July 6, 2007: Government
calls for a full force of 20,000 peacekeepers are being resisted by the African
Union and the UN. Neither organization wants to put troops into the middle of
the interminable clan warfare. The government has been told to pacify unruly
elements before peacekeepers are sent in, but the government insists it needs
peacekeepers to do this. Somalia has been in this unruly state for centuries.
July 3, 2007: Clan based
gangs continue to attack government, Ethiopian and EU troops. The attacks are
mostly at night, or via roadside bombs. The attacks are not having much effect,
except that they are hindering aid efforts.
Some NGOs have had to shut down operations temporarily when the local
violence (from clan disputes or banditry) made it too dangerous. The roadside
bombs are poorly made and used, and are not inflicting many casualties.
July 1, 2007: A South Korean cargo ship was seized by
pirates off the coast. This makes five ships being held by pirates. It usually
takes about a month for ransom to be negotiated and paid. So far this year,
there have been fifteen pirate attacks, compared to ten for all of last year.
June 30, 2007: In the
southwest, clan fighting (over water) left seven dead and many more wounded.
