issues including the the shelling going on in Mogadishu,” said Abu Qadi
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Somaliland Press: Somaliland army may launch new offensive ahead of elections
Somaliland may launch a new military offensive into the disputed regions near the Somali-border where clan insurgent leaders have been building up armed militia in the past three months.
In a move to secure it’s borders ahead of the general President elections, Somaliland has placed it’s army in the Sool region on full preparation to carry out operations along the Somaliland-Somali border. Somaliland and Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland have in the past disputed over the Sool and Sanag regions, each laying claim over it.
The army is in particular concern about the activities taking place in the town of Bur-wadal, where clan elders from the Dhulbahante tribe are meeting. Somaliland accuses them of instigating violence and is worried elements of Somalia’s Al Shabab and Ethiopia’s rebel opposition, ONLF could infiltrate into their clan militia and destabilize the whole region.
Ethiopia, who is equally worried about the group and their activities believes the ONLF may establish a safe heaven in the region if destabilized and some of the local clan members may serve along side them since they both belong to the Darod family.
Ethiopia who wants stronger ties with Somaliland has responded by delivering military aid, mainly thousands of small arms for the Somaliland army stationed in Las Anod, the provincial capital of Sool. Ethiopia also trains military personnel for Somaliland including army generals.
The elders in Bur-wadal, who are mainly from the Dhulbahante clan disapprove of Somaliland and consider themselves part of Puntland. The Dhulbahante, who inhabit parts of Sanag and Sool, belong to the Harti sub-clan of Darod like the Majeerteens of Puntland, and believe they should be with their fellow Darods including the Ogadens of Ethiopia. Somaliland on the other hand says the region falls within their 1960 pre-union borders.
In recent months, the elders with the help of the Dhulbahante Diaspora have established their own armed movement with clan militia believe to be gathering around Bur-wadal and surrounding area.
Somalilandpress has also learned that Somaliland has requested that Puntland moves its army back from the Somaliland-border, Puntland forces has since cleared off from the road between Las Anod and Garowe. It is believed that Ethiopia spearheaded the move during the visit by President Farole of Puntland and his Interior minister, Mr. Abdullahi Ahmed to Addis Ababa in early April. Mr. Farole has not returned to Puntland since and is currently in Nairobi.
According to local sources, the elders and the Dhulbahante Diasporas have lost confidence and faith in the Puntland administration and believe in establishing new administration free from Somaliland and Puntland influence. Something neither Somaliland nor Puntland approves of.
Somaliland army plans to launch the operations in the coming days.
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AP: Unpaid Somali Soldiers Desert to Insurgency
Hundreds of Somali soldiers trained with millions of U.S. tax dollars have deserted because they are not being paid their $100 monthly wage, and some have even joined the al-Qaida-linked militants they are supposed to be fighting, The Associated Press has learned.
The desertions raise fears that a new U.S.-backed effort beginning next month to build up Somalia's army may only increase the ranks of the insurgency.
...
In an effort to rebuild the tattered Somali military, the United States spent $6.8 million supporting training programs for nearly 1,000 soldiers in neighboring Djibouti last year and about 1,100 soldiers in Uganda last year and earlier this year, the State Department and Western diplomats told the AP. The troops were supposed to earn $100 a month, but about half of those trained in Djibouti deserted because they were not paid, Somali army Col. Ahmed Aden Dhayow said.
"Some gave up the army and returned to their ordinary life and others joined the rebels," he said.
Somalia's state minister for defense, Yusuf Mohamed Siyad, confirmed some trainees had joined the al-Shabab militants, but he declined to specify the number of deserters.
The development highlights a key problem facing efforts to rebuild the bankrupt nation's army — guaranteeing funding for soldiers' salaries, not just their training.
Failure to resolve the pay issue could threaten the success of a U.S. and European Union training program beginning in Uganda next month that has been touted as the biggest effort to rebuild the army in 20 years.
Funding for the Somali army is a complex affair involving contributions from donor nations, the U.N. and the Somali government. Individual countries sometimes pledge to cover salaries for a limited number of soldiers for a few months, and when the money runs out, salaries don't get paid.
The U.S. has provided $2 million to pay Somali soldiers and purchase supplies and equipment in Mogadishu since 2007, according to the State Department. Another $12 million went toward transport, uniforms and equipment.
...
