












Thousands Attend Pro-Government Rally
Thousands attended peaceful demonstrations in support of Somali government forces Tuesday at the Konis Stadium in Abdiasis district, a former base of militant Islamist group al-Shabaab.
The stadium, which was used as a training ground until the insurgent group pulled the bulk of its forces from the capital, was transformed into a colorful display of support for the government, represented by Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and Mogadishu Mayor Mohamud Nur Tarsan Ahmed.
The demonstrators waved the blue Somalia flag, sang the national anthem and condemned the insurgents.
“Mogadishu will be free from the Al-Shabaab and we shall all enjoy the fruits of freedom together,” Abdiweli told the crowd.
Mayor Tarsan told Somalia Report that the departure of al-Shabaab, which left the capital saying it was shifting to traditional insurgent tactics, gave the government a chance to restore Mogadishu.
‘‘We have a great opportunity now to rebuild the lost glory of the capital; it’s been five years of horror and pain as we witnessed al-Shabaab destroy what we built,” he said.
Attendees said they were grateful the insurgents had left most of the capital.
“They took me to training in Gedo, but I defected immediately when I heard they would deploy me to Mogadishu,” Hassan Yunis, 23, told Somalia Report.
Leyla Ali, a mother of ten, fled with her children to Hamar Weyne following death threats received when she refused to hand over her boys to al-Shabaab’s Jihad.
“Today for the first time in five years I saw my house and have all my children with me,” she told Somalia Report. “I am glad that the government wiped out al-Shabaab from Mogadishu since they were an obstacle to education, development and freedom of the people of Somalia.”
Despite the optimism, the conflict is far from over. Al-Shabaab still controls much of the rest of southern Somalia and has been launching attacks in Mogadishu. The insurgent group also executed three youths in Daynile district on Tuesday, accusing them of spying for the government.