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AU urges Somalis to unite to flush out Al-Shabaab militants

Xinhua, July 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

An African Union (AU) envoy in Somalia on Wednesday called on Somalis to unite in their efforts to eliminate Al-Shabaab militants in the country.

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Francisco Madeira, wished all Somalis a happy and prosperous Eid al-fitr and urged them to continue upholding the spirit of love and reconciliation to achieve peace, stability and prosperity.

In a statement issued in Mogadishu, he called on the Somalis to work together with the Federal Government and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to "help the country overcome its present predicament and achieve peace and stability."

Madeira said AMISOM forces had made gains that are helping secure Somalia.

"Together with the Somali National Army, they (AMISOM) have pushed Al-Shabaab, the jihadist insurgency group, from all key towns in Somalia," he said, adding that despite the challenges, Somalia's future is "surely bright".

AMISOM is working with the Somali government in strengthening state institutions as well as empowering the Somali security forces to take over the security responsibility of Somalia, Mandeira said.

Mandeira said the forthcoming elections in Somalia later this year will be a major step forward in the political transformation of the country.

"AMISOM and the international partners will continue supporting Somalia in its effort to achieve the dividends of peace and universal suffrage by 2020," he said. Endit