Somalia’s President Declares War on Shabab Militants<br />By HUSSEIN MOHAMEDAPRIL 6, 2017<br />MOGADISHU, Somalia — The newly elected president of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, declared war on the Shabab militant group on Thursday<br />and offered amnesty to fighters, whom he referred to as "brainwashed youth," if they surrendered within 60 days.<br />His announcement came just over a week after President Trump signed a directive<br />that declared parts of Somalia an "area of active hostilities." The order temporarily relaxes some rules for preventing civilian casualties when the American military carries out counterterrorism strikes in Somalia.<br />At least six people were killed on Wednesday after a suicide car bomber targeted a cafe frequented<br />by government officials near the Internal Security Ministry and the Ministry of Youth.<br />The reshuffling of security officials looks like business as usual, said Hafzina Omar, a 22-year-old Mogadishu resident.<br />In the face of those challenges, the president’s cabinet on Thursday replaced the chief commanders of the army, the police<br />and national intelligence, as well as the mayor of Mogadishu, the capital.
