March 19, 2012 | Morning Headlines.
AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces capture new areas outside Mogadishu city
16 Mar – Source: AMISOM Force HQ – 267 words
Somali National Forces, supported by AU troops in Mogadishu have advanced for 4km today capturing new areas outside the city. This puts the entire capital under the control ofAMISOM and the transitional federal government. The operation launched early this morning met minimal resistance from Al Qaeda backed extremists, al Shabaab.
AMISOM Spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda commented that newly liberated areas include Suuqa Holaha animal market, which al Shabaab had been levying illegal taxes on civilians. “Our forces also captured Keydsaney Hospital and the entire village of Waxara-Adde” He added.
Jetemirika hill, which insurgents used to launch mortars at IDP camps is now under government control. Capturing these strategic locations from Al Shabaab will enableAMISOM and the Somali government to further build security in the capital.
The AMISOM Force Commander, Maj Gen Fred Mugisha said;
“The operation was a great success, with limited fighting. With the support of TFG troops,AMISOM has achieved a major military objective by securing the whole of Mogadishu, enabling the Somali government to pursue long-term peace and security for the Somali people.”
Recently, the UN Security Council affirmed its commitment and support to AMISOM by expanding the mission to a troop strength of some 17, 700 soldiers. This will enableAMISOM to expand the mission to the whole of south and central Somalia. The world body also sanctioned the integration of Kenyan Defence Forces into AMISOM as well as the deployment of troops from Djibouti and Sierra Leone. This will further AMISOM’s aim to help the Somali political peace process by building long term peace and stability through dialogue and reconciliation.
Key Headlines
- Six hundred Somali soldiers complete a refresher training course undertaken by AMISOM (AMISOM)
- Grenade attack hits Somali soldiers in Mogadishu (Shabelle)
- Commander of the Somali army: we are headed for Afgoye (Radio Risaala)
- Turkish development agency visits Puntland (Garowe Online)
- Mogadishu bomb hits AU peacekeepers (Shabelle)
- Banadir Governor accused of half million US dollar fraud (Mareeg Online)
- Ahlu-Sunna welcomes Djiboutian troops arriving in central Somalia (Radio Mogadishu)
- S. Leone army to deploy 850 troops to Somalia (Daily Monitor)
- Somalis grow restless over ‘hawala’ freeze (Daily Nation)
- Jets bomb al Shabaab base in southern Somalia (Reuters)
PRESS RELEASE
AMISOM works with Somali Police Force to monitor and vet former officers
17 Mar – Source: AMISOM Force HQ – 282 words
For the past two weeks, the AMISOM Police component has been working with the Somali Police Force (SPF) to facilitate the screening and re†recruitment of former Somali Police Officers who had been displaced from their official positions since the conflict erupted in Somalia over twenty one years ago.
A seven member committee was established on 28th February 2012, and tasked to collect data and screen a target of 600 former Somali police personnel. The AMISOM police component will monitor the screening process and vet the final selection of ex†SPF personal. Currently, 460 former SPF personnel, including 50 females and 410 male, were successfully screened.
Dr. Charles Makono, AMISOM Police Commissioner said;” The former Somali policemen will play a vital role to strengthen the current Police force by transferring their skills and wealth of knowledge to recent recruits. In the spirit of our mandate we will work diligently with the Somali Police Force to ensure that a standardized and vigorous vetting process is in place.”
The lack of a central government and protracted conflict in Somalia created a state of lawlessness across the country but following the liberation of Mogadishu from Al†Shabaab terrorists, the Transitional Federal Government has been able to rebuild structures of law and order and re†establish security within the capital.
The AMISOM Police component continues to expand its activities to build the capacity of the Somali Police Force (SPF). Yesterday, AMISOM Police began to monitor the payment of stipends for SPF with donor funds from UNDP, UNPOS and the Japanese government’s donations. Currently, AMISOM Police is also training ninety†seven SPF station commanders at Brigadier General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu.
