Mogadishu - More than 200 suspects were arrested on Tuesday in a security
sweep aimed at stemming a wave of militant attacks in the Somali capital of
Mogadishu, said a senior police official.
Soldiers manned checkpoints in Mogadishu's northern outskirts, where most of
the streets were empty amid the ongoing operation.
Security forces raided the homes and shops of suspects and arrested many
people, mostly young men, according to Colonel Ahmed Ali, a senior police
official in Mogadishu who said the sweep was a joint operation by government
forces and African Union troops.
"The operation will continue until we stop terrorist attacks," he said.
Although the Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab was ousted from its bases in
Mogadishu in 2011, militants continue to stage lethal attacks across the
seaside city.
Last week militants assaulted and entered Villa Somalia, the heavily guarded
compound that houses the presidential palace. Following a gunfight in which
at least three militants were killed, government troops and presidential
guards were able to regain full control of the compound that is considered
to be one of the safest places in Mogadishu because of the tight security
presence.
Al-Shabaab militants have previously carried out deadly attacks against
lawmakers and UN staff. Last year the group attacked an upmarket mall in
Nairobi, the capital of neighbouring Kenya, which has sent troops to fight
the militants under the African Union banner.
Al-Shabaab, which has links with al-Qaeda, vowed to step up attacks during
the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.