Somalia: State of Emergency Declared, Intense Fighting in Capital

by alia_d | June 22, 2009 at 10:28 am

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Somalia's government has declared a state of emergency in the war-torn country; however, Somalia's declaration of a state of emergency may have little impact, because the Somali government only controls a few neighborhoods in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.

The president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, announced the state of emergency at a news conference in Mogadishu on June 22, where he said the it was because of "intensifying violence across the country."

The declaration comes after top government officials, like Security Minister Omar Hashi Aden, were killed during intense fighting in Mogadishu, where tensions have increased between the government and Islamist militias aiming to topple it. According to the UN, more than 200 people have been killed and 122,000 have been displaced during the last month.

Somalia’s Parliament pleaded Saturday [June 20] for its neighbors and the international community to send in troops within 24 hours after days of intense fighting here in the capital and the deaths of several top government officials put new strains on the country’s beleaguered leaders.

The government claims it is under attack by foreign terrorists with links to al-Qaeada and that outside military assistance can help it to destroy the threat; however, analyists believe that the majority of the fighters are Somali.

Thus far, neighboring countries have not responded to Somalia's pleas. The Shabab, one of the most feared African militias, has threatened neighboring countries that may decide to intervene.

"We are sending our clear warning to the neighboring countries.... Send your troops to our holy soil if you need to take them back inside coffins," Shebab spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamed Rage told a press conference in Mogadishu.

"We tell you that our dogs and cats will enjoy eating the dead bodies of your boys if you try to respond to the calls of these stooges, because we wish to die in the way of Allah more than you wish to live," he added.

The African Union already has more than 4,000 peacekeepers on the ground, but they cannot attack Islamist militias, except in self-defense.

As the conflict goes on, Somalia is in dire need of humanitarian aid. In addition to being ravaged by drought in recent months, more than 4 million Somalis may be in need of food aid.

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