Somalis in al-Shabab towns protest troop increase
Admin - Jul 07, 10
http://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/somalis-in-al-shabab-towns-protest-troop-increase-4030
MOGADISHU, July 7th (AP) - Witnesses say Somalis in four towns held by Islamist militants are protesting a recent decision by East African nations to send 2,000 more peacekeepers to Somalia.
The protesters marched through the streets and chanted slogans denouncing the East African bloc and the U.N.-backed Somali government. They also denounced neighboring Ethiopia, which withdrew from Somalia last year after a fighting insurgents for nearly three years.The leaders of the militant group al-Shabab called for Somalis to prepare for a holy war against new troops.
Yusuf Ali Heydar, an al-Shabab leader, called for African nations to take back pledges of troops.
About 6,000 African peacekeeping troops are deployed in Somalia. The East African bloc this week pledged 2,000 more.