Mogadishu (Alshahid) – Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke has criticized Alshabab for Kampala bombing and called upon the “civilized world to unite in stopping the mindless terror enterprise of Al-Shabab – which clearly is the Al Qaeda
branch of Somalia.”

In a statement Monday evening, the PM sent his deepest condolences and condemned the cowardly act.

“Alshabab terrorist group who killed children for watching World Cup
matches in Mogadishu have taken full responsibility for the carnage in
Kampala. The Somali people and government condemn this cowardly act and send
their deepest condolences to the people and government of Uganda.”

The twin blast left 74 people dead and twice the number in injured.

In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the Meeting, IGAD noted with serious concern that the deteriorating security situation in Somalia is posing serious threat to the peace, security, and stability to the people and TFG of Somalia, the region, and the international community.

In the 21-point communiqué IGAD leaders underlined that the conflict in Somalia is not a conflict among the Somalis but between the people of Somalia and international terrorist groups.

“The Meeting emphasizes the need for urgent and robust response by the international community led by the UN Security Council, to arrest the escalating danger facing Somalia and the Sub-Region; and reiterates its previous call to the UN to convert AMISOM into a UN peace keeping operation without delay,” said the communiqué.

The leaders also called on the AU Commission to mobilize the necessary resources, logistics, and equipment for the deployment of 2000 peacekeepers and also to relocate as soon as possible the civilian and police components of AMISOM to Mogadishu.
However, there are some countries that are skeptical on IGAD’s resolution.

On Saturday, Eritrea’s information minister Ali Abdu called for the East African bloc of nations to halt plans to send more troops to Somalia, saying it will only increase the chaos there.

He argued that past military interventions had failed in Somalia and there is no reason to believe a new one will succeed.