Ethiopian troops lead big new AU offensive against Al-Shabaab in Somalia; heavy fighting raging

Last month's al-Shabaab assault on a AMISOM base left dozens of Burundian soldiers dead in one of the deadliest incidents in eight years ago.AFRICAN Union troops said Sunday they had launched a new offensive against Al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab rebels in southern Somalia, vowing to flush the insurgents out of rural areas.

The African Union Mission in Somalia, or AMISOM, said “Operation Jubba Corridor” was launched on Friday in the Bay and Gedo regions south of the capital Mogadishu along with Somali government troops.

Officials and witnesses confirmed heavy fighting was raging near the al-Shabaab strongholds of Dinsor and Bardhere, and said the militants hit back with a suicide car bomb attack against a convoy of Ethiopian troops, who are leading the offensive.

“The operation will ensure that all the remaining areas in Somalia will be liberated and peace restored,” AMISOM said in a statement.

http://mgafrica.com/article/2015-07-19-ethiopian-troops-lead-big-new-au-offensive-against-al-shabaab-in-somalia-heavy-fighting-reported

bidexiii:

Yeap it as being long wen I noticed @henry on d thread or other thread's . Long time mate .

My God,i never knew you have your own thread bro,Chai!!!My bad,am following right away,Moreover i do hope someone will be able to contact him,same as Sirius Black,it's been a really long time

sudan air force mig-29

Some people here lie congenitally, so here are 2 academic examinations of the Battle of Bangui. Am I allowed here to point out the US Ranger Regiment regards the battle in their lessons, as "after Market Garden, the best argument for paratroops in the modern era"?


http://www.warbooks.co.za/collections/e-books/products/the-battle-in-bangui-the-untold-inside-story-helmoed-romer-heitman-free-ebook-40-pages

http://issuu.com/mechinf/docs/battle_for_bangui_v_2


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1if6hsnFXk

Patchesagain:
Interesting Recce capabilities come to light:
Other South African military elements that will take part in Exercise Oxide include the air force (a C-130BZ, a C-47TP, a Super Lynx embarked on the deployed frigate and an Oryx medium transport helicopter), Special Forces including a submarine team, a submarine parachute action group and an airborne team
How do these guys fit into the Recce's?
What is the dedicated sea unit of the Recce's?

MikeCZAR:
4 Recce.

It is bigger than the Limpopo based 5.

You'll rarely hear about them since the SANDF conducts most of its operations in land. Though they do conduct ops in land like the famous Operation Collage in Angola. So they receive less attention than the guys deployed with UN peacekeepers from 5.

They jump into the sea with a boat from an aircraft to help subs, UK has a similar SPAG unit. On standby 24/7.

They're mostly with the navy during anti-piracy ops.

Majority of their ops like raids launched from the strike crafts and Daphne subs during the Bush war remain shrouded in secrecy.

Gentlemen: both 4 & 5 Recce. The 'Kreefies' and 'Umhlabas/landlubbers' compete not in the number of squadrons, but how tough is each Selection cycle. It's a point of pride for 4 Recce that within the 2000-2010 period, twice (2005 & 07),of about 200 candidates annually, nobody passed Selection.

It is not for nothing that the Recce badge is one of the rarer around the world.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQm50m7F8aY

united states will now sell Apache to Nigeria

www.persecondnews.com/index.php/psn-news/item/4087-washington-u-s-to-sell-apache-attack-helicopters-to-nigeria

jteku:
united states will now sell Apache to Nigeria

www.persecondnews.com/index.php/psn-news/item/4087-washington-u-s-to-sell-apache-attack-helicopters-to-nigeria

Really Great news, Its good to see that Nigeria is going for good qualify helicopters instead of those sh*tty Russian choppers.

This just shows that the U.S was just waiting for Mr Goodluck to leave.

jteku:
united states will now sell Apache to Nigeria

www.persecondnews.com/index.php/psn-news/item/4087-washington-u-s-to-sell-apache-attack-helicopters-to-nigeria

I call BS on this story.

I know Col Dixon says his heroic 200 would have scored a victory over the almost 7000 Seleka, if he had 2 Rooivalk. The Paras acquitted themselves exceedingly well. I've seen Battle of Cassinga vets cry when Col Dixon narrates the odds at Bangui, and the Paras who fought and fell there, but as a planner I'm still 50/50 whether the battle would have turned from a draw to a victory if we had 2 Rooivalk or 2 Bateleur MRLS.

