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Fighting for control of Somalia
While Somalia recently has been in the news for its notorious pirates, back on-shore the country continues to struggle through a years-long war that has intensified lately, and to seek some sort of functional unifying government. Back in January, the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia elected moderate Islamist Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as President. Ahmed has gained international backing in his efforts to bring an end to 18 years of civil conflict. However, hard-line Islamist groups such as al Shabaab, Hezb al-Islamiya and others continue to reject the government and have been attacking its forces and civilians for years now, most of the fighting taking place in the capital city of Mogadishu. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) provides over 3,000 troops to maintain security where it can. Since the start of this insurgency in December 2006, nearly 17,000 civilians have lost their lives. (32 photos total)

Militiamen run in a street during a firefight against Government troops in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on March 30, 2009. Somalia's new President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate Islamist cleric, has signed up to a UN-sponsored national reconciliation process and received international backing. Meanwhile the Shabaab faction, which control much of southern and central Somalia, appear to have little political or popular backing, their ability to destabilise the country remains high and they have reportedly received the support of hundreds of foreign jihadists in recent months. Somalia has had no effective central authority since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre touched off a bloody cycle of clashes between rival factions. (MOHAMED DAHIR/AFP/Getty Images)

A Somali islamist militant loyal to Hezb al-Islamiya is pictured at a frontline position near the Hodan district in Mogadishu on May 23, 2009. The Shabaab and Hezb al-Islamiya fighters are the main insurgent groups trying to topple President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's internationally recognised transitional government. Government forces encountered fierce resistance as they tried unsuccessfully yesterday to drive the Islamist insurgents from the Somalian capital of Mogadishu. (MOHAMED DAHIR/AFP/Getty Images) #

Islamist fighters ride in the back of a cut-out SUV in Mogadishu during fierce clashes May 22, 2009. Battles left at least six people dead as Somali government forces attempted to drive Islamist rebels out of the capital, officials and witnesses said. Troops attacked the rebels in three positions in southern Mogadishu which they wrested from the government during recent heavy clashes. (ABDIRASHID ABDULLE/AFP/Getty Images) #

Nasro Barow (right) tends to her wounded brother Muse, a Somali government soldier, as he lies in a cot in a medical tent set up by Ugandan soldiers at one of their bases in Mogadishu, Somalia on May 24, 2009. Muse was injured while fighting Al-Shabaab militias during a fight in the streets of the Somali capital. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) #

Somalia's President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed speaks during a press conference at the Presidential palace in Mogadishu on May 27, 2009. Ahmed on Wednesday accused Eritrea of arming hardline Islamists fighting to oust his government, a day after his own palace came under a barrage of mortar shells. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) #

Teenage hard-line Islamist fighters man a checkpoint at a road near the presidential palace in Mogadishu, on May 14, 2009. Insurgents have been redeploying many forces from across the country to launch an unprecedented offensive, while Ugandan and Burundian African Union peacekeepers held the fort for Sharif's beleaguered administration. Government forces-backed AU peacekeepers controlled only the presidential compound, a handful of other government institutions in adjacent buildings, the airport and the seaport, witnesses and an AFP correspondent said. (MUSTAFA ABDI/AFP/Getty Images) #

Released by the US Navy on May 25, 2009, this photo shows Somali migrants who were fleeing their country in a disabled skiff as they wait for assistance from Sailors aboard the cruiser USS Lake Champlain. The skiff, originally ferrying 52 passengers, was spotted in distress by helicopter pilots assigned to the "Wolfpack" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 45 while patrolling the area. (MC2 DANIEL BARKER/AFP/Getty Images) #

Cargo ships sit anchored off the shore of Mogadishu as they wait their turn to come into port to be unloaded, on May 27, 2009. Although Mogadishu has been ravaged by constant fighting between warring factions vying for power, business in the country has never really stopped. Dozens of ships come weekly to the port to deliver imported goods and much needed humanitarian aid. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Somali dock worker leans against sacks of food aid loaded on to a truck as they recently arrived by ship at Mogadishu's port on May 26, 2009. The UN says that Somalia has become a massive humanitarian crisis with over three million people in "acute need" of aid. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) #

Somali women sit on the ground as they patiently wait for medical attention under the sun outside a military base used by Ugandan peacekeepers on May 25, 2009. Hundreds of Somali men and women come to an outpatient clinic inside the base three times a week to receive free medical care. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) #

A boy and a girl stand next to a makeshift tent at a camp for Internally Displaced People, on the outskirts of Mogadishu on May 21, 2009. The lives of more than 50,000 severely malnourished children are at risk after Islamist militants looted medical and relief stocks in a town in central Somalia, UNICEF said this week. (MOHAMED DAHIR/AFP/Getty Images) #
More links and information
Somali Forces Battle Insurgents for Control of Capital - NYTimes.com 5/22
Somalia - NYTimes.com Topics page
War in Somalia (2006 - 2009) - Wikipedia entry
Mogadishu - Google Map
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wheres america when africa need them? preparing to attack a potential threat to them maybe? world police my bum.
