Al-Shabaab recruits in Deniile district of the Somalian capital, Mogadishu on March 5, 2012.
Photo | FILE | AFP
Al-Shabaab militants have the
“capability and intent” to spread their attacks beyond their strongholds
in Somalia, a UN special representative has warned.
The
group “is an organisation that has a regional agenda,” Mr Nick Kay, the
UN special representative in Somalia, said at the weekend and called
for greater regional cooperation to combat the threat.
“The
very top leadership of the organisation see themselves as pursuing
something above and beyond just a Somalia national agenda.
“It
has the capability and intent to carry out attacks across the region
for some time,” Mr Kay said, adding that this intent is “stronger now”.
The
Shabaab have recently stepped up attacks against countries that
contribute to the 22,000-strong, UN-backed African Union force deployed
against them in Somalia since 2007.
Neighbouring Kenya
has been a particular focus of Al-Shabaab violence, most notably with
the attack on the Westgate shopping mall last September in which at
least 67 people were killed.
The group also claimed responsibility for two attacks earlier this month in Kenya which left over 50 people dead.
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