Earlier this year, trainee soldiers had their guns confiscated and replaced with sticks after a riot broke out between those who had been paid and those who had not. The African Union, which has peacekeepers at Camp Jazira, temporarily suspended payments over fears that men who had been paid would be killed by those who had not, an official involved with the training said.
Soldiers also had problems with some battalion-level commanders stealing their rations, a European official said. The U.S. has sent a shipment of food this month to try to help the malnourished soldiers regain their strength, he added.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Siyad, the defense minister, said the U.S. was currently funding the salaries of around 1,800 Somali soldiers, and another 3,300 soldiers were being paid by other donors. However, that is only about half the 10,000 troops allowed under the peace agreement that formed the coalition government.
...
Siyad said it is vital that the 2,000 Somali soldiers slated to undergo six months of training in Uganda be paid. The European Union will take the lead in training, while the U.S. has pledged to pay the salaries of graduates until January, said Patrick Geyson, a political adviser to the EU program.
As pointed out a couple of weeks ago, last month's UN Monitoring Group On Somalia, mandated with finding violations of the long-standing arms embargo in that country, stated that this training is in violation of that arms embargo.
217. The European Union is currently planning to provide training to Somali forces in Uganda. The planning phase should end by the end of February so that the mission can be launched in May 2010. The stated objective is to contribute to the strengthening of the Somali security forces through the provision of initial military training up to platoon level. A programme to identify potential non-commissioned officers and junior officers would also be put in place. Overall, at least 1,000 Somali combatants would be concerned.
218. Paragraph 11 (b) of resolution 1772 (2007) makes reference only to States and not to international, regional and subregional organizations. It is therefore not possible under current circumstances for the European Union to obtain an exemption from the Committee for its activities.
Somebody may want to inform the US Sec of Treasury, given the US President's recent executive order declaring that
the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia ... and iolations (sic) of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 733 of January 23, 1992, and elaborated upon and amended by subsequent resolutions (including Resolution 1356 of June 19, 2001; Resolution 1725 of December 6, 2006; Resolution 1744 of February 20, 2007; Resolution 1772 of August 20, 2007; Resolution 1816 of June 2, 2008; and Resolution 1872 of May 26, 2009), constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
[update: On March 19th, just days after the Monitoring Group released its report, the UN Security Council added Resolution 1916 explicitly defining "that paragraphs 11 (b) and 12 of resolution 1772 (2007) also apply to supplies and technical assistance by international, regional and subregional organizations"]
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From a post on Thursday at Inner City Press:
On April 28, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky for the UN's response to a report by HRW that Uganda's and Burundi's troops in Mogadishu fire indiscriminately into civilians areas in violation of the laws of war.
Nesirky claimed that the UN didn't have to respond, despite its logistical support to these AU forces. (After being Pressed, he said he would seek guidance). Later, Inner City Press asked Uganda's representative for his country's response, which has been promised. Stay tuned.
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Garowe Online: Al Shabaab fighters expand in central Somalia, 10 killed
At least 10 combatants were killed and over 20 others injured in heavy clashes that pitted insurgent group Al-Shabaab against pro-government Sufi militia group Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama in central Somali villages, Radio Garowe reports.
Fighting erupted in the strategic central Somali village of El Bahay in located 80km north of Guriel town in Galgadud region where fighters from Al-Shabaab insurgents attacked the village, resulting the death of at least six combatants.
“We attacked and captured the area from our foes. It is part of our plans to expand our grip on territories in central regions,” said an Al-Shabaab official.
Ahlu Sunnah’s grand chairman Ma’alin Mohammud Sheikh Hassan confirmed the fighting but refuted claims of losing the area to Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab fighters also carried out attacks on a military base used by government troops and pro-government Ahlu Sunnah in the north of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiran region.
“Today we attacked a training base used by government troops and their Ahlu Sunnah colleagues. We captured the base and some weapons,” said Yussuf Ali Ugas, Al-Shabaab commander in Hiran region.
A government official said the insurgent fighters attacked the base but they repelled them and inflicted casualty.
Even though the fightings have stopped, tension still remain high as both sides is said to be amassing troops for another battle over the villages.
Markacadeey quotes a Puntland Post article Thursday adding:
Al-Shabab, which Puntlandpost says is now in control of four districts of Galguduud Region, wants to take over the whole region "which has been the stronghold of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a"
The site adds that the fighting comes at a time when Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a say they have started fighting Al-Shabab in Mogadishu.
