14 Nov 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- Explosion hits presidential palace in Somalia (Source: Somalia Report)
- Uganda’s Defence and Internal Affairs committee visit Mogadishu (Source: AMISOM FORCE HQ)
- African Union troops in Somalia say they face $10 million funding shortfall (Source: AP Washington post)
- Fresh fighting erupts in Mogadishu’s Huriwaa region (Source: Radio Mogadishu)
- Puntland administration jails 10 Somali pirates (Source: Mareeg Online)
- Uganda Burundi back Kenya Shabaab offensive (Source: Capital FM)
- Kenya army: Forces kill 9 militants in Somalia (Source: KTN TV)
- Al Shabaab seeks young fighters from clan elders in Middle Shabelle (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
PRESS RELEASE
Uganda’s Defence and Internal Affairs committee visit Mogadishu
11 Nov – Source: AMISOM FORCE HQ – 266 words
A delegation led by Uganda’s Minister of State for Defence, Gen. Abubakar Jeje Odongo, has today left Mogadishu following a three-day visit to assess the progress made by Ugandan troops serving in the African Union mission in Somalia.
During the visit, the 6-member team from the Ugandan parliament toured positions held by the Ugandan and Burundian contingents in different parts of the Somali capital. They also visited the AMISOM field hospital at Camp Halane where they met medical staff and offered their praise for their exceptional courage and dedication. The Level II hospital provides free medical care to both soldiers and Somali civilians.
AMISOM Frontline: Taking Mogadishu
11 Nov- Source: 7:36 min
The AMISOM frontline series tells the story of African Union troops as they undertake a stabilization mission in Somalia. These films depict the range of challenges faced by the AMISOM soldiers on a daily basis, and covey the message that this mission is a much more diverse undertaking than many understand it to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
SOMALI MEDIA
Explosion hits presidential palace in Somalia
11 Nov- Source: Somalia Report- 72 words
An explosion hit within Mogadishu’s presidential palace, Villa Somalia, near the Information Ministry and the prime minister’s office tonight. The exact location of the blast is unknown but some residents claim it occurred near a weapons storage facility used by government forces.
Somali Premier arrives back from Saudia Arabia
13 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu, Kulmiye, Shabelle- 122 words
The Prime Minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, is back home after participating in this year’s Hajj obligation. Speaking to radio Mogadishu shortly upon his arrival, the prime minister said they prayed for a permanent peace solution to be found in regard to the Somali crisis.
Puntland issues warning to already suspended TV stations
13 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulna- 139 words
Puntland officials have issued a warning to Universal TV and Somali Channel TV to stop working illegally in the region days after the two stations were suspended from operating in the region.
Fresh fighting erupts in Mogadishu’s Huriwaa region
12 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu, SONNA- 105 words
Overnight fighting has rocked Huriwaa region on Friday night. The heavy warfare between TFG forces backed by AMISOM and al Shabaab lasted for hours with the government forces killing many of the extremist fighters.
Delegation from Uganda concludes visit to Mogadishu
11 Nov – Source: Shabelle – 417 words
A delegation from Uganda led by the minister of state for defense of Uganda General Ababukar Jeje Odongo has concluded his visit to Mogadishu. The TFG back by AMISOM presently controls 98%nof the city.
http://www.shabelle.net/index.
Puntland administration jails 10 Somali pirates
12 Nov – Source: Mareeg Online, Shabelle – 156words
Ten suspected pirates have been arrested in the costal town of Gar’ad on Friday, according to officials. The suspects were captured in an operation following a demand by elders and intellectuals for the administration to take action against suspected pirates in the region.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Several Somali immigrants missing in the Mediterranean Sea
11 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 359 words
A boat with at least 40 illegal Somali immigrants on board has gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea after sailing off the Libyan coast five days ago, reports say.
Somalia draws with Ethiopia
12 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu- 202 words
The first leg of the 2014 FIFA world cup qualifier clash between Somali and Ethiopian has ended in a goalless draw at the Guled Stadium in Djibouti on Saturday afternoon. During the hotly-contested match each side made many scoring attempts, but all lost golden opportunities.
