Agence France-Press in English 1457 GMT – Report on Somali National Army holding the strategic northern cities of Hargeisa and Berbera after two days of fighting against rebels

Somali Government troops have retained control of Berbera on the north coast after two days of fierce fighting against rebels of the Somali National Movement (SNM), according to reliable reports reaching the Kenyan capital Saturday [26 January]. The SNM, in a communique issued Friday in London, said it had captured “the town and port of Berbera” on Thursday.

Saturday’s reports said the SNM offensive had failed in both Berbera and Hargeysa, the northern regional capital, which was still in government hands. The army has reportedly sent reinforcements to the two towns to defend them against new attacks by the SNM which has been fighting the government for control of the region since 1988.

The SNM offensive came as President Mohamed Siad Barre continued to hold out in his capital after a month-long siege by rebels of the United Somali Congress. The president has offered to resign in exchange for a ceasefire but the rebels have refused.

The French maintenance ship Jules Verne based in Djibouti sailed Friday night to Berbera with orders to evacuate Swiss and French expatriates working at the International Red Cross hospital in Berbera, reliable sources there said. However the evacuation was judged not to be necessary after the SNM attack was repulsed. Foreigners were evacuated from Mogadishu, the capital, in the days after the rebel attack on December 30.

^{(back to 1990s general archives)}