A long-awaited assault on the southern Somali port of Kismayo that Western governments hope will end the influence of al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia has been delayed over last-minute negotiations on how to divide the spoils and avoid more civil war should the city fall.
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| Militia fighting in Somalia |
Last October,
Kenya sent troops across its border with Somalia to root out fighters aligned
with al Shabaab, the Somalia affiliate of al Qaida. In June, Kenya’s prime
minister promised that his country’s forces would take Kismayo by this month,
ahead of Somalia’s transition to a new federal government next week.
But a spokesman
for Ras Kamboni, a Somali militia that’s fighting alongside Kenyan troops, said
those plans had been delayed for "political reasons" and promised
only that the offensive would be begin before the end of the month.
Meanwhile Kenya will have its diplomatic
mission reopened in Somali capital, Mogadishu, in the coming days, according to
Kenyan Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi. Mwangi made the
announcement on Tuesday,August 14 after visiting Mogadishu to pay what he called
a courtesy call to Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.
He said their primary mission in
Mogadishu was to begin the process of reopening their diplomatic mission,
adding that they are very delighted to secure a premise for that purpose. The
Kenyan PS promised to relocate their embassy from Nairobi where it has been
conducting its business.
Mwangi said the decision to reopen
their embassy in Mogadishu was taken in order for them to be able to support
the ongoing process and ensure that their presence in Somalia becomes a meaning
full in terms of their involvement in the post-conflict peace building and
reconstruction of Somalia.
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