Posted on 08/27/2010 11:25:47 AM PDT by markomalley
MOGADISHU, Somalia, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Somali insurgents in the al-Qaida affiliated al-Shabaab organization are planning major attacks Saturday to mark an important Ramadan event, an official said.
Saturday marks the 17th day of the holy month of Ramadan, a day commemorating the Battle of Badr when the Islamic prophet Mohammad won a decisive battle in Medina in 624.
Abdirahman Omar Osman, the Somali information minister, was quoted by CNN International as saying al-Shabaab was keen to mark the day with a major escalation of violence.
"Al-Shabaab thinks that this is the best day for them to win against us," he said.
The militant group launched a major offensive during the weekend. Rebel fighters Monday stormed a hotel in downtown Mogadishu, killing several Somali lawmakers in a lengthy gun battle.
At least 70 civilians were killed and another 200 were injured by rebel forces this week. Somali troops, for their part, said they killed as estimated 25 insurgents and injured 75 more, the minister said.
A spokesman for al-Shabaab said Monday the group had declared war on an African Union peacekeeping force in the area.
The Somali government controls only a small portion of the capital, and the country has not had a stable government in more than a decade.
Osman told CNN, however, that Somali and AU forces were prepared and called on the Somali people to be on high alert.
"The best weapon we have against attack is public alertness," he was quoted as saying. "Stay in your homes as much as you can."
One would think that the U.S. could take this trash out without too much trouble.
NO WAY, let them butcher each other.
Oh, those wacky peaceful Muslims. They be so funny!
Muslims are supposed to refrain from fighting during Ramadan. To explicitly plan an attack during Ramadan seems pretty strange.
MoHamHeads.
What other “religion” celebrates its “holy” days with murderous rampages?
These are the peaceful muszzies!
“Wait until they meet up with the ruthless Al Kabong... “
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Here he is, Al KaBONG himself straight from BONGland!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAEanWVByK8&feature=fvst
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