Devastated by decades of civil war and more recently by Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group that imposes a brutal form of Sharia law and controls much of the south, Somalia is off the map, even for most journalists or official visitors who can obtain armed protection.
Central Mogadishu, controlled by the internationally recognised government – the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFGS), protected by African Union peacekeeping troops from Uganda and Burundi, is effectively under siege by Al-Shabaab.
Two breakaway regions of Somalia – Puntland and Somaliland – are just about visitable, but that isn’t a recommendation to do so, and we don’t cover them in the book.
Links
Transitional Federal Government Not working. Looks like they haven’t paid their hosting bill.
This page last edited 9 June 2011 © Richard Trillo and Emma Gregg