Fierce fighting in Somalia as political crisis intensifies

The Somali opposition has demanded specific steps for ending the ongoing political crisis in the east African country, including through an agreement to hold general elections and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Somali political analyst Ashraf Youssef says the Somali opposition has hopes that the United Nations Security Council would issue a strong statement calling for a return to negotiations between the central government, regional governments and opposition forces, to draw up a transitional map under UN supervision.

There is apparently agreement among the members of the international community that the elections have to be held under any circumstances, Youssef said.

Somalia maintains, meanwhile, its counterterrorism measures, despite the escalating political crisis in the country.

On March 2, Somali authorities announced the killing of ten Al-Shabaab terrorists and the injury of others in a military operation by the National Army in the central Shebelle region.

It said the army is launching military operations to eliminate the extremist youth militia in the central Shebelle region.

Earlier, Somali forces announced the killing of nine members of the extremist Al-Shabaab movement, while responding to an attack by the movement's members in Bay province.

A senior Somali official said extremist militia suffered heavy losses.

Nine of its members were killed and 12 others wounded, the official said.