The reclusive leader of the Islamist Al Shabaab movement in Somalia on Monday issued a threat of retaliation against the peoples of Uganda and Burundi whose troops are deployed as peacekeepers in the Somali capital Mogadishu.



In an audio tape broadcast on local radio stations, the Emir of the Islamist movement, Sheikh Muqtar Abdelrahman Abu Zubeyr, accused the African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu of committing "massacres' against the people in Mogadishu.



He said that the peoples of Uganda and Burundi will face revenge for their troops' role in Somalia where they are deployed as peacekeeping forces part of UN authorized AU-backed Mission known as AMISOM.



"You should know that the massacres against the children, women and the elderly of Mogadishu will be revenged against you. Keep in mind that the aggressions being committed by your leaders and soldiers is awaiting you."



The Islamist group's leader who has never been seen in public since assuming leadership of the movement in 2008 after the death of the former head, called for Mogadishu residents to wage what he termed an "all-out Jihad campaign." "We have to carry all-out Jihad campaign against the enemy and everyone should take part both young and old. That is the only way to end the massacres being carried out by the infidels in our country against the weak among us," said the Al Shabaab Emir in the nine-and-half minute audio tape



Abu Zubeyr urged fighters to keep fighting the Somali government forces and the almost 5,000 African Union peacekeepers based in Mogadishu. The two sides have been engaging in fierce battles for the past several days in the north of the Somali capital Mogadishu.



Several people including two AU soldiers were killed and dozens were also injured in the clashes that started last week and have since been continuing intermittently in the north of Mogadishu where the few remaining families in the areas fled to the outskirts of the city.



Source: Xinhua