most of the non gouverment soldiers look like kids and teenagers...sad..it's really sad
Et apres on se demande d'où viennent ces armes...
@ 21
I'm sorry but the captions are fitting. The children grow up in this culture and that is more important that the brief dismissal you seem to give it. Child soldiers or no, their political leanings are probably very much in line with the people who gave them their guns. You might think of them as victims, and perhaps they are, but calling the hardline militants is also apt. More so, in fact, because that is how they see themselves.
I object to the captions on photographs 11 and 21. While concepts of childhood in Somalia may differ from mainstream Western views, these are not "hardline militants," they are child soldiers. As such, they are victims themselves
@27, Horacio:
God, Buddha and Allah are a few of the reasons for way things are in this world.
I don't get the policy in this blog. Why are pictures of the killed "objectionable" and behind the curtain, but pictures of the killers are open and presented proudly?
@59: Some people would be more disturbed by seeing a dead body than a man holding a gun, especially if they don't know the context. Also some of the killed may also have been killers too.
absolutely mind blowing photos the ones with the children running by the dead bodies is probably the most disturbing. I couldn't imagine living like this being in constant fear day to day. All of this craziness needs to stop because war is a disease its infectious.. look at North Korea. Really breaks my heart I wish I could do something to help.. but what..
and what does UN ..? Nothing, as usual.
Simplesmente.... sinistro....
E depois ainda comentam que o Brasil eh um pais violento.
Sydney
Picture 4...
Nothing to say...
It's always shocking when you see how young everyone holding a weapon is.
Too bad they don't have oil, otherwise the US military & other western powers could come in and "help" these poor people.. what a shame. :-(
# 49 -- No doubt if we picked up evidence of a war on Mars, you would figure out a way to blame it on the U.S. The meager statements you cite in an attempt to demonstrate that the Somalian fighting is somehow the fault of the US are laughable. While obvious reasons for the conflict -- no centralized authority, Islamic fanaticism and plain old greed and power-hunger among the various warlords --stare you in the face, you cite fragmentary statements from Wikipedia. Brilliant. And by the way, the fighting in Somalia has been going since long before 2006.
Everybody in somalia has a kalashnikov? Where do they get those weapons?
Jesus Christ, this is hell on Earth.
people killing over fairy tales . . .
The fact is teenage boys become recruited in militia, and at the same time girls are entered into labyrinths of slavery and prostitution. Sad story.
@ All, and more pointedly comment #35
Why do we have such major failures?
Enter, the story of Kwame Nkrumah.
"one of the most respected leaders in African history. In 2000, he was voted Africa's man of the millennium by listeners to the BBC World Service."
-After being chased out of his own country, his government was overthrown in a coup backed by none other than your local CIA branch.
He was not the first or the last
what's so funny is that about 97% of all the money raised by the likes of paul hewit (bo-no) and bob geldof went to fund african civil wars. we need to cut off all aid to africa NOW!, africa is a black hole, it sucks in our money and nothing good ever comes out.
cut them off and let mother nature take it's course,
Awesome pictures of a horrible war.. Cant leave anyone untouched..
Ethiopia with its not that advanced army managed to repel the Islamists from Somalia. Imagine what a Western army would do to these islamists. But as people have already mentioned, Somalia hasn't got that much oil...
Teenage Islamist fighters probably don't even know what they are fighting for ...
I agree with Plainspeak. The fat wealthy business men making and supplying these guns and weapons should be made to view these photos and answer for them. We should all look a little deeper into our own stock portfolios and see what is hiding there.
Young minds are great with the criticism. Blamethrowers abound. What is needed is an answer to the problem; the sad, sad problem. No one wants to get involved and I understand that, but this problem does end up being everyone's problem.
So, how do we become proud to be humans?
