London Al-Hayah (in Arabic) 3 Sep 93 pg. 1, 4 — [Report by Yusuf Khazim]

Mogadishu — The Somali Islamic groups have joined a side in the fighting against the international forces in Somalia, especially the American forces working in the framework of UNOSOM-II. These groups. have, until recently, depended on a strategy of mobilizing their followers against the international forces without entering into a direct military confrontation with them, awaiting the “appropriate opportunity.”

Independent Somali sources affirmed to Al-Hayah in Mogadishu that most of the night military operations against UNOSOM-II positions in the city were conducted by Islamic groups, especially the Somali Islamic Union [SIU], without direct coordination with the Somali National Alliance [SNA] led by General Farah Aideed.

The Islamic groups evacuated their forces and withdrew their weapons from the major localities in which the UNOSOM-II forces belonging to the UN concentrated, such as Mogadishu, Marka, Baidoa, and Kismaayo, a week before the arrival of the American forces participating in “Operation Provide Comfort” to Somalia on 9 December 1992.

These groups worked recently on strengthening their internal situation, unifying their positions, recruiting new elements from all of the Somali tribes, and mobilizing them against the international forces in preparation for the military confrontation with them. The Islamic groups wagered on the failure of the UN forces and the fragmentation of the Somali militias within the course of a year to cause command of “Operation Provide Comfort” to be transferred to the international organization, so that they might begin the confrontation.

The Islamic groups’ forces during this time concentrated in the regions of northeast Somalia and in the far south of the country. They believed that any military operation launched against the American forces would strengthen the position of General Aideed and his allies without achieving any military, political, or propaganda victory. For this reason, they distanced themselves from the conflict with the Americans and in June took control of the strategic port of Boosaaso lying along the Red Sea in the north of the country, and then the port of Laasqoray 90 km from Boosaaso.

Sources in the Somali Salvation Democratic Front [SSDF] and in the United Somali Party [USP] affirmed to Al-Hayah that the SIU was receiving military and food supplies through the two ports of Boosaaso and Laasqoray before losing both of them to the forces of the SSDF and the USP in March [all months as published].
After the SIU’s loss of the two positions, a series of meeting was held in Khartoum with six other Islamic organizations and it was decided to return to Mogadishu to confront the American forces militarily.

The Somali sources commented that two leaders in the SIU began their return to Mogadishu and Marka at the end of May and that elements of the SIU began their military operations against the international forces without cooperating with Aideed.

Sources close to the SNA affirmed that General Aideed is delighted with the SIU’s operations against these forces and that his forces are in a state of continual alert, but that they have not participated in any of these operations.

For this reason, the SNA has not announced its responsibility for any of the operations that were conducted against the forces of UNOSOM-II and its leader Aideed has continued to call on Somalis to confront the international forces, making it appear as if he is the one who directed the operations against them.

He is benefitting both from the propaganda and popular aspects. [Passage omitted on UNOSOM-II official announcements]

FBIS-AFR-93-173, 9 Sept. 1993, p. 1