Abdufita Mohamed, the overall extremist commander in Mogadishu's Bakara market sector, was killed yesterday, 13 May, together with several of his fighters and Abdiwahab Sheik Dole, his intelligence officer.

 

Sources also report that two Pakistani foreign fighters, Hussein Abassi and Abdullahi Yalb, were rushed to Daynille Hospital with severe injuries but later died and were buried nearby.

 

AMISOM operations started early morning at El Hindi in Hawlwadag, just south of Bakara Market, the insurgents' stronghold, drawing fighters from the Market as AMISOM forces start to close in on the key central district of the city.  Ugandan peacekeepers and TFG forces advanced around 400m during the day.  Five peacekeepers have been wounded since the operation began.

 

Immediately to the West of Bakara Market in Hodan District, AMISOM's Burundian peacekeepers removed extremists from another key position, the Russian building, and moved to within a few meters of the notorious African Village.  Three peacekeepers were injured during this fighting.

 

AMISOM launched this operation, in support of the TFG forces, on 12 May to further expand its control within the City. 60% of Mogadishu city is now under the control of Government forces. Seven out ofMogadishu’s 16 districts are under AMISOM, while six are contested and three are under al shabaab.

 

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By Paddy Ankunda