I think the Somalians should lie about discovering oil, and America will rush in to "Help"..............
TY for sharing these eye opening photos mate, makes me realise that my life could be a whole lot worse...think I'll stop bitching about having to work 12 hour days....
@ #10: Gj Islam, another job well done.
Please do not out yourself as a mouth-breathing, ignoramus with the critical thinking capacity of a retarded chimpanzee. The country is afflicted by civial war - and if you were to educate yourself, you'd realize the situation is not too different from the IRA days.
Your propensity to paint Islam (or any other religion) indicts you of total ignorance. Next time, think before you type (or speak) and remove all doubt that you are, in fact, the biggest idiot in the room.
Glad i live in america
I am from Barcelona (may be not the nicest/coolest/biggest place in the world but still a place I love)
I felt sometimes during last years (a lot of times) angry about US international policy &, to be honest, about "northamericans" in general... then I went to US and found a lot of nice people...living in a purposeless nation... knocking their heads at the lies of their leaders (pre-Obama)... living their lives inside cars... outside their souls & artificially away from nature... alien to the pleasure of a good meal... or to a nice talk that doesn't start with "What's your job & how much you earn?" & absolutely needing (even if they didn't realize so) a warm hug... now I feel deeply sorry about those of you who live in US, truly sorry, as much sorry as the ones living or dying in Somalia. Living is about following your soul not other people lies.
God bless somalia. this is very horrible to see. i wounder why other the parent of this kids. the leaders of the world and what so called humaniterians agences. i guess some of the them are proud of it. if they want to stops this they can do; but since it's muslims agains muslims there care less; i bet happy with it. But times will come when this ends. in my thinking, west are responsible of what happeining in somalia. some making business by doing this ; like guns makers, war lords, neighbouring countries like ethopia, kenya eriteria.
The color of hate and self righteousness bleeds out of these photos.
Our world peacemakers expend far too much energy and money on those hell-bent to destroy themselves and others.
so sad war photographs...
I hope there are never been fotos published by the cruelties the US does to the people in Near East!
Kind regards, from Austria, Europe
Sólo con medidas extremas se podría resolver algo esta situación tan penosa. Pero no creo que lo veamos nunca, porque eso significaría meterse a saco en ese y otros países y extraer a tantos políticos corruptos, cambiar la cultura entera de esos países en los que la vida no vale nada y eso es imposible. Así que poca solución veo a esta situación.
La educación es lo primero y allí no existe.
This country is dead.
Gun lobby, so strong in some countries like USA, China and USSR have to sell and make bussines. But the problem is that in some " countries" there is no chance at all for peace. There is no Chance for kids and no chance for culure. There is no chance for somalia.
Hopefully Africa will pull itself out of these conflicts. It has been marred by this for far too long.
Keep up the good work with this blog. Every new post confirms my dream of becoming a photojournalist.
It is amazing to think that this is the best these people will ever see. The ability to simply lay down arms and embrace one another lies within each of them; only the will to swallow pride and get over it keeps them mired in squalor for life, however short that may be.
Gilberto!!!
I'm from Portugal, and i totally agree with your sentence about the "meals" and "nature"... I think that the Pre-Obama administration, completly wrecked this world, just to ensure their retairement. (their's, and their childrens, and their grand-sons...and so on)
Sad is most of the wars in the world are caused by stupid people, and religious freaks... Why the believes of someone should cause war??? I think that it's a way (the only way) to they expresse their frustration!!!
A simple opinion from a comun mortal!!!
If only they had cheese rolling in Africa.
Everyone talks and says nothing useful. They points fingers, mainly at the US and the West. Let us be real, it is GREED, EGO, and POWER that is powering these militant groups. Their "leaders" are what is wrong. This is what these people are killing each other, some one elses desires and lies..
Finally the UnUnited Nations,living the "High life" in the despised Western Democracies, not in the countries that suppost to be taken care of by the UN. We look at pretty and not so pretty pictures, we do not wnat to disturb people showing the true horror of what is happening. The truth is you bloggers and whiners are mostly saying, I'm so concerned, it all upsets me and finally I'm glad its them and not me. I don't know what all to do. We feed the starving masses but do not help them better themselves. We import some "victums" but do nothing to encourage the changes needed in their governments. We give lip service and thats all.
