First Tidal Acquisition Corp T.AAA

Progress.

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AMISOM captures El Ma'an port (Jun 25, 2012)

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces have taken over the strategic costal town of El Ma’an as well as Esaley Airstrip in Middle Shabelle region from Al-Shabaab. Esaley Airstrip and El Ma'an Port are located 37kms to the northeast of Mogadishu and they have been used extensively by Al-Shabaab to import arms and other equipment. The port and the airstrip were also one of the main entry points for foreign fighters coming from the Gulf of Aden or further afield to enter Somalia. Until 2006 Esaley Airstrip was  an important entry point for humanitarian aid to reach populations in need but Al-Shabaab then banned humanitarian groups from using it, severely limiting humanitarian access to populations in Middle Shabelle and Southern Somalia. AMISOM’s capture of the two facilities will curb Al-Shabaab ability to re-equip the forces which have been driven out of Mogadishu. During the operation to take over El Ma’an and Esaley, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces seized a number of weapons. AMISOM’s Force Commander Lieutenant-General Andrew Gutt  said that the “successful offensive, launched by our forces, has enabled us to secure an extremely strategic entrance to Mogadishu”. He noted that the increase in AMISOM’s authorized troop strength to 17,731 had re-energized it for the greater task ahead to bring peace and stability to the rest of Somalia."