Key Highlights
The Africa Union envoy to Somalia condemned the Sunday 23rd August 2015 attacks by Al Shabaab. The Attacks took place in the southern port of Kismayo on Saturday leaving at least 16 people dead and leaving scores others injured.
A Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) was hurled in the compound where newly recruited soldiers are being trained in southern port city of Kismayo, killing several of them and injuring others.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission (SRCC) for Somalia Maman Sidikou indicated that the attacks orchestrated by Al Shabaab militants on Somali army recruits at their training camp among other attacks will not derail the AU’s commitment and effort to stabilize the war torn, Horn of Africa nation.
“This barbaric act confirms that the aim of ‘ Al Shabaab’ is to destroy and not to build.” I commiserate with the families of those killed and wounded,” Sidikou said in a statement released in Mogadishu.
Summary
The AU envoy who also heads AMISOM described the attacks as heinous act meant to derail the government’s effort to rebuild Somali with strong security institutions. The attack has robbed Somalia which has been struggling to reconstruct of some the country’s most productive youths.
The AMISOM head indicated that the fight against the Al Shabaab is on and AMISOM will not relent, will continue with momentum until the war is won. AMISOM will help rebuild Somalia National Army as well as other security institutions.
In the past few weeks, Al Shabaab has faced fierce combats in the southern part of the country where African Union and Somali forces have intensified on the airstrikes.