From a Garowe Online article on Wednesday,
Fighting between African Union troops, Somali government forces, pro-government militiamen on one side and Al-Shabaab and its allies on the other end killed at least 21 people Wednesday and injured over 70 others in the Somali capital within the last 24 hours, said medical workers and witnesses.
...
The violence concentrated mainly near the main Bakara market in the capital where fighters from pro-government militia Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama faced off with their arch-rivals Al-Shabaab.
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VOA: Islamist Rebels Claim Responsibility for Bombing in Somalia
Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist rebels have claimed responsibility for Tuesday's suicide car bomb attack at a base for African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu.
...
The spokesman for al-Shabab, Ali Mohamud Rage, called Tuesday's suicide attack a "success," claiming that the explosion destroyed a former Somali commercial bank building housing African Union peacekeeping troops from Uganda.
Rage says the blast killed 20 peacekeepers, disputing statements made earlier by the Ugandan spokesman for the peacekeeping mission known as AMISOM.
AMISOM spokesman, Major Barigye Ba-Hoku, told VOA Somali Service that African Union soldiers foiled the attack by killing three would-be suicide bombers inside the vehicle. He said two soldiers were wounded when the explosives-laden vehicle blew up before it reached the entrance to the base. Ugandan newspapers subsequently reported that five soldiers had been wounded, one seriously.
...
The suicide car attack in Mogadishu Tuesday triggered another round of violence in the Somali capital. Witnesses say al-Shabab traded mortars and gunfire for more than four hours with AMISOM, Somali government troops and pro-government militiamen.
...
The United States and European Union countries are heavily involved in the training of AMISOM and Somali troops, making [AMISOM] a frequent target of insurgent attacks.
Shabelle Media adds:
Sheik Ali Mohamud Raghe, the spokesman of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen said that they carried out yesterday’s suicide blast for a revenge of two Al-qaeda leaders killed by the US government in Iraq and also the displaced people who were recently forces to move the former business bank of Somalia which the African Union made its new military base in Mogadishu.
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Garowe Online: Hizbul Islam chief accuses senior rebel of 'joining govt'
The leader of Somalia’s Hizbul Islam group, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys has publicly declared that Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Islam ‘Madobe’ is not part of his group.
Sheikh Aweys, who was addressing a press conference in Mogadishu, directly attacked Madobe of executing agendas backed by Ethiopia and Kenya.
“We received reports that Sheikh Ahmed Madobe entered agreement with Prof. Gandi, who is part of the TFG, to fight with Al-Shabaab. Because of that, we are declaring that he is not part of us anymore and we would treat him just like our enemies,” he said.
The 65-year old cleric accused neighboring countries over meddling in Somali crisis, warning them of possible escalation of conflict into their regions.
“We are telling neighboring countries that they should leave Somalia for Somalis and stop meddling, if they would not stop their acts, then, we will divert the war to them,” he said.
His remarks come a day after reports published in the media suggested that Sheikh Madobe signed agreement with the Somalia’s transition government in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Shabelle Media: ‘Sheik Aways’s accusation was unfortunate’:” Sheik Ahmed Islam
Sheik Ahmed Madobe ... said in an interview with Shabelle radio that he would continue his fighting against with the Islamist fighters of Al-shabab forces in Jubba regions.
“it over 7 months ago as the fighting between our forces and Al-shabab broke out. We were fighting for Hizbul Islam and we were waiting for the leader to talk with Al-shabab for the crimes committed and so on. But it is unfortunate to the leader of Hizbul Islam Sheik Hassan to accuse me for signing agreement with Kenya and Somalia government,” said Sheik Ahmed
“ there is no agreement I signed with TFG and Kenya, but there was a meeting that I had with the minister of transportation of the Somali government Mohamed Abdi Gandi, traditional elders and scholars from Jubba regions and concluded peacefully. We talked the role of the transitional government troops trained in Kenya on the fighting in Jubba regions thought the trained soldiers were from Jubba regions and both governments Kenya and TFG are planning the soldiers to occupy into the region. I do not know a relation with Kenya except the wounded fighters being cured in Kenya,”: added Sheik Ahmed Madobe.