Six hundred Somali soldiers complete a refresher training course undertaken by AMISOM
17 Mar – Source: AMISOM Force HQ – 226 words
Today, Somali President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, commissioned six hundred Somali soldiers, who had completed a refresher military training at Al Jazeera camp in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The forces underwent ten weeks of a refresher training, run by AMISOM’s military component, which focused on leadership, skill at arms and field military tactics. AMISOM is mandated to assist to re-establish and build the capacity of Somali troops under the National Security and Stabilization Plan.
The function was a powerful display of the strength of Somali culture and nationalism. The president commented; “As soldiers you have no clans, your clan is Somalia. You must never lose sight of this.” Emphasizing the important role the Somali National Army has to protect civilians the President said;
“Soldiers are subordinate to civil authority; they must never harm civilians and must do their utmost to protect civilian’s lives and property.” AMISOM deputy Force Commander, Brig. Audace Ndiwumunsi stated;
“The training is a part of ongoing activities to work side-by-side with the Somali people to build the capacity of the government, security and legal institutions; ensuring long term peace and stability.” Brig Ndiwumunsi added;
“When AMISOM withdraws from the country, Somali security forces must be able to defend Somalia’s citizens and the country’s borders.”
Since the UN boosted AMISOM’s troop capacity to 17,700, AMISOM forces, AMISOM, alongside the Somali National Army, recently advanced to the outer limits of Mogadishu.
AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces capture new areas outside Mogadishu city
16 Mar – Source: AMISOM Force HQ – 267 words
Somali National Forces, supported by AU troops in Mogadishu have advanced for 4km today capturing new areas outside the city. This puts the entire capital under the control of AMISOM and the transitional federal government. The operation launched early this morning met minimal resistance from Al Qaeda backed extremists, al Shabaab.
AMISOM Spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda commented that newly liberated areas include Suuqa Xoolaha animal market, which al Shabaab had been levying illegal taxes on civilians.
“Our forces also captured Keydsaney Hospital and the entire village of Waxara-Cade” He added.
Jetemirika hill, which insurgents used to launch mortars at IDP camps is now under government control. Capturing these strategic locations from Al Shabaab will enable AMISOM and the Somali government to further build security in the capital.
The AMISOM Force Commander, Maj Gen Fred Mugisha said;
“The operation was a great success, with limited fighting. With the support of TFG troops, AMISOM has achieved a major military objective by securing the whole of Mogadishu, enabling the Somali government to pursue long-term peace and security for the Somali people.”
Recently, the UN Security Council affirmed its commitment and support to AMISOM by expanding the mission to a troop strength of some 17, 700 soldiers. This will enable AMISOM to expand the mission to the whole of south and central Somalia. The world body also sanctioned the integration of Kenyan Defence Forces intoAMISOM as well as the deployment of troops from Djibouti and Sierra Leone. This will further AMISOM’s aim to help the Somali political peace process by building long term peace and stability through dialogue and reconciliation.
SOMALI MEDIA
Al Shabaab commanders surrender to the Somali government
18 Mar – Source: Radio Mogadishu, SONNA, Jowhar Online – 111 words
Some commanders of al Shabaab have this week surrendered to the Somali national army forces in Mogadishu. Hudeyfa Mohamed Hassan and Jama’ were both commanders of al Shabaab and surrendered to the TFG. They said that the government dealt with them in a good manner.
Sharif Hassan arrives in Baidoa for the first time since the fall of al Shabaab rule
18 Mar – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 159 words
Somalia’s speaker of the Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan on Sunday visited recently seized southwest Somalia city of Baidoa to assess the situation on the ground. Leading a group of government officials including cabinet ministers and MPs, the speaker held talks with TFG military officials and local elders in the city.
Grenade attack hits Somali soldiers in Mogadishu
18 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 131 words
According to residents in Mogadishu’s Dharkenlay district, unidentified Somali men hurled a hand grenade attack at Ta FG military base in Suuq-Bocle village. It is unclear yet whether there has been a casualty in the attack against Somali soldiers, but the district commissioner of Dharkenlay district for TFG Mo’allin Abdulle Ali Hilowle, said that the security forces are now investigating the incident.
