al-Shabab Parades Below Mogadishu

From Mareeg:

Large troops loyal to the Islamist militias of Al-shabab have made military show in Lafole residence south of the capital Mogadishu this morning on Monday, 3rd Jan., eyewitnesses told to the media.

These militias have shown the military show in Lafole area, former strong hold of Hisbul-Islam leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and other areas where internally displaced people live.

The forces were well armed and dressed and have been walking to the way that links Mogadishu to Afgoe district of lower Shabelle region this morning, resident said.

Heads of Shabab forces attended the military maneuver that has taken place in Lafole, Arbiska, and other neighborhoods close to these villages south the capital Mogadishu.

Sheikh Mohamed Abu-Abdala spoke to these militias and thanked them for their readiness to what he called holy war and defending the enemy which he meant fighting Transitional Federal Government and the African Union Peacekeeping Forces.

Sheikh Mohamed Abu-Abdalla, is the governor of lower Shabelle region for Al-shabab militias and he also indicated that it was very cheerful for Shabab to control those areas since Hisbul-Islam used to control the area before.

He urged these militias not to harm people and deal with the community with good behaviors.

Al-shabab leaders were recently replacing former Hisbul-Islam administrations to real Shabab individuals in lower Shabelle region including Lafole, Arbiska and Elasha-biyaha.

Al-shabab captured those areas after Hisbul-Islam destroyed early last month and it sees the only power and strengthens the war against T.F.G and AMISOM that is part of the military show it displayed today, sources said.

Reinforcements from both al-Shabab and the African Union (AU) are converging on Mogadishu in hopes of a decisive battle in 2011.