Ref: WW/XW/ Press Release/17 Date: 26 August 2010

A major surge in violence is expected in Mogadishu within the next 24 hrs as Al Shabab launch their long-anticipated Ramadan offensive.

It is believed that the extremists are targeting civilian, government, AMISOM bases around the city in a futile attempt to unseat the Government and establish their own brutal regime.

The Government is well prepared and together with AMISOM, has complete confidence in its plans to contain the violence.

However, the Government is concerned for public safety and urges the people of Mogadishu to remain calm and vigilant, and to report anything suspicious activity to the police or security forces at the earliest opportunity.

In the event that fighting breaks out, the Government encourages people to remain calm and to stay in their homes, avoiding any unnecessary movement.

TFGfs priority during this sensitive time is the safety of innocent civilians.@The best weapon we have against attack is public alertness. Stay in your homes as much as you can.@ Keep your children safe.@We recognise the importance of Ramadan to our people.@ Let us not allow Al Shabab to ruin it.

Our forces are well prepared and as a result Al Shabab are driven to ever more desperate acts.@@ Dressing in TFG uniforms, womenfs clothing, using donkey and cart bombs and large truck borne IED's.

We also know that Al Shabab have begun the@forced recruitment of young men and children from many of our communities.@ These poorly trained men and boys are being mixed with more experienced fighters to act as reinforcements and to give the impression of a larger fighting force. We hope that their futile offensive will be short lived.