October 12, 2011: AU peacekeepers believe that there are about 300 al Shabaab gunmen still in Mogadishu, operating in small groups (10-20 men each). Most city residents are fed up with al Shabaab, and are more willing to report where the Islamic radicals are staying now that most of these terrorists have left the city. So there is more activity as AU peacekeepers chase down the remaining terrorists.

The UN says it has reached an agreement with al Shabaab to allow food aid to reach hungry Somalis in al Shabaab controlled areas. Terms of the deal were not revealed, but it is known that al Shabaab has been increasing its extortion demands on merchants operating in territory the terrorists' control. The UN has also called for more peacekeepers, to protect Somalis from the violence of other Somalis. But no foreign nations are willing to undertake that task, as the violent Somalis are extremely and persistently violent.  A glance at the historical record reveals that it has long been this way, and no one wants to get involved. Even the AU peacekeepers in Mogadishu are reluctant to move outside the city, and for a long time did little but guard their bases, the docks area and the airport.

October 11, 2011: Italy will station teams of six marines on Italian merchant ships passing near the Somali coast.

An Italian bulk carrier seized yesterday was freed by commandos who responded to a message from the crew, who were barricaded in a safe room. Five pirates were arrested.

October 10, 2011: In Mogadishu, peacekeepers found and attacked a house being used by a group of al Shabaab, who had been using a mortar. Artillery and mortar fire killed eight civilians. One soldier was killed while capturing the terrorist held building. The fighting went on for three days, forcing over a thousand civilians to flee their homes. This building was the last one al Shabaab openly used in Mogadishu. But the terrorists still have one or more bases in the city suburbs.

Some 1,000 kilometers off the Somali coast, an Italian bulk carrier was seized by pirates. But the crew of 23 got into a safe room. The pirates cut radio access, so the crew threw a message in a bottle out a porthole, and arriving warships found that and realized the crew was in a safe room.  

October 9, 2011: In Mogadishu, thousands of civilians rallied to protest al Shabaab terrorism. This was rare, and a sign that the terrorists have little control in the city.

October 8, 2011: In Mogadishu, peacekeepers launched a large-scale operation to clear remaining al Shabaab groups out of the city. The AU peacekeepers believe that al Shabaab still controls about five percent of the city. The AU commander wants another 4,000 troops in order to keep al Shabaab out of Mogadishu.

October 7, 2011:  About 700 kilometers off the coast of Tanzania, a warship caught up with a pirate mother ship, arrested the pirates and destroyed their vessel. The pirate mother ship had first been spotted by a maritime patrol aircraft.

October 6, 2011: Kenya sent several hundred troops to the Somali border, to prevent al Shabaab and Somali criminals from easily getting across.

October 4, 2011: Al Shabaab set off a truck bomb at the government education ministry compound, while hundreds of young Somalis milled around waiting to see if they qualified for scholarships in Turkey. About a hundred were killed. The suicide bomber was opposed to such secular education. Al Shabaab quickly took credit for the attack and promised more if all Somalis did not submit to a religious dictatorship.