Somalia: Clashes in Somalia's Port City of Kismayo,Charcoal Export Resumed

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Somalia: Clashes in Somalia's Port City of Kismayo,Charcoal Export Resumed

24 NOVEMBER 2012

 

Kismayo — Armed clashes reportedly broke out Saturday in Somalia's southern port city of Kimayo, a town formerly held by Islamists about 500 Km (310 Miles) south of Mogadishu.

 

Witnesses said heavily armed unknown militias have stormed bases manned by Kenyan forces in the heart of the city late on Friday night, causing unconfirmed human losses.

 

Local residents reported that the attack raged on for several hours and the Kenyan army managed to fend off the assault from their positions.

 

Since the city fell to Somali forces together with Kenyan army serving under the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM), such attacks against the coalition troops have been on the rise.

 

On the other hand, locals have resumed charcoal export from the port of Kismayo. UN Security Council and Somali government both banned charcoal export, a move that was intended to impose financial sanctions on Al shabab.

 

Residents in the southern port city of Kismayo, which local Somali militia and Kenyan troops with the AU force wrested from the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab in September, said boats have been shipping out charcoal.