Commander of the Somali army: we are headed for Afgoye
18 Mar – Source: Radio Risaala – 136 words
The TFG forces are soon going to seize Afgoye in lower Shabelle from al Shabaab according to the commander of the government troops Abdi Karin Yusuf Aadan Dhagabadan while addressing military personals at function to conclude their training. Dhagabadan called upon the military personals from the just concluded training to prepare for an offensive against al Shabaab in Afgoye.
Forces should liberate new regions, president says
17 Mar – Source: Raxanreeb, Radio Mogadishu – 167 words
The TFG president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Saturday announced that the national army with the backing of the regional forces will soon reach new regions in the south and central regions of the country currently under al Shabaab control. The president made his announcement after he wrapped up a military training for nearly 500 new soldiers at Jazeera camp in south of Mogadishu.
Militants kill a villager in Bodale, Jowhar district
18 Mar – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 121 words
Al Shabaab militants have raided a village in Middle Shabelle, killing one person and injuring another one, locals say. Reports say armed militants raided Bodale village, few kilometres from Jowhar town on Saturday killing the villager and injuring another one. Locals say the number of casualties could be much higher than this. An elder in Jowhar town who requested anonymity in fear of reprisal confirmed the incident, saying that the motive behind the attack remains unknown.
Turkish development agency visits Puntland
17 Mar – Source: Garowe Online – 238 words
President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole who is currently in Gardo received a delegation from Turkey that is planning on conducting development projects in Puntland. President Farole and his ministers welcomed the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) to Gardo. President Farole thanked the delegation for visiting Puntland and Turkey’s continued assistance for Puntland and Somalia.
Defense Minister praises TFG and AMISOM operations in Mogadishu
18 Mar- Source: Radio Mogadishu – 88 words
The Somali Defense Minister has praised the Somali national army and AMISOM troops in their latest success against al Shabaab. Speaking to Radio Mogadishu from the USA, the Deputy Somali Premier H.E Hussein Arab Isse said that the forces had made tremendous progress in the anti Al Qaeda operations and called on local residents to assist the forces.
Ministry of Education hosts event to improve quality of education
17 Mar – Source: Garowe Online – 177 words
Ministers, government officials and representatives of the diaspora participated in an event to improve the quality of education in Puntland. Minister of Education Dr. Abdi Farah Juha, Minister of Women and Family Affairs Asha Gelle and various government officials attended the event. A Diaspora committee also participated in the event via telephone.
Pro-government rally held in Mogadishu
17 Mar – Source: Radio Risaala – 184 words
Hundreds of Mogadishu residents took to the streets in support of the government troops in Kaaraan, Banadir region. The Banadir commissioner who is also the mayor of Mogadishu Mahmud Ahmed Nuur Tarsan talked to people at the rally, where he said that security had been maintained in most parts of Mogadishu. The Deputy commissioner of Banadir region Warsame Hassan alias Warsame Joodah who also talked at the rally said the residents of Karaan are required to work with security officials.
Mogadishu bomb hits AU peacekeepers
17 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 138 words
A roadside bomb targeted a military convoy belonging to AU peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu, causing an unconfirmed casualty, witnesses said on Saturday. The AMISOM convoy came under the attack while on its way to a military base in Mogadishu’s northern Shibis neighborhoods. Da’ud Abdulle Ahmed, the district commissioner of Shibis for Somali Government confirmed that the blast had caused serious damage to the convoy.
Al Qaeda leader says Ethiopian presence in Somalia is US choice
17 Mar – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 134 words
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri has accused the US government of being behind the Ethiopian troops’ entry into Somalia in a video posted by a Jihadi website. “The Ethiopian troops have entered Somalia in 2006 but withdrawn from Somalia after bloody fighting in which Ethiopia lost a number of its soldiers” said al Zawahiri.