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From a commentary at WDN in response to a "provocative piece" by Prof. Samatar earlier this week
How to Leave Somalia to its own Devices
In a recent article “AMERICA, PRAY LEAVE SOMALIA TO ITS OWN DEVICES“, our esteemed professor argues that Somalis belong to a class of African peoples who are extremely egalitarian and stateless and that no one can force a central government on them since the notion of government is an alien concept in their cultural tradition.
His arguments strangely coincide with the views of a former US Ambassador who, when the central government collapsed, argued that Somalia was like a horse that could be led to the water but could not be forced to drink from it. The ambassador used the analogy to argue that Somalis did not want a central government and would revert to their clan divisions that developed over centuries before the colonialists imposed upon them the alien concept of statehood. After the state imposed by the colonialists collapsed, Somalia would never become a state again but descend into a patchwork of clan based enclaves.
The professor concludes that Somalia does not need a strong central government but a loose federation of four zones.
...
His conclusion again seems to strangely coincide with the recent moves by the US government to adopt a new strategy that may eventually lead to the recognition of the breakaway enclave known as Somaliland. In my humble opinion, the strategy may also entail encouraging Punltand to form its own sovereign state that would eventually be recognized after introducing a voter registration system and free elections.
The strategy has been recently revealed in an article attributed to Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily. The paper argues that "The US took the unprecedented step, in March 2010, of inviting a major delegation of Cabinet members and officials from the Republic of Somaliland to Washington for a series of talks on the country's future. The move was tantamount to de facto recognition of Somaliland's sovereign status". The authenticity of the article is doubtful since It paints the leader of Kulmiye as a Unionist; some of the Kulmiye heavyweights such Dr. Gabose and Engineer Mohamed Hashi Elmi as Shebab sympathizers; Ucid as an NGO out to collect money from the Diaspora. Many believe that it is authored by the Udbub camp to discredit its opponents. However, there are strong signals that the US may be using Somaliland and Puntland as a last resort for stopping the growing influence of the Shebab movement. Recent efforts by the former Minister of Foreign affairs, Buba and the former mayor of Mogadishu Hassan Abshir to mediate between Somaliland and Puntland may have been funded by the US embassy in Kenya. There are indications that the leaders of the two enclaves had met several times in Ethiopia to settle their dispute over Las Anod and coordinate their efforts to stop the Shebab.
Out of the four zones mentioned by the professor, I could only recognize Somlailand and Puntland. The other two are a mystery to me and I could not figure them out. Since the Shebab is a force to be reckoned with controlling a major portion of the southern regions of the country, and will never settle for the division of Somalia into zones, the professor seems to be privy to the military campaign being prepared by the TFG and its allies to push the Shebab into oblivion, a strategy that failed before and is doomed to fail again.
While the title of the professor’s article seems to be calling for the United States and the World to leave Somalia alone, its contents seem to be suggesting a new approach for dealing with a difficult and troublesome people who pose a threat to world trade and stability: dividing Somalia into tiny, weak mini-states like the Republic of Djibouti.
...
Contrary to the arguments of the professor, Somalis are not averse to central authority.
...
All Somali attempts at creating a strong government have always been met with foreign interference and eventual collapse.
...
All revolutions begin with excesses and eventually settle down to a more pragmatic system. Although I am not a fan of the Shebab and have criticized their system many times, they represent a local force that has grown from the chaos. If Somalia is left alone to its own devices as the professor suggests, the success of the Shebab will depend on the Somali people who will either adopt their harsh form of Islam or reject them altogether in favor of the more moderate forms.
The Shebab themselves are full of young Somalis educated in the West who joined the movement to defend their country against the Ethiopian invasion. Once the Ethiopian threat recedes, many of them are likely to rebel against the harsh practices of the hardliners in the movement. Revolutions are by nature self-correcting.
Somalia has lost its sovereignty and its de-facto ruler is Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Just last week, the rulers of Somaliland and Puntland visited Ethiopia for consultations. Many believe that the consultations involve strategies to stop the Shebab who have recently reached the outskirts of Mudug region which is dangerously close to both enclaves. If Mudug falls into the hands of the Shebab, the road to Garowe and Hargeisa will be wide open. Ethiopia, Kenya and their powerful ally, the US, are nervous and may repeat the same mistakes that led to the rise of the Shebab in the first place.
