Somali PM vows to defeat rebels in 90 days

Somalia's Prime Minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has pledged to crush a four-year Islamist insurgency within three months, as his troops backed by African peacekeepers seized new rebel positions in the capital Mogadishu.

The Prime Minister, on Tuesday, told government-run Radio Mogadishu that government forces were well prepared to tackle the militants.

It was unclear if his comments marked the start of a second phase of a nationwide offensive.

Regional powers and donors have in the past few weeks slammed the slow pace of political reform and security gains across the country, as the interim government and parliament near the end of their mandate.

Fighting rebels

Political analysts say this month's military surge against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants might be politically motivated as leaders seek to restore reputations.

"Our forces have made tangible advances in their recent fighting against al Shabaab and hopefully we will eliminate them and end the conflict within 90 days," Mohamed said.

Somalia's military commander General Abdikarim Farah said fighting raged on in Mogadishu's northern districts while government troops were also advancing on rebel positions in southern Somalia.

Neighbouring Kenya sent troops just across its border with Somalia to support Somali troops engaging insurgents in the strategically important town of Dobley.

Security forces said that Kenya has continued to deploy reinforcements along the desert frontier where residents reported heavy exchanges of artillery fire between rebels, Somali forces and their allied militia.

 Kenya's government spokesman Alfred Mutua, however, denied Kenyan troops had entered Somali territory.

Under the terms of a 2009 deal, the Somali government and parliament's mandate is set to expire on August 20 this year, by which time they were supposed to have enacted a new constitution and held elections.

REUTERS/Williams/Ekata