US military may back Somali govt offensive

Saturday, 06 March 2010 10:32 PM Sierra Mae Paraan

US special operations forces opened the possibility of assisting the Somali government, which is preparing an offensive to displace al-Shabab fighters from the capital Mogadishu, a New York Times article reported.

Washington believes that al-Shabab fighters are Al-Qaeda militants, and is thus pulling all stops to excise the terrorist group.

"What you're likely to see is airstrikes and Special Ops moving in, hitting and getting out," an unnamed official said.

American advisers have helped supervise the training of the Somali forces to be deployed in the offensive.

According to AlJazeera.net, Washington has provided covert training to Somali intelligence officers, logistical support to peacekeepers, fuel for the manoevures, intelligence on fighters' positions and money for bullets and guns.

Washington is also said to be using its clout as the largest supplier of humanitarian aid to Somalia to encourage private aid agencies to move quickly into “newly liberated areas” and deliver services like food and medicine to the beleaguered Somali people in an effort to make the government more popular, nytimes.com reports.

In the past weeks, Somali officials have hinted that government soldiers, backed by the African Union forces, will soon attempt to wrest back control of al-Shabab-held areas of Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab controls much of Somalia and operates openly in the capital Mogadishu.

The US military forces has claimed to assist the Philippines in several offensive strikes. Part of US' program for the Philippines – the Country Assistance Strategy for the Philippines, is to help train the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 2009-2013.

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