Academic yes, but picture this:

1) targeting the Mpoko Bridge front where 35 heroes (later joined by 15 for the last 2 hours) from Big 5 held off 2000 for 6 hours; and not forgetting the 7 Tactical Int guys in their forward OP with their Cytoon gear who detected the breach and proceeded to call in 120mm mortars to delay the enemy whilst 5 Recce proceeded to interdict;

2) taking care of the Damara Road front where only 3 companies not only stopped, but whilst possessing the mobile element of 5 Recce, managed to actually push back a whole brigade of Seleka infantry and their technicals.

frumentius:
50/50 whether the battle would have turned from a draw to a victory if we had 2 Rooivalk or 2 Bateleur MRLS. Academic yes

Helmoed Heitman speculates what artillery would have done:

http://issuu.com/mechinf/docs/battle_for_bangui_v_2

Page 113.

kenyan soldier in somalia

Tanzanian Army in training.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TwS8jkU7_s

F#%# christ three V-22 oprey have just flown over my house and then 2 UH-60 .the americans have arrived

Ive found this link to be quite interesting....enjoy the reading http://sadf.sentinelprojects.com/index.html

An a pic of the Namibian air force helicopter that was deployed to Zimbabwe to help with flood evacuations...

V-22 osprey in kenyatta university main campus

rehearsing obama visit to kenyatta university main campus

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ubwDGKvtNk

frumentius:


I call BS on this story.

Good call

africaken:
rehearsing obama visit to kenyatta university main campus

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ubwDGKvtNk

Honestly, I would take this to undermining the security of a sovereign nation when you deploy everything because of a 1-2 day visit.

Is Kenya unable to provide security for a high profile visitor or what?

The dude has been to other African countries and this wasn't the case.

Don't tell me about the threat from al-shabaab unless it means Kenyan intelligence and VIP protection is non-existent.

I honestly hate this.

stillchris:


Honestly, I would take this to undermining the security of a sovereign nation when you deploy everything because of a 1-2 day visit.

Is Kenya unable to provide security for a high profile visitor or what?

The dude has been to other African countries and this wasn't the case.

Don't tell me about the threat from al-shabaab unless it means Kenyan intelligence and VIP protection is non-existent.

I honestly hate this.

When you run the world's sole superpower you have reason to be paranoid. On another note, when US presidents visit SA, their Secret Service doesn't bring their full complement because they trust the STF!
Unlike Putin's Spetsnaz thugs who had to be taught some manners by the STF at the BRICS Summit in Durban. (video to come soon).

frumentius:


When you run the world's sole superpower you have reason to be paranoid. On another note, when US presidents visit SA, their Secret Service doesn't bring their full complement because they trust the STF!

My point exactly. Even when queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria, or bush, markel and other high profile superpowers, they damn sure didn't come here packing.

So why all the Calvary in Kenya? Is she incapable or what?

Maybe the Kenyans can answer this question.

It's a shame for a country(regional power for that matter) to have it's security undermined like this.

frumentius:

Unlike Putin's thugs who had to be taught some manners by the STF at the BRICS Summit in Durban. (video to come soon).

Hahahaha.. Would love to see that

stillchris:

My point exactly. Even when queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria, or bush, markel and other high profile superpowers, they damn sure didn't come here packing.

So why all the Calvary in Kenya? Is she incapable or what?

Maybe the Kenyans can answer this question.

It's a shame for a country(regional power for that matter) to have it's security undermined like this.

I suspect you misunderstood me mate. The US Secret Service conducts an intensive threat analysis and assessment of the host's offered security units. Lots of data goes into that, and the result is a realistic appraisal. No offence to the Kenyans, but look at how they handled Westgate. By the way, the current Kenyan visit is being handled in an almost similar way to the last US presidential visit to Poland. Was Grom affronted? Hell no. I daresay you'd see more security were Obama to visit Nigeria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Colombia or Sri Lanka.
Threat assessment primarily, and host nation's offered units secondarily.

Kenya is slowly improving its capacity and absent the Al-Shabaab threat, future US presidential visits might well see less Yankie "muscle-flexing", if the current momentum is maintained.

stillchris:


Hahahaha.. Would love to see that

Here you go:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299961/Putins-armed-bodyguards-fight-security-summit-South-Africa-told-nuclear-suitcase-X-ray.html#v-2257764248001

stillchris:

My point exactly. Even when queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria, or bush, markel and other high profile superpowers, they damn sure didn't come here packing.

So why all the Calvary in Kenya? Is she incapable or what?

