http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29044368
African Union Soldiers
The issue being presented in this article is that the Somalia government has offered a pardon to the fighters in a Islamist group, al-Shabab, even though they are uncertain if their leader survived one of the US air strikes. The government is giving them 45 days to surrender in return of an amnesty. The group al-Shabab is refusing to tell weather or not their leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, survived during the air strike. Many people are saying that the Somalia’s government offer is an attempt to calm down the fighters and try to keep peace.
The event of the US air strike took place on Monday, September 1st , when Ahmed Godane was traveling in a convoy in the lower southern region of Somalia. It was stated that a witness saw US troops land on the site of the airstrike shortly after the damage was done. The troops were then in a gun battle with the al-Shabab and proceed to take away some of the bodies after the battle was over. No one knows if they to Godane’s body, but the US are doing a DNA tests on the bodies and it could take them awhile to complete them.
Al-Shabab
The African Union wants to take down the al-Shabab and take back control of Somalia so they are encouraging defections. The Islamic group has lost control of four of their towns in the past week leaving the African Union to keep pressing on towards their main base, Barawe. The African Union has managed to gain back some control in Somalia, but the al-Shabab still has control over a lot of territory in the rual areas enabling them to continue their bombings and assignations in Mogdaishu.
This article takes on a very optimistic tone, by keeping an open mind about the entire situation. The author of the article seems to be hopeful that the Islamic group will be stopped and that there will be justice for the people of Somalia. They use words such as “regain”, which sounds hopeful that they with get back what they are suppose to have from the al-Shabab. Words in this article are very positive and are more towards the side of the Somalia government because it is a positive thing happening in Africa. They want the African Union to take back Somalia in order to restore order in their country.
The source of my article was from BBC Africa and I believe that because they are so diverse the story is very reliable in the way it is presented. I do think the source impacts the tone and choice of words because they are a diverse company they present there stories in a way to relate people from all different walks of life
My personal thought on this article is that, I want Somalia to regain its control in its country. A strong country tends to be one that is unified and it is hard for them to do that when they have the Islamic group trying to change every move they make. I think it is important that they keep on fighting for what is there’s and continue to overrule the al-Shabab. In time they African Union will get control of its people and the Somalia government will officially be back on the right track. I loved reading this article and I never thought things like this were going on in places like Somalia. Its hard to believe that a group of people could just begin to overrule a government and create their own rules, but it is clear that in Africa it does happen. I really do hope for change in Somalia.