AMISOM Troops not professional!

by Ahmed Raghe
Thursday, September 17, 2009

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According to eyewitnesses, two white Toyota landcruisers driven by Somali militants posed as United Nations aid workers, approached the Halane UN headquarters adjacent to Mogadishu Airport on Thursday, 17 September. Calmly they explained to the AMISOM Officers manning the entry-gate that they were to attend the security briefing between AMISOM top commanders and Somali security officials. The militants disguised as UN personnel and their bodyguards, drove snow-white 4WD landcruisers hoisting the United Nations flag; made a perfect stop in front of the gate to convince the officer in charge they were aid workers. They spoke in perfect English! After some explaination, the officer yeilded and granted access to six suicide bombers into the top security area where high level officials were meeting.

The nagging question is why and how such a security lapse could happen, when the AMISOM troops knew full well that UN transport, flags, symbols, uniforms, flake jackets etc were looted and in the hands of the militants! Why stringent security checks were not in place, why not apply security passwords for all the intended meeting participants, why not familiarize the few UN personnel operating in Mogadishu and not book their participation in advance!

In the opinion of many military analysts, the 17 September Mogadishu suicide bombing presents a real dilemma for the African Mission and indicates that AMISOM is becoming a sitting target for a highly motivated and well trained militants. Curiously, the insurgents have predicted they would do what they did on 17 September, calling the African Mission Forces poorly trained and vulnerable. How ironic and true!

The Shabab drive to topple the weak government, to kick the African Peace Keepers out of Somalia and install a government of their own, could be a possibility unless the tide which is so far in their favour is reversed by a substantial military intervention by the UN. Like Iraq and Afganistan the Somali problem calls for a superpower involvement and sustained endeavours to restore order.

Ahmed Raghe
[email protected]

Hiiraan Online