Terror attacks foiled in Somalia and Uganda

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Security forces in Somalia and Uganda averted terror attacks on Monday which would have been devastating to the region which has now embarked on eliminating violent extremist groups among them the Al-Shabaab which is still dominant in central and southern Somalia.

In Somalia, the National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] blocked the Al-Shabaab militants from attacking Peace Park, a famous spot near the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu, the Ministry of Information said, noting that the militants were targeting civilians.

During the operation, the intelligence officers seized suicide vests and an auto-rickshaw intended for use in the attack, according to the ministry. Al-Shabaab has been waging sporadic retaliatory attacks following operations waged by security forces across the country for the last seven months.

The attack comes even as the country prepares for the second phase of a crackdown against the group which is set to start in due course according to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Already, a number of countries including Kenya and Ethiopia have pledged to dispatch non-ATMIS troops for security operations.

In Uganda, six suspects were arrested by security operatives for allegedly being in possession of improvised explosive devices [IEDs] intended for use during anti-government protests in the capital Kampala. The country is rarely attacked by violent extremist groups like the Al-Shabaab.

Maj. Charles Kabona, the spokesperson of the Uganda People's Defense Forces [UPDF] said joint operations were conducted on Monday in Kampala following the tip by members of security forces. The planned nationwide demonstrations were called for by the Uganda Freedom Activists group to protest economic hardships and corruption in the country.

Police told journalists at the scene that along with the arrests, also seized were 12 wine bottles, charcoal dust, sugar, a jerrycan of petrol, matchboxes, a blasting cap, dynamite, and candlewick, among other items. The protests had been termed as unlawful by the police.

While Uganda rarely witnesses terror attacks, Somalia has been home to the Al-Shabaab terror group which is closely linked to Al-Qaeda. The country has been struggling to eliminate the group forcing a number of East African countries to send troops to the country for the restoration of peace and stability.

GAROWE ONLINE