I hope you all feel good,
Before people start blaming religion, I'd appreciate them knowing more about 'religion.' I've never heard my priest say, "you must kill for X" or "you must die for Y." Instead, he says, "Help your brothers. Love them. Feed them. Clothe them. Nourish them." Each mass opens with "We would like to welcome all guests and visitors." Tell me now, how does this breed violence and hatred? Why do people blame religion? Blame instead the people who fail to practice religion correctly.
@ #12
There is a very big difference between the anarchy that has existed in Somalia for nearly two decades and the idea of a restoration of the principles of a limited government that the United States was founded upon. You may want to take the time to learn what the tea parties are all about before bashing them.
Alan - Thank you for displaying what many seem to be afraid to show.
Oh! My Good!!!
How many peoples will death, for the humanit lives in PEACE??
Oh! Meu Deus!!!...
Quantas pessoas irão morrer, para que a humanidade possa viver em PAZ???
ACP/Brazil
so young people... who gave them guns ????!
There are (at least) three official governments in Somalia right now : the embattled Mogadisco government, the Somaliland and Puntland governments.
Even Irak and Afghanistan are not so far down the road of the breaking off of the State as Somalia. Talk of "Nation Building"...what a joke...I don't say their dictator was good, but I guess , the Somalian people were probably less unhappy despite famine under Syiad Barre....now they can't even cross a street without "earning" a stray bullet and Islamists (and pirates) are on the move...probably the worst case scenario the world over, worse even than Gaza, Congo Democratic Republic or ZimbaBwe...
wake up people, this has been going on for the past 18 years in smalia its nothing new to me. So these young lives carryin guns is like your son playing with his toys. they were born when the war started back in 1990, when the rebels overth threw the late dictator mohamed ssiyad barre who controlled the country for 21 years.
So the million dollar quetion is who do you blame, the klashnikov, the islamists,the western govrnmts, this has more to do with being poor than anyother facts. its a third world country that has been dead for longtime, islamists are the ones who were killing ppl yesterday in he name of tribes, now they have shiftedto religion wooowwww is that some change or what.
#67 - Shall we fill a page with citations of US international atrocities? Go read some Noam Chomsky or John Pilger (and hundreds of others) books if you need some firm, well researched examples of the killing, lies and propaganda that is fed to and has fed the US and other Western Countries. My own country (Australia) and the UK are certainly far from being innocent also, so don't take offence but unfortunately our 'leaders' are now on a leash to the world's international bully. The US and it's people have some wonderful, great things about it but let's not take a high, moral ground to the reality about what the government policies have inflicted on nations of people under the guise of all the good and moral.
Take a long look into the eyes of the man in pic #16...
The Somali situation is just like somebody who drown and suffocate deep Atlantic ocean, the last minutes of his/ her life fatigue and despair deemed the hope and victim give up any way to swim out of this , that individual keep on glanced left to right tirelessly expecting the savior might come somewhere.
each one of us we are part of that expectation if we are human enough.
indeed , the failure and shame goes beyond the Somalians sphere who be come failure state, but expanded the internal communities who come ineffective or may be a hypocrite of the humanity cost.
It is sad to see that Somalia's plight is not limited to tribal warfare and genicide that took place the last 20 years. Again, the same men who took the klashinkow for tribal reason are still holding the country hostage. They make monies out of the misery of the people most of the financiers of this war are business men who reside in Bakaraha Market (where they sell every commodity of this world, from armies to food and medicine). They don't want Government, cause they never paid tax for 20 years and made millions out of that. Second are those men who want to rule by the barrel of gun with Tribal intentions now misleading us with religion. God help Somalis.
it's realy sad history look these peaple what have done to their country
I pray to God allah please help my people..this is too much:(
These images are horrible, it makes any caring humans sick to the bone. Dead bodies being crossed over by Somali teens will haunt that nation for years to come. And believe me America is guilt for sponsoring this bloody war as Somalia was dragged into the cold war chess games in 60s, 70s and 80s. It kicked out Russia from its soil and became American client. Photo 21 and 30 are early destructions of Mogadishu in 1991 with American weapons supplied by Carter administration.
Trade turf wars and child soldiers are what drives this never ending war in Mogadishu, Somali warlords are just dressing religious garm to hide thier greed.
peaceful
Pics 11,12,13 & 21 highlights some of the worst criminals in the world!
No not the youths carrying the guns but the organsiations that SELL them, disgusting
"they never paid tax for 20 years"....really ? now this is getting interesting...is it easy to gain the Somalian citizenship, Ahmed ? I guess a Westerner can forget it, alas....
