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Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Somalia Civil War
Somalia Civil War
Somalia Civil War
There is no national government in Somalia. While parts of the north are relatively peaceful, including much of the self-declared "Republic of Somaliland," interclan and interfactional fighting can flare up with little warning, and kidnapping, murder and other threats to foreigners can occur unpredictably in many regions.
The Somali Republic gained independence on July 1, 1960. Somalia was formed by the union of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland, while French Somaliland became Djibouti. A socialist state was established following a coup led by Major General Muhammad Siad Barre. Rebel forces ousted the Barre regime in 1991, but turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy ensued. The Somali National Movement (SNM) gained control of the north, while in the capital of Mogadishu and most of southern Somalia the United Somali Congress achieved control. Somalia has been without a stable central government since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre fled the country in 1991.
Subsequent fighting among rival faction leaders resulted in the killing, dislocation, and starvation of thousands of Somalis and led the United Nations to intervene militarily in 1992. In 1992, responding to the political chaos and humanitarian disaster in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched peacekeeping operations to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to the Somali people. By March 1993, the potential for mass starvation in Somalia had been overcome, but the security situation remained fragile. On October 3, 1993 U.S. troops received significant causalities (19 dead over 80 others wounded) in a battle with Somali gunmen. When the United States (in 1994) and the UN withdrew (in 1995) their forces from Somalia, after suffering significant casualties, order still had not been restored.
Conflict between rival warlords and their factions continued throughout the 1990s. No stable government emerged to take control of the country. The UN assisted Somalia somewhat with food aid but did not send peacekeeping troops into the country. In the late 1990s, relative calm began to emerge and economic development accelerated somewhat. The country was by no means stable, but it was improving. A transitional government emerged in 2000 but soon lost power. Somaliland and Puntland, two regions in the north broke away from the country and set up regional, semi-autonomous governments. They are not internationally recognized.
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States began to take a more active role in Somalia's affairs, fearing that the country had become a haven for terrorists. Other Western governments hoped to bring stability to Somalia for similar reasons. In January 2004, two dozen or so warlords reached a power-sharing agreement after talks in Kenya. This agreement called for a 275-member parliament. This Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the 14th attempt at a government since 1991. Its head, Abdullah Yusuf originally called for African peacekeepers to restore order within Somalia but many SomalisWednesday, April 7, 2010
force involved
Forces involved are difficult to calculate because of many factors, including lack of formal organization or record-keeping, and claims which remained masked by disinformation. Ethiopia for months leading up to the war maintained it had only a few hundred advisors in the country. Yet independent reports indicated far more troops. According to the BBC, "The United Nations estimated that at least 8,000 Ethiopian troops may be in the country while the AP suggests the number closer to 12-15,000,[1] while regional rival Eritrea has deployed some 2,000 troops in support of the Islamic group."[2] Ethiopia only admitted to 3,000–4,000 being involved,[3] though the ICU claimed the Ethiopians had 30,000 troops,[4] while Eritrea denies having any troops in Somalia.[5] In addition, the TFG alleged there were up to 8,000 foreign mujahideen fighting on behalf of the ICU, based on the ICU's worldwide appeal for Muslim mujahideen to come fight for their cause.[6] Somali government troops and allied militias are estimated to be roughly 10,000.[7]
Somalia's Use of Child Soldiers
The use of child soldiers in Somalia is widespread. In the ongoing conflict, children are used for a wide variety of reasons. It is estimated that over 200,000 Somali children have carried a gun or have been involved in a factional conflict at some point in their lives. It is not rare to see boys as young as 14 in a militia attack or accompanying older soldiers.
The UN has continuously noted the presence of teenagers carrying weapons riding with other armed men in aircraft or other vehicles. It is estimated that five percent of all of Somalia’s children have participated in marauding gangs, militia attacks, or other military conflicts. In the bodies of power that reside in Somalia, there are no limitations on army recruitment age. Child soldiers are also routinely used as suicide bombers and mine detectors, as the country’s land is laced with dozens of unknown bombs waiting to explode and take the lives of innocent civilians away.
Me Against My Brother At War in Somalia Sudan and Rwanda
The UN has continuously noted the presence of teenagers carrying weapons riding with other armed men in aircraft or other vehicles. It is estimated that five percent of all of Somalia’s children have participated in marauding gangs, militia attacks, or other military conflicts. In the bodies of power that reside in Somalia, there are no limitations on army recruitment age. Child soldiers are also routinely used as suicide bombers and mine detectors, as the country’s land is laced with dozens of unknown bombs waiting to explode and take the lives of innocent civilians away.
Me Against My Brother At War in Somalia Sudan and Rwanda
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