Explosion occurs in a Shabab military base central Somalia
13 Nov- Source: Mareeg Online, Shabelle- 70 words
An explosion has been reported in the city Bula-burte in central Somalia, an al Shabaab stronghold. The number of casualties in the explosion remains unknown.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Fifteen Islamists killed in blast in central Somalia
13 Nov- Source: Somalia Report- 156 words
At least 15 al Shabaab fighters were killed and 10 others injured in an explosion that occurred late on Saturday in Bullo Burdo town of Hiiraan Region, eyewitnesses said on Sunday. The blast was caused by an explosive that detonated while being assembled by the militant group.
Al Shabaab seeks young fighters from clan elders in Middle Shabelle
13 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 177 words
Al Shabaab militia group is reportedly seeking young fighters from local clans in Middle Shabelle to counter the allied forces in parts of Lower Juba, reports say. The newly appointed area rebel leader Yussuf Kaba-kutukade is said to have been meeting area clan leaders in effort to woo material support and fighters for the group.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Uganda, Burundi back Kenya Shabaab offensive
11 Nov- Source: Capital FM- 304 words
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi have separately reaffirmed their backing of the war against the Somalia based terror militia group al Shabaab, when they received special messages from President Mwai Kibaki.
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
Kenyan troops kills nine Al-Shabab fighters – TV
13 Nov- Source: KTN TV- 96 words
Kenyan troops involved in fighting al Shabaab across the Somali border, have killed nine al Shabaab combatants. The report, citing the Kenyan army, said the al Shabaab fighters were killed in an ambush near the Somali border town of Ceel Waaq.
Madobe’s reflections
11 Nov- Source: NTV- 2:01 min
A former al Shabaab leader who is now fighting alongside Kenya says Somalia can finally have a future once the militants are defeated. Sheikh Ahmed Madobe who now leads the Ras Kamboni movement, say al Shabaab has distorted the Islamic faith and must be kicked out of Somalia. NTV’s Yassin Juma who is in Southern Somalia caught up with the general in this exclusive interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Al Shabaab militia’s tight grip on ‘desert’ charcoal trade
13 Nov- Source: the East African- 484 words
There is a noticeable change in the vegetation as one crosses the border from Kenya into southern Somalia, with sections where many of the short, tough acacia trees have been cut down for charcoal. While there is thick tree cover on the Kenyan side near Ishakani, which reduces visibility to a few metres, inside the Somalia border, the bare open plain stretches approximately four to five kilometres.
After Kenya, Amisom will still need troops
13 Nov- Source: the East African 297 words
Having initiated the military option to get rid of al Shabaab, Kenya as the frontline state must now start the process of political settlement in Somalia. The mandate of the weak Transitional Federal Government ends in August and no election plans are in sight.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
African Union troops in Somalia say they face $10 million funding shortfall
12 Nov- Source: AP, Washington post- 593 words
African Union troops fighting al-Qaida-linked Islamists in the failed state of Somalia have a $10 million funding gap which has delayed the deployment of reinforcements and lifesaving equipment, officials said Saturday.
Kenya army: Forces kill 9 militants in Somalia
13 Nov- Source: AP / New york Times – 241 words
Kenyan and Somali government troops have killed nine members of an al-Qaida-linked militant group they are pursuing in Somalia, Kenya’s military spokesman said Sunday. Maj. Emmanuel Chirchir said the soldiers came upon an al-Shabab camp while on patrol Saturday night.
Compensate civilian casualties in Somalia, says U.N.
11 Nov- Source: Alert Net – 447 words
Civilian victims of the conflict in Somalia should be paid compensation based on traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in the Horn of Africa nation, a report says. The report by the Washington-based group Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC) estimates violence in the anarchic nation is killing more civilians than in Afghanistan, where 2,777 civilian deaths were recorded last year.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/