# African nations pledge new troops to help Somalia fight Al-Shabab



## CougarKing (27 Jul 2010)

Note this other, older thread about the same subject.

And African leaders pledge more troops to aid the new Somalia Transitional Federal Govt. (TFG) fight the Al-Shabab militants:

Associated Press link



> *Africa readies troops for Somalia; US funds effort *
> 
> 1 hour, 12 minutes ago
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (29 Jul 2010)

Could someone please identify the African Union/AMISOM tanks in the photos below? They seem to be Russian/East Bloc in origin or perhaps even a Chinese copy of a Russian tank. Perhaps a Russian T-55 or a Chinese Type 59 with add-on armour? 







An African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) tank pictured near the frontline of heavy clashes in northern Mogadishu in March. Somalia's embattled government Wednesday hailed the African Union's decision to beef up its force in Mogadishu where fierce clashes with Islamist rebels left 17 civilians dead.
(AFP/File/Mustafa Abdi)






African Union armed vehicles fire at Al-Qaida-inspired Shebab insurgents in northern Mogadishu's Km zero frontline area on July 1. 
(AFP/File/Mustafa Abdi)


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## George Wallace (29 Jul 2010)

CougarDaddy said:
			
		

> Could someone please identify the African Union/AMISOM tanks in the photos below? They seem to be Russian/East Bloc in origin or perhaps even a Chinese copy of a Russian tank. Perhaps a Russian T-55 or a Chinese Type 59 with add-on armour?



T-54


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## Retired AF Guy (29 Jul 2010)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> T-54



Actually, its a  T-55  with  Explosive Reactive Armour  (ERA), but because of the similarities between the two the designation T-54/55 is used.


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## George Wallace (30 Jul 2010)

Brain Fart.  The 54 doesn't have the fume extractor.


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