More than 80 people have been killed in three days of fighting in the Somali capital. The latest round of fighting started on Monday when the Al Shabab movement, an Al Qaida-linked extremist group, declared war on the government and African Union forces.
The toll is expected to go up because of the number of critical injuries and the lack of sufficient medical supplies.
Many have long warned of the danger of ignoring the war in Somalia, which has been raging for more than two decades. Chaotic Somalia has become not only a haven for extremist groups but also a launching pad for pirates, suicide bombers and even armed groups such as the ones fighting the Yemeni government under the banner of Al Qaida.
The Arabs have never bothered to address the war in that country, which is a member of the Arab League. There was, of course, a successful attempt by the African Union to broker a peace deal between warring factions, which led to the formation of a government in Mogadishu, but that government is so weak it cannot ensure security beyond its compound. The government is also unable to provide any decent basic services to the population — simply because it lacks the resources. Thus, Somalia, an Arab country, needs the Arab League to devise short- and long-term plans to end the war, begin rebuilding the nation and sustain peace and security.
