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STORY: SOMALIA / CONFLICT
TRT: 2.19
SOURCE: AU / UN
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 15 MAY 2011, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
1. Tracking shot, soldiers walking through abandoned buildings, shots heard in the background
2. Wide shot, earthmover building trenches, soldier running
3. Wide shot, soldiers digging trenches and exchanging fire
4. Med shot, soldiers running
5. Med shot, soldiers stop digging as shots are fired
6. Med shot, soldier assembling rocket launcher
7. Med shot, AU and TFG soldiers discussing strategy
8. Med shot, AU soldier registering old American rocket launcher captured from Al Shabaab
9. Various shots, young soldier with machine gun behind trenches
10. Travelling shot, town activities
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Nathan Mugisha, AMISOM Force Commander:
“We decided to take the war to them and liberate the areas which have been harassed and the people have been suffering. As you witnessed the people now are coming back to their homes. Most of the areas have been liberated and we are going ahead. We have managed to sustain a few casualties, but it’s worth it.”
12. Various shots, Ugandan AU soldiers congratulating each other
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and its allies, with the support of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), have continued to gain ground against Al-Shabaab militants in recent days.
The TFG has been undertaking efforts to expand its area of control in the capital, Mogadishu, to enhance security for its people, and has also opened new fronts in south-central Somalia and taken control of major towns.
Al Shabaab rebels however, still remain strong and have continued to inflict casualties on AMISOM troops, with several killed and injured in recent fighting. The rebel group has also reportedly vowed to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden.
SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Nathan Mugisha, AMISOM Force Commander:
“We decided to take the war to them and liberate the areas which have been harassed and the people have been suffering. As you witnessed the people now are coming back to their homes. Most of the areas have been liberated and we are going ahead. We have managed to sustain a few casualties, but it’s worth it.”
The Horn of Africa country has lacked a fully functioning national government and has been wracked by factional warfare since 1991. An estimated 2.4 million people – or about a third of the country’s 7.2 million people – are in need of relief aid as a result of drought and two decades of conflict.
In his most recent report to the Security Council on Somalia Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that despite the gains achieved, the country urgently needs more help from its international partners to tackle a host of challenges and achieve greater stability and peace.