Somalia is a great example of failure across the board: government, society, religion, commerce, security, etc. Pinpointing one root cause is like throwing a dart at a dart board 5 miles away in total darkness. Outside help is an option but only if it is accepted by the Somali people and thus far, they are not accepting the kind of help we can offer (humanitarian aid and assistance with security). Al Qaeda is losing and is trying to re-establish it's presence now in Somalia plus a few other countries in the area. They are doing this by convincing the Somalis that they're way of thinking is better for them then democracy and the Somali government. One thing I will also say and that is that there is a lot of exploiting going on over there with major corporations that are paying off the local government to look the other way. I would strongly recommend a stronger international rule of law involving coorporations attempting to establish a base of operations in foreign countries.
I'm against Somalis to be let in to Europe, UK especially.
These are people who'd daily life is killing, fighting, spouting militant Islamist nonsense. No way they can live in a civilised world and often turn to violence when met with language barrier, misunderstanding of rules of law and traditions and mostly tolerance.
Islam is not tolerant about other cultures and especially the kind of warring Islam preached in Somalia. So called "Islam of the desert" with its hardline stance and rule of the clerics is as close to the totalitarian rule as it can be.
To all of you anti-gunners and bleeding hearts. If you could guarantee my safety just walking from one end of Detroit to the other without being assaulted or robbed or even killed, I'd throw my guns away. But you cant. Come to Detroit......sadly the pictures are similar.
All of you show no mercy, for the suffering of the innocent people, the reason they are suffering is your so called democracy which only serves on one nation out of the whole world, your so called Goverments do all the neccessary steps to make sure they loot and leave chaios behind where ever they go inthis world, IraQ, Afghanstan, Somalia, all the poor countries, but they are rich and that is why somalia is being left for 18 years to kill and loot amongs them, look the rest of the world where ever there is a problem, they are sorted out quickly, i.e. Bali in Indonesia, So you Americans are only have one eye while the rest of the world osmanhave tow
Very interesting pictures and storey,Thank you to the person who risked their life to bring it to my front room.Somalia needs help and governence.....
#30:
Maybe you should try reading about Islam and the real meaning of "Jihad" which means Struggle (which could be internal/external) instead of believing the crap the media feeds you about it. Don't speak about something you obviously know nothing about. I say you stick to watching Fox news and remain ignorant.
#35:
These African nations did this to themselves? Why don't you try picking up a history book and researching: The Scramble for Africa, Berlin Conference. Reading is fundamental.
As British boy (16 years to be exact) of Somali origin who hasn’t seen Somalia and has images drawn from family albums- photos of immense natural beauty with faces of young men and women dancing away in weddings in blush hotels in Mogadishu- this is a horrifying imagery that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
The sad thing is all these young boys many of them who seem to be my age wasting away their lives for the sake of (perhaps I should not be so harsh, may be they have nothing to live for as such! You know if you have very little to live, then why not fight for what seems to be an idea that will bring you boundless fruits!) clan or ideology- clan and ideology which they are not the beneficiary. Dying under the tutelage of older men who all vying to be the next big man in Africa! Such a tragedy, such a waste of young life!
What ought to be done?
Where is the political morality? Where is the global village that we all speak about- the famous mantra Globalised world? Is it because there is no benefit to be reaped from Somalia? Why are we not rushing to help rescue the millions of innocent people who had fallen for the hubris of the few? Oh, I know, because these Somalis have no tangible natural resources available for us to exploit!
Perhaps, Somalis shouldn’t wait the helping hand of their brethrens in the world! It should be told that they are indeed cut off from this globalised village and this horrid fate it abandoned to them to solve!
Nalaye Ahmed
if you live by the gun you die by the gun...........gosh.....and the children trained to handle guns instead of playing child games.God have mercy on the innocent children being exposed to this kind of life and give the women strength as they continue to see their children slaughtering one another and bring peace to their land.
maybe what they need is very ruthless colonizer , take over with full force not half hearted measures .... maybe then they could have at least a central govt however bad , that's just a staring point (not ideal but we have to start somewhere )
On behalf of reasonable-minded people everywhere, I'd like to say to any Muslims reading this that you are as much my brothers and sisters as any Jew, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, or anyone else. The ignorant, anti-Muslim and anti-Islam attitude displayed by some of the posters here is shameful and contributes to an atmosphere that creates war and pain just as much as militant fundamentalism does.
