Al-Shabab militants attack police stations and security check points in Mogadishu
February 16, 2022, 7:42 am

Al-Shabab militants attack police stations and security check points in Mogadishu

Al-Shabab militants attack police stations and security check points in Somalia's capital Mogadish (file photo: Facebook page)

The Arab News reported, citing Reuters, the internal security minister said that gunfire and explosions went off in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu in the early hours of Wednesday as Al-Shabab militants attacked police stations and security check points.

Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab, which aims to topple the central government and impose its severe interpretation of Islamic law, carries out frequent attacks against the government, including attacking a minibus carrying election delegates last week.

Abdullahi Nor, the minister, wrote on Twitter: “The terrorists attacked the suburbs of Mogadishu and targeted our police stations and check points.”

“Our security defeated the enemy.”

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The minister said that there were no immediate details on casualties. Police would provide more details on the attacks.

There was no immediate comment from Al-Shabab.

Source: arabnews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.