Muqdisho

[Caano Geel]

images and text © Times online, Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP, Mohamed Dahir/AFP/Getty Images, July 3, 2009, source

 

A Somali child holds ammunition as fighters loyal to the Hezbul Islam party take part in a street fight against government forces in Mogadishu

 

Fighters loyal to the Hezbul Islam party take part in a street battle against government forces in the Somali capital

 

Fighters linked to al-Qaeda in Somalia’s al-Shabaab rebel group are battling to oust the President, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, himself a former Islamist insurgent who joined a peace process last year

 

Heavy fighting in the Somali capital killed at least 20 people on Thursday, the second day of clashes as government forces tried to drive hardline Islamists out of their bases

 

The fighting broke out in the south Mogadishu district of Karan this week after government forces tried to retake positions previously lost to insurgent fighters of the Islamist movements al-Shabaab and Hezbul Islam, which are opposed to the Somali Government

 

Over the past two months Sheikh Ahmed’s Government has come under heavy attacks from Islamic insurgents pounding army positions with mortars and targeting senior officials in suicide attacks

 

Nearly 250 people, including senior Somali government officials, were killed and more than 200,000 Mogadishu residents have been displaced in the past two months of battles between the internationally recognised Government and insurgents of al-Shabaab and Hezbul Islam, who control much of southern and central regions of the war-wrecked Horn of Africa country

 

A fighter loyal to the Hezbul Islam party takes part in a street battle against government forces in Mogadishu

[Caano Geel]

A moderate Islamist, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed won the presidency this year. Three years ago his Union of Islamic Courts brought stability to Somalia before being defeated by Ethiopian troops

 

Hardline Islamist fighters exchange gunfire with government forces in Mogadishu, the Somali capital

[Som@li]

war nimankan waxan oo hub ah yaa siiya, walle waxii ka yaabshay Adan Madoobe.

 

How can u tell between Alshabaab and Hezbul Islaam?

[Jacaylbaro]

 

 

Subxaan ............. This is Sad ,,,, really.

[Caano Geel]

^ my sentiment exactly. we are barbarians

[Jacaylbaro]

I wonder what is left that people can fight for .......

[Caano Geel]

JB,

"moor.yaan-nimo", one of the few things of which there is an infinite quantity in the universe

[Jacaylbaro]

It is even out of the humanity, dignity and anything that could make someone think ....

 

Why do they need to fight when all that is left is this:

 

 

[Caano Geel]

^^ "Everyone has to sacrifice at the altar of stupi.dity from time to time" - Max Born, 1920.

 

tragically, Somalis lack the comprehension to reason that time has come to say enough is enough

[chubacka]

this looks like a distorted playground, little boys with rudimentary weapons that make them feel powerful. The tradegy is everyone has to suffer because of this madness. unbelievably sad.

[money]

He has no dacas but AK47 and ammunitions! Hopelessness and backwardness in play

[Jacaylbaro]

loool ,, nice observation ...

[xiinfaniin]

 

 

This little kid is among the soldiers good Kashafa of SOL wants to capture Somalia. Sad. This kid is not that older than mine. He should've been in grade school by now. But sadly he is here carrying a gun, standing in the middle of a active war.

 

Waa dagaalka xaabadiisa. Sorry to say that but that exactly what he is.

 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Maba quraacan xataa, dagaal lasoo toosay yariisoowgaas. Cadeygiisa meesha ku sitaa afka.

 

Qaabkooda dhan ayaaba ah qaab mööryaan, which they probably were. Wax diin naxariisnimaba kama muuqato qaarkood.

[Caano Geel]

Xiin, Maskiin,

That's just it. what hope is there for reconciliation when now, 10, or 20 years when like the young guys in those pictures, the children that survive this will know nothing but battle.