Sad.
This has nothing to do with religion.. This is a hawiye Thugs..
it seems the government soldiers are fighting angels....the dead body of the 1 al-shabab militiaman is yet to be pictured......
Allah must hate Islam. He has not blessed any of the Muslim countries.
They all should die... it will stopps the war in that country...
and white people shouldnt send any gifts (like american bags at one of that picture) to africa, otherwise they will do nothing but fighting, and no thinking for future...
May be this has nothing to do with religion. But please, let the people of Africa choosing freely their own leaders and their own government, Islam is not as bad as Christianism. When do western people understand that Muslim and Islam also have their one place in the future of our world?
In fact, they understand nothing or they do not want to understand anything from them. So it is easy to say that roots of this war would be found in fundamentalism...
I felt sympathy for the children.
Heartthrobbing....!!!
God, Buddha and Allah are the reasons Somalia is in the shape its in.
I don't believe in Allah, because if God doesn't help my people in their darkest hour, he is clearly not an agent of good in this world. Perhaps, people have wasted their lifes praying to the wrong God.
Only people of a lesser God would experience this sort of abysmal misery.
I wonder where do they get those guns. Do u think their industry can produce those guns? I dont think so.
Im not sure why everyone has to find a way to spin this into some conspiracy theory or that old "read between the lines" event...
This isnt the UN, the US, or the UK's fault. This has nothing to do with economic ravaging of the African continent.
Guess what? This is one conflict you CAN take at face value. Fundamentalists killing other fundamentalists. And that weapons trail? Pleaaasse. Anyone with half a brain knows that AK47's dont come from western countries. Get your heads out of the sand and read up on some history, those guns probably come from 3rd world countries that originally bought them from Russia and China after WW2.
OH and anyone who makes a comment like, where are the UN and the US when we need them? LOOK at the pictures, specifically the one with the truck full of FREE aid from the US, and the UN soldiers that are the only thing standing between this country and utter chaos!
Hey guess what haters?
This is NOT indicative of Africa as a continent. There are MANY africans countries and there are MANY of them that are doing quite well, and growing their economies. IN FACT, Kenya, which is directly west of Somalia is doing quite well and has a burgeoning tourism industry as well!
Dont drag the entirety of Africa into your one sided anti____ (insert western government, democracy, individual country or politician here) garbage. Too bad you are too cynical to look at anything from its face value.
#41.
I dont know who supplies these AK-47 but they dont cost $20. They cost a damn $500 where i am.And that s all over this country.
I can’t understand why they are destroying themselves for 2 decade. A lot of thoughts come to my mind but then no one should die like that. I Wonder & Wonder when that "ONE DAY" will come, when Somalia and its people will move on. Peace and pleasing reaches everyone like a sun shine. I pray to ALLAH to PLEASE bring peace back to the country I one's lived in and belong to. I have no other hope than YOU ALLAH. Yes You CAN, I BELIEVE in you 100%.
I think its about the time the international community to stop their wait and see approach and start doing something for Somalia, these poor people need to be free from few thugs and criminals who kept this country hostage for so long. Furthermore where is so called international criminal court , Somali warlords should be brought to justice, their kill civilians , use children in the conflict and distroyed the future of Millions in Somalia.
Somalis are being used by Ethiopia, Eretria, Egypt, US and other as battle ground to their national interests.
so sad young kids watch this persons and bodys so bad
OHH GOD HELP MY CONTINENT ,AFRICA I LOVE DEARLY,THE WOMEN AND THE CHILDREN ..OHHH.MY MIGHTY GOD SAVE THEM. Amen
Bloggers who want to attack the United States for all the wrongs of this world are sadly mistaken! Believe it or not people, this is more about the Islamic world which seems only capable of creating sorrow, suffering, death and destruction. Along with that the European community always willing to condemn others in their arrogance, but never seem to be constructive in solving issues. Most of bloggers fail to realize that without the United States and the sacrifice made in blood and money by my country in the past, you wouldn't have the right to freely blog. I would suggest a unbias course in world history since 1776.
I have never seen this fighting before..the somali people are needed to fight those who behind this kindless killings which always happen in somalia especially in mogadisho.me my self i was in mogadisho since islamic union started until ethiopian troops came. I sure that time all the people support the insurgency activities but they begun to kill annocent people with out meanless.i saw alot of people were killed inforant of me..no one say any thing because the millitant threaten them..when the ethiopian left the country..the people believe that they should live peacefully and the fighting ended but the insurgency became the first enemy of the tired people of war..I got tear when i saw this pictures from mugadishu.alshabab is the enemy of whole world please I am asking for international communities to help the people of somalia....
