From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Jan 18 2010 - 08:57:37 EST
Somalia's president laments about lack of international support
18 Jan, 2010 - 2:03:12 PM
Somalia's president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said his country lacks the
international support it needs to prevent powerful Al-Qaeda-backed
insurgents from overthrowing his fragile government.
Sharif said his government only control pocketful of Mogadishu with the rest
including southern Somalia under the hands of Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam,
the two main insurgent groups.
"Somalia is facing crisis brought about by foreign groups currently in the
country, who are determined to frustrate any peace attempts," he added.
"We need international support, because the country is ruined and is
becoming home to some elements of Al-Qaeda who resolved to clear plans."
Some 5,100-strong African Union peacekeeping troops are currently in the
war-torn country to try to shore up the UN-backed government from the
powerful insurgents and control strategic sites such as airport and
presidential palace.
Somali presidents accuse the international community of planning to go back
against their pledges, which was to support his Djibouti-formed government
both financially and politically.
"The enemy prepared itself and wanted to bring down this government before
it could accomplish its mission. Surely, that act has its own risks. We are
expecting the world to help us fight these groups," he said.
Commenting about the piracy menace in the high seas, Sharif said his
government is not in the position to tackle at the moment.
"Piracy, which is the other major problem, is caused by years of lawlessness
in the country. So my government can not do anything about it,"
Sharif's remarks come as his Presidential Palace Villa Somalia comes under
heavy mortar attack launched by Al-Shabaab fighters.
Heavy exchange of gunfire and mortar shells has claimed the lives of at
least four people while five others were wounded.
The Horn of African country is marred by years of civil strife that erupted
after the ouster of the regime of President Mohammed Siad Bare in 1991.
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