UN Security Council prolongs mandate of African Union force in

UNITED NATIONS (Itar-Tass) - The UN Security Council on
Friday extended until October 31, 2012 the mandate of the African Union's
peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In the unanimously adopted
resolution the Security Council on Friday called on African countries to
reduce as quickly as possible the strength of AMISOM from the current
8,000 men to 12,000, as it was required by previous decisions of the
African Union and the Security Council.
The AMISOM force began its activity in Somalia in 2007 to protect the
pro-Western transitional government from Islamists. However, it has failed
to stabilize the situation even in the capital Mogadishu. The AU asked the
UN Security Council to approve an increase in the number of troops to
twelve thousand and to expand its mandate.
AMISOM is mainly composed of soldiers of Uganda and Burundi. The UN
mandate allows them to protect civilians and key government facilities,
and not attack the radical Islamists who control most of the country. Part
of AMISOM is located at the international airport, near the presidential
palace, university buildings and the seaport.
The conflict in Somalia has continued since the beginning of the
1990s. At the moment the struggle for power is in progress between the
transitional government and Islamic radicals from the groups Al-Shabab and
Hizbul Islam, controlling the entire south and center of the country.
According to observers, some of them are getting human resources and
material support from the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.
According to the UN, Somalia as a result of the continuing conflict is
faced with a dire humanitarian crisis, which has made a significant part
of the population dependent on foreign aid. Over the past three years the
conflict in the country claimed 21 thousand civilian lives, about 1.5
million people went homeless, and more than 560 thousand were forced to flee to neighboring countries.