InfoAnda - Islamist fighters take over key Somali port

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Read more with google mobile : Islamist fighters take over key Somali port

Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Search Search: Islamist fighters take over key Somali port AFP - 1 hour 4 minutes ago MOGADISHU (AFP) - - A hardline Islamist group in Somalia on Wednesday took over the southern port of Merka, a key entry point for food aid, further tightening the Islamists' grip on the war-torn Horn of Africa country. Hundreds of heavily-armed Shebab fighters rolled into Merka town, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of the war-riven capital Mogadishu, after pro-government forces fled. "It seems that they are gaining control now and we did not have much power to defend the town," said Hussein Yusuf Maalim, a member of the pro-government militia that ruled the town. "Our commander ordered all the forces to leave the town in order to avoid any gunfight," he added. "They were armed with heavy machine guns and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades)," said Ibrahim Abdalla Ali, a Merka resident. "Hundreds of them entered the town and took control of the police station and other key positions in the town," the capital of the breadbasket Lower Shabelle region. Islamists have made significant military gains in recent months, leaving the embattled western-backed transitional federal government only in control of some parts of the capital Mogadishu and Baidoa, where parliament is seated. In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union, of which the Shebab were the armed wing, had taken over most of the country before being ousted by Ethiopian forces who had intervened to provide firepower for the weak transitional government. The Islamists have since splintered, the political leadership fleeing into exile and the Shebab engaging in a bruising guerrilla war that has left thousands of civilians dead. On Tuesday, Shebab fighters were already closing in on Merka and seized Qoryoley town, just over 100 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu. The Islamists also seized control of El-Dheer town in Galgudud region from clan militia on Tuesday after brief skirmishes that claimed the lives at least four insurgents and local gunmen. Merka is a key entry point for the food aid urgently needed by more than a third of Somalia's population. World Food Programme shipments, already hampered by rampant piracy in Somali waters, generally enter the country either by Merka or by Mogadishu. "The situation in Merka appears calm ... Merka is a very strategic location for WFP. It's a natural port that we use and plan to continue using," WFP spokesman Peter Smerdon told AFP in Nairobi. African Union peacekeepers are stationed in the capital, but violence is an almost daily occurrence. Humanitarian workers have frequently been targeted by armed groups in recent months, with several killed and others kidnapped for ransom. In August, an alliance of Shebab fighters and forces loyal to Islamist leader Hassan Turki, listed as a terrorist by the United States, seized control of Kismayo, one of the country's largest cities and its main southern port. They have since imposed a strict form of Sharia law akin to that which prevailed when the Islamic Courts Union ruled much of the country. When in power in 2006, the Islamists carried out executions, shut down cinemas and photo shops, banned live music, flogged drug offenders and harassed civilians, mainly women, for failing to wear appropriate dress in public. Somalia, a nation of up to 10 million, has been ravaged by vicious cycles of violence since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre and numerous UN-backed initiatives have failed to restore a functional government. The seizure of Merka, along with other outposts, is a major setback to the UN-mediated talks in Djibouti between the government and its political opposition aimed at ending the conflict. The Shebab, who have refused to recognise the Djibouti peace process and ceasefires, have vowed to keep fighting until Ethiopian troops withdraw from the country, where many regard them as occupiers. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Recommend this article Average (0 votes) Sign in to recommend this article » Most Recommended Stories » Enlarge Photo Islamist fighters walk on a road in the outskirts of Mogadishu earlier this month. A hardline Islamist group in Somalia has taken over the southern port of Merka, a key entry point for food aid, further tightening the Islamists' grip on the war-torn Horn of Africa country. Most Popular – Top Stories Viewed Britney Spears's son hospitalized: statement Ancient 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered in Egypt US expands record bailout of insurance giant AIG Obama, Bush discuss world of challenges Swiss fear more pressure on bank secrecy after Obama victory View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular

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