People should know who is responsible for whatever is happening now, that is all i can say. Before you say anything , just do some research and i can guarantee you will get the result. the. period.
Heartbreaking....Muslims killing Muslims!
Its not to blame on usa. This country f*cked itself by tribalism and religiouse madness.
may Allah help our innocent people i'm really sorry about this picz, Alshabab are responsible what's going in Banaadir, the somalian educated persons. the somalian scholers must take a right action about this extremist shabab, we r muslim 100% and we should avoid together this ingnorant barain washed group,
May Allah give us peace n hormony insha Allah, OHHHHHHHHHHHHH ALLAH ALLAH
Shame on Africa, Arabs, and Muslim countires.
The world has become cruel place, yesterday it was Ethiopian troops killing Somali civilian and now Ugandha troops, on top of interantional terrorist organazation like Al Qaida using Somali youth to fight aginst other Somali
factions in the name of religion, I don't know who blame.
African countires has been silent, and neighboring countires involve one way or the other, Kenya, Ugand, Erteria, Ethiopia and Yemen all are part of the problem.
Only if Somalia is left for Somalis, it would have been ok..
Joe
Its very sad to see or hear every single day what is happening in every part of the world...we have to understand why is this happening around us.....we have to make a difference to make this world a better place to live.
Excuse me, dear commentors, but this has not very much to do with the US, and nothing with Israel. Maybe you should get rid of your Anti-US-glasses.
Very nice site!
I am no man basher at all, but in all these photos, just like almost any other ones you will see in any other war or major conflict, men of all ages, including young boys are holding guns killing each other while girls and women are forced into the background for sexual exploitation, slavery and reproduction.
the only pictures with women in them are when they are together trying to get medical attention, when they have been killed unintentionally or when they are helping to heal/aid others.
a population that continually represses and destroys half their population will not get out of their state of war. it is tragic.
For anyone interested in understanding more fully the humanity of the people in these photos, and those unseen, I encourage you to read the novels of Somali writer Nuruddin Farah. His work provides a more complete narrative and context for understanding the complexities--the tragedies and hopes--of modern Somalia; and they are beautiful works of literature. His novels "Links" and "Knots" in particular focus on the present conflict. Farah will win the Nobel prize one of these years and should be better known in America...
In societies in conflict, children are their most visible victims. Looking at these photos you can't help but see the young age of everyone. All these people are victims of violence, torn apart families and war. By chance and circumstance, each of these individuals has grasped onto what they believe offers them the best chance at an immediate "better" life, and in many cases there is no real choice.
When I look at these photos (esp. 3, 11-13, 21), I don't see "hard line Islamic militants", I see victims who have found a group that will provide them with sustinance and some weak semblance of security and family; and in exchange they are programed to do the bidding of a few power-hungry "warlords" eager to capitalize on the chaos that is Somalia.
Am sorry to say this but if my country had what IRAN has , you will see as more in the News , no one care abut as we are in this war for 20 years ,
Girl from somlia.
This is nothing new!!
Flash back to 1990 in MOgadisho. somali
that is where it start with klan and now is to blame islam.
Is big Sham to Somalia, power to the ppl!
to see boodly everywhere in muqadisho
Thsanks a lot for all the people who are interesting in restoring peace in Somalia. My comments is all these people who are fighting in Somalia are sides of the fighters struggling to conquare or confiscate the arable lands of southern Somali community, for instance why Hawiye militiamen are fighting to control the lower shabele region and middle shabele region its theri lands, in conclusion Darod and Hawie militia men are the main dominant ethnic group who wants to destroy the traditoinal and culture of Somali Bantu community and there is a silent policy of ethnic cleansing againist Somali Jareer Commmunity that is being used by these people, but most of the world can not understand.
I think those who are manufacturing the weapons,selling & donating are the root cause of the disructions and distabilization,let them enjoy the game then...
for the love OF ALLAH,FOR THE LOVE OF THEIR NATION, FOR THE OF THE PEOPLES OF SOMALIA,FOR THE LOVE OF PEACE , LET THE PEOPLES OF SOMALIA STAND UP FOR PEACE THAT EVER LAST
GOD SAVES SOMALIA!