06 Aug 2009
The United States signals deeper involvement in Somalia, revealing a new plan to double its military supplies to the Horn of African country from 40 to 80 tons.

The Somali transitional government's soldiers who are already receiving military training from the US in Djibouti are to receive double the amount of arms and ammunition, a US State Department official disclosed on condition of anonymity.

The US military has a base in Djibouti, where the Somali soldiers are being trained, he said.

Meanwhile, the State Department Spokesman Robert Wood said, "We are obviously going to look for ways that we can help to support that government to eventually help bring stability to that region, which is an important US foreign policy goal."

Earlier in Nairobi, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged "very strong support" for Somalia's transitional federal government in a meeting with President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

Clinton also called Eritrea to stop supporting the Al-Shabaab gunmen, who are fighting the transitional government for control of the impoverished country.

This while the US is accused of conducting over flights, causing panic among the Somalis. Washington has also carried out a number of airstrikes on Somalia, in which civilians lost their lives or suffered injuries.
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