By News Desk

MOGADISHU (Sunatimes) - Somali rebels surrounded the presidential palace in Mogadishu after fighting over the weekend, as AU troops warn militants to cross further, residents, officials said.

After two day of fierce fighting in the streets of north of Mogadishu,  the rebel Alshabaab fighters have got closer to the palace complex.

A rebel spokesman, Ali Mohamed Hussein says that the rebel fighters were simply holding back an assault on the palace to allow new recruits to join their ranks.

Residents told Sunatimes that rebels using pickup trucks mounted with cannon and machine guns had fought their way into the palace, but Somalis believe that they will not seize the palace as long as the AU powerful troops in Mogadishu.

The spokesman of the troops Major Barigye Ba-hoku warned the rebels of bad consequence if they further come close to ‘’redline’’.

“We warn them not to close on us---otherwise we shall engage them and clear the town from them”

On Sunday, rebel forces have suffered the biggest defeat after AU tanks shelled their trenches badly as their dead fighters swarmed the streets in the north of Mogadishu which forced them to draw back.

“More than 25 of their fighters died in one place near Global hotel” Sacdiya, a resident in the north of Mogadishu told Sunatimes.

“They runaway but later advanced when AU troops stayed out for the government troops” she added.

Somalis were stunned by the government’s slow performance as its palace is under siege.

“We lost hope of this so called government--- they don’t want to do anything for the people” Nur Abdi, Mogadishu resident said.

“They just want to collect money for themselves not for national performance” he added.

The horn of Africa nation has been without central government since1991 after clan militias and warlords overthrown the dictator regime of Siad Barre that lastly leashed out to constant violence for more than 20 years.

Source: Sunatimes

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