STORY: Normalcy returns to the town of

Biyo-Adde, a month after liberation from

Al Shabaab
DURATION: 3:47
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: SOMALI/FRENCH/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 12/MARCH/2016, BIYO ADDE, SOMALIA
SHOTLIST
1. Wide shot, Biyo-Ade town
2. Med shot, children in a makeshift classroom
3. Wide shot, children in a makeshift classroom
4. Wide shot, structure under construction in the town
5. Close up shot, a man nailing in
6. Wide shot, SNA and AMISOM soldiers walking in town
7. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) RESIDENT
The security is 100% good and there is no problem at the moment
at all.
8. Med shot, a pharmacy in town
9. Wide shot, SNA soldiers in town
10.
Wide shot, AMISOM soldiers in town
11.
SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) SNA 2LT. NOOR
AHMED ABDURAHMAN:
This week is much better compared to four weeks ago, when we
first came here. There are more and more people returning to BiyoAde after they got assurance that we are staying with them. The
market is now booming with trade. This town has a weekly market,
and there is a lot of change now with more shops open, crops and
animals on the market. The enemy is far away from here because
we engage them rather than wait for them to attack us. We are
planning to pacify the whole area and push them out of the entire
region.
12.
SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) AHMED HUSSEIN
AFRAH, DISTRICT COMMISSIONER MAHADAY:
The people are very happy with our brothers, the AMISOM
Burundian and the Somali National Army who have really done a
very hard job. They started the operation from Mogadishu and now

have reached El Baraf and we are happy with what they are doing.
They are extending the operation to eliminate Al Shabaab from the
places they are hiding.
13.
Med shot, AMISOM soldiers on guard
14.
Close up shot, gun
15.
Close up shot, Maj. Nikoyagize Richard talking on
radio
16.
SOUNDBITE: (FRENCH) MAJ. NIKOYAGIZE
RICHARD
In fact the population was very unhappy. This town has been under
the control of Al Shabaab for the seven years who did all sorts of
things against the population. Take for example a family that had a
boy was obliged to donate the child to Al Shabaab militants. If not, a
family had to pay 300 dollars per month. Donating a boy or paying
300 dollars aside, families were required to donate a young girl to Al
Shabaab for forced marriage. Above all they were physically beaten
for a period of seven years.
17.
18.
19.

Wide shot, AMISOM soldiers on patrol

Close up shot, AMISOM soldier
Wide shot, AMISOM and SNA soldiers on patrol

Story
Normalcy returns to the town of Biyo-Adde, a month after
liberation from Al Shabaab
Life is back to normal again in Biyo-Adde, a town in the Middle
Shabelle region, one month after its liberation from Al Shabaab
militants.
Joint forces of the Somali National Army and the Burundi National
Defence Forces under the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), captured the town in February 2016, after years of
occupation by the militants.
With security now guaranteed, residents are returning to their
homes and starting up small businesses.
Second Lt. Noor Ahmed Abdurhman of the Somali National Army
says the situation has greatly improved, with the residents relishing
their newly found peace and freedom.

This week is much better compared to four weeks ago, when we

first came here. There are more and more people returning to BiyoAdde after they got assurance that we are staying with them. The
market is booming now with trade. This town has a weekly market,
and there is a lot of change now with more shops open, crops and
animals on the market. The enemy is far away from here because
we engage them rather than wait for them to attack us. We are
planning to pacify the whole area and push them out of the entire
region, says Lt. Abdurhman.
The District Commissioner of Mahadaay, who is in-charge of BiyoAdde, Mr. Ahmed Hussein Afrah appreciated the role SNA and
AMISOM continues to play in securing the region.
The people are very happy with our brothers, the AMISOM
Burundian and the Somali National Army who have really done a
very hard job. They started the operation from Mogadishu and now
have reached El Baraf and we are happy with what they are doing.
They are extending the operation to eliminate Al Shabaab from the
places they are hiding, said the Commissioner.
AMISOMS Maj. Richard Nikoyagize explains the untold suffering
endured by residents of Biyo Adde.
The population was very unhappy. This town has been under the
control of Al Shabaab for seven years and they did all sorts of things
to the residents. For example; a family that had a boy was obliged to
donate the child to Al Shabaab militants. If not, a family had to pay
300 dollars per month. Other than donating a boy or paying 300
dollars, families were required to donate a young girl to Al Shabaab
for forced marriage. Above all, they were physically beaten for the
entire 7 years, Major Nikoyagize said.
The leadership of AMISOM has resolved to intensify military
operations against the terrorist group and ensure that they are
pushed out of the small pockets in the countryside which they still
yield influence.
Operations are being reviewed to increase mobility and counter the
asymmetric tactics being employed by the terrorists when launching
attacks.
END.