Igad pledges more troops to help secure Somalia

By Morris Aron and Renson Buluma

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) will increase the number of troops in Somalia by 2,000.

This follows militant group al-Shabaab’s Sunday attacks in Uganda, that claimed 74 lives.

At the same time, the European Commission and the Somalia Transitional Federal Government condemned the attacks and called for a more decisive action on the militant group.

Igad Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim said the attack on fans watching football World Cup finals between Spain and Netherlands had strengthened the organisation’s resolve to deploy more troops in August, "to help secure the war-torn country".

Projects

"After the deployment, the number of Amisom (African Union Mission in Somalia) troops will grow to 8,100," said Mr Maalim at a meeting in Nairobi.

The meeting was called to implement a number of projects under Horn of Africa Initiative, whose key objectives are peace, energy, transport and food security.

"Igad calls upon the international community to strengthen the economic and military support to the Transitional Federal Government to fight these terrorists in Somalia and the region."

There are 6,100 AU troops in the region, but details of deployment of the additional ones will be finalised in the coming weeks, Maalim said.

News linking the bombing to al-Shabaab came to the limelight after Al Shahid, a Somali news agency, quoted a senior member of the militia saying the blasts were a retaliatory attack on Uganda for sending peace keepers to Somalia to support President Sheikh Sherif’s Transitional Federal Govern ment.

The bombings targeted the Ethiopian Village restaurant, a popular night spot where hundreds of football fans were gathered to watch World Cup finals. The pub is frequented by foreigners.

The second attack struck the Kyadondo Rugby Club, where the match was also shown.

The attacks bore hallmarks of al Qaeda and groups linked to Osama bin Laden’s network. Al Shabaab is believed to be one of them.

Mr Maalim said Igad would continue to check terrorism in the region as it forms one of its core functions at ensuring peace and food security.

Shameful occurence

Dr Roger Moore, a representative of the European Commission, present at the meeting, termed the attack shameful occurrence and an affront to peace and security in the region.

Kenya has since heightened its border security following the attacks while the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) will also be part of the team investigating the bomb blast.

At the border with Uganda in Busia and Malaba, officers were on high alert, with claims the terrorists could escape through the border.

Busia OCPD Erastus Muthamia said police had been deployed along the border to ensure no one with ill intentions found his way into the country.

Mr Muthamia allayed fears the terror suspects who committed the attack in Uganda would use the border town as an escape route.

"Our officers, uniformed and in civilian clothes, have been positioned at all entry points along the border to arrest any suspects," he said.