Ethiopia and the US would be ill-advised to interfere in the Somali conflict again. This will only help the Shebab with their recruitment drive and their ranks will swell to unprecedented numbers. Somalis are naturally averse to foreign intervention.
Let us hope that the US and its allies will take the title of the professor’s article at face value and stay out of Somalia for good.
Let's just say that the efficacy of hope, by itself, does not have a good track record...
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On Tuesday
Shabelle Media: Explosion injuries Al-shabab official in Dinsor town
Big explosion was targeted to one of the officials of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen in Dinsor district of Bay region in southern Somalia, official told Shabelle radio on Tuesday.
Abdirahman Mire Matan, the commander of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen fighters in Bay and Bakol regions confirmed the explosion to Shabelle radio adding that Abdihayi Ahmed Nor, the commissioner of Dinsor district in Bay region was wounded as it occurred there..
He said that the official was wounded as unknown blast targeted to him and his security guards as they were coming out from a mosque they prayed the evening prayer overnight adding that they would make search operations to know what was the kind of the explosion and who was behind it.
People in the district said that they could hear the sound of the blast and expressed concern about it and there is no group claimed the responsibility yet.
On Saturday
Shabelle Media: Deadly blasts kill 40 in Mogadishu
Deadly blasts targeted to officials of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen in Bakara market has reportedly killed 40 and injured more than that number, witnesses and officials told Shabelle radio on Saturday.
Reports say that the explosions were mines that were separately put in two floors of the mosque in Bakara market as Sheik Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, high official of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen stood and started lecturing to the people prayed in the mosque causing more casualties of deaths, injuries and loss of properties.
Sheik Fu’ad was reportedly wounded in the blast.
Witnesses told Shabelle radio that the first blast occurred after the noon prayer while the next happened as the people were trying to escape from the first explosion killing more.
More than 15 emergency traffic of ambulance had reached at the scene immediately and started deploying the injured people to hospital while the dead bodies laid in the mosque for a while.
The real casualties of deaths and injuries are unclear though reports indicate that 40 people died in blasts and most of the people were rushed to Daynile hospital. The ambulances could not take the injuries to other hospitals due to the blockading streets of Dabka and Bakara market due to tense situations in the zone.
Injuries rushed to Daynile hospital were uncountable.
Ali Muse, head of the emergency traffic whom Shabelle had contacted through the telephone said that the casualties were uncountable adding that more and more people had left their lives in the blasts.
...
Sheik Ali Mohaud Raghe, the spokesman of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen said in an exclusive interview with Shabelle radio after the blasts and said that the explosions were targeted to the Muslims and masterminded by foreign companies adding that they had warned such blasts to happen in the capital mainly the areas under the control of Islamist forces earlier.
Garowe Online reported
More than 45 people including Al Shabaab insurgents were killed and 100 others wounded in an Iraq-style twin bombing inside a mosque in Somalia's restive capital Mogadishu, witnesses and security officials told Garowe Online.
...
Sheikh Ali Mohammed Rage, Al Shabaab's spokesman, blamed "foreign mercenaries" for the blasts.
"We have warned you early what happened today, which are masterminded by foreign mercenaries. They are targeting worship places where Muslims congregate," he said.
In January, Al Shabaab issued a public warning that "foreign mercinaries," such as Xe (former BlackWater) and DynCorp private security firms, had arrived in Mogadishu to "carry out bombings."
...
It is the second explosion within a week that rocked a mosque inside Bakara market, a major headquarters for Mogadishu's insurgents since 2007.
On Tuesday, two people were killed and several others wounded when a landmine went off inside Al Shabaab's Abu Hureyra mosque.
No group has claimed responsibility for the two explosions, which highlight similarities with what is happening in Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion, where mosques are frequently targeted with explosions.
Are they suggesting something like this?
Shabelle Media: All rival sides of Somalia similarly denounce deadly blasts in Mogadishu
All rival groups in Somalia have similarly denounced yesterday’s deadly blasts in the Somali capital Mogadishu, that left more than 35, injuring 75 others, reports said on Sunday.
More than 35 people died and many other injured as two big blasts targeted to a mosque in Bakara market while reports say that the condition of the wounded people rushed to the hospitals was getting worst and worst.
All the rival sides had blamed the blasts equally and pointed out that it was some thing planned to murder the Somali people.
...
..there is no group who claimed the responsibility of blasts..
