By this point, eight villages had fallen to the government offensive in the area.

As a result the government offensive was aborted on 23 May.

And then there's the second prong of the attack the government offensive.

In many areas of the country, a three-year government offensive has pushed rebel groups back.

The government offensive has been no help, he said, adding, "We've gotten caught up in it."

Later in the day, calm returned to Mogadishu, the government offensive was over.

The blast came four months after the start of a determined government offensive against the country's cocaine traffickers.

This year, the rebels have regrouped and are pushing hard against what appears to be the beginning of a major Government offensive.

And now the Kurds have apparently paid for it with the latest Government offensive.

The two men were arrested at a time of increasing student political activism, and a renewed government offensive against the supposed communist threat.