Maybe the Kenyans can answer this question.

It's a shame for a country(regional power for that matter) to have it's security undermined like this.

do you remember there was a plane nearly shot down in kenya,potus is going to be flying to every venue thats why he need that sort of entourage.i remember zuma swaggering entourage enterance during south sudan independence celebrations with south africa special forces with their little RDRV

G20 Barack Obama Marine One VH-3's and Osprey V-22's Landing in Brisbane

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuzPKV0GQqY

G20 Barack Obama Marine One VH-3's and Osprey V-22's Takeoff from Brisbane

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvkYYX8Wf0

Members of the Botswana defense force

Namibia police "Riot" control **Graphic**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo2rlaGtyAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7acugDeIPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y75T6BahIcs

africaken:
do you remember there was a plane nearly shot down in kenya,potus is going to be flying to every venue thats why he need that sort of entourage.i remember zuma swaggering entourage enterance during south sudan independence celebrations with south africa special forces with their little RDRV

Precisely africaken. Oh, and about the "little RDRV". Do you know each vehicle is Impi and Chaka C4 compliant, engine and frontal resistant to 7.62, v-hulled, and modular? Can carry 9 men, or be a mortar launcher, and in Bangui, used as a 60mm MLRS platform. Squadron 3 of 5 Recce mounts ladders and other tools on it for their hostage-rescue specialisation. Did I mention can be slung by Oryx and air-droppable from a C-130?

frumentius:


Precisely africaken. Oh, and about the "little RDRV". Do you know each vehicle is Impi and Chaka C4 compliant, engine and frontal resistant to 7.62, v-hulled, and modular? Can carry 9 men, or be a mortar launcher, and in Bangui, used as a 60mm MLRS platform. Squadron 3 of 5 Recce mounts ladders and other tools on it for their hostage-rescue specialisation. Did I mention can be slung by Oryx and air-droppable from a C-130?

You forgot the Scorpion automatic system which can be mounted including the "chinese rocket launchers".

stillchris:


Honestly, I would take this to undermining the security of a sovereign nation when you deploy everything because of a 1-2 day visit.

Is Kenya unable to provide security for a high profile visitor or what?

The dude has been to other African countries and this wasn't the case.

Don't tell me about the threat from al-shabaab unless it means Kenyan intelligence and VIP protection is non-existent.

I honestly hate this.

The chinies PM, and other presidents have been to Kenya without much fuss, The largest US embassy in Africa is in Kenya, UNEP HQ is in Kenya- the only UN HQ in Africa, Swiss Embassy in Kenya is the largest in the world, Power Africa head office is in Nairobi, The largest world bank building is in Kenya, after the HQ in new york.......all these offices, with so many staff would have relocated somewhere else if Kenya was so insecure.
I think you are over reacting dude, Whats wrong with Marine one and its entourage making themselves familiarized with the routes to where Obama would be visiting (they landed for 10min then took off, what was Kenya's govenment supposed to do? deny them airspace rights and force Obama to go by road?). How sure are you this has not happened in other African countries? you probably just never cared to notice , cause I dont think there is anywhere in the world that Obama has used his heli without his protection, no matter how secure that country is. The Osprey has replaced the Chinook I think this year or last year so you probably wont see them in previous visits to Africa.

1st pic: Obama going to be interviewed at 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' show.Is the US intelligence and VIP protection is non-existent?

2nd pic - Obamas osprey in philipinnes

3rd pic - Obama Marine one in-front of Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa in 2013, I can see 3 chinooks, there were 3 ospreys that came with marine one at the Kenyan university, So they dint deploy anything out of the odinary for the guy.

The US has undermined the security of many sovereign nations each time there highest office holders visit a foreign country(especially developing nations)- we all hate it, what can we do

SANDF

stillchris:

My point exactly. Even when queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria, or bush, markel and other high profile superpowers, they damn sure didn't come here packing.

So why all the Calvary in Kenya? Is she incapable or what?

Maybe the Kenyans can answer this question.

It's a shame for a country(regional power for that matter) to have it's security undermined like this.

Dude those other superpowers are not as paranoid as US, the chinies PM came to Kenya, there wast traffic jam above the usual for our own president, he went to a park and he did'nt seem to be having any protection.
The US president is a totally different issue, If you have not had him in your country, wait till you host him/her then say that. The US has undermined securities of so many countries,outside public eyes including yours,(you might even find them to have more intelligence on BH and its financers than you do- and you might wonder how the hell the acquired such info)