Banadir Governor accused of half million US dollar fraud
18 Mar – Source: Mareeg Online – 123 words
The governor of Banadir region for the TFG Mohamud Ahmed Nur (Tarsan) was on Sunday accused of a half million US dollar fraud using the country’s National income. According to Kulmiyo Habarow Haruur, former Shibis district commissioner of Somalia government confirmed that the governor had mismanaged public funds.
Three die in al Shabaab conflict with farmers
17 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 152 words
More than three people died and many were seriously injured during heavy fighting on Saturday between al Shabaab militants and locals at Boodale village, 30 away from the in southern Somalia town of Jowhar, residents said. According to residents, the locals who were killed were fighting to defend their farms and livestock from the militants. ‘Three people who died were locals and al Shabaab fighters,” a witness said on condition of anonymity.
Ahlu-Sunna welcomes Djiboutian troops arriving in central Somalia
17 Mar – Source: SONNA, Radio Mogadishu – 78 words
The chairman of Ahlu-Suna executive council Mr. Hefown has warmly welcomed Djiboutian forces into central Somalia as they are currently reaching Beledweyne city of Hiiraan region. The AU has recently declared that Djiboutian contingent would allocate Beledweyne city of Hiiraan region in late April this year while Ethiopian soldiers will withdraw from that region.
Somali politician Abdulla Ahmed Adow returns home
18 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 115 words
The prominent politician of Somalia Abdullah Ahmed Adow has on Sunday arrived in Mogadishu after a year. The politician has received a cordial welcome at Aden Adde international airport in Mogadishu from hundreds of people, including women, elders and children. Professor Adow, who was away from Somalia a year, told reporters at the airport that he always knew he would go back to the country in some capacity, urging people of Somalia to work on the unity of the country to put an end to the 20-years of conflict.
Somaliland arrests more officials
17 Mar – Source: Somalia Report – 292 words
Police of Somaliland detained two officials from the city council of Borame in the Awdal region on Saturday, according to Somaliland officials. Hassan Halas Barre, a member of parliament (MP) and Mohamoud Hassan Omar, an engineer sitting on Borame council, were detained by Somaliland police. Other officials, including MPs and the secretary of Borame’s city council, have charges pressed against them but have yet to be arrested. All were accused of corruption related to taxes.
Battle zones in the north Mogadishu are quiet
17 Mar – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 86 words
TFG officials have told radio Mogadishu that all zones where extremists had been removed are quiet, saying they are prepared to reach Bal’ad district of middle Shabelle region soon. The Somali national army and AU forces have captured 4 main army bases from al Shabaab on Saturday in the outskirts of Mogadishu.
REGIONAL MEDIA
S. Leone army to deploy 850 troops to Somalia
19 Mar – Source: Daily Monitor – 233 words
Sierra Leone’s contingent of the UN’s Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (Unisom) will deploy any time after June, Defence ministry spokesman Ken Jabbi told Africa Review on Saturday. At least 850 men and women have now been identified after undergoing months of pre-training exercise for deployment in the war-ravaged East-African nation where al-Shabaab Islamist forces are battling it out with pro-government forces who have the support of AU-backed foreign forces.
AMISOM now racing to pacify Somalia ahead of Kenya poll
17 Mar – Source: Eastern Africa – 613 words
Events have become hectic in Somalia in the past few days, with a major reconfiguration taking place of how the African Union Peace Keeping Mission will work towards stabilising the country. It is now emerging that Ethiopia is planning to withdraw its troops from Somalia at the end of April. This will allow Uganda, Burundi and Kenya to take an expanded role in managing the stabilisation of Somalia, which is second phase of the peacekeeping strategy in that country.
Cry beloved Somalia: Five years of UPDF operations
18 Mar – Source: Daily Monitor – 650 words
Five years ago, the first UPDF battle group aboard a large Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane landed in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital city, for a peacekeeping mission. The mission looked impossible because of the anarchy that followed the infamous black hawk down incident when 30,000 UN peacekeeping contingent was forced into a humiliating withdrawal. For the international community and UPDF specifically did not know whether this small African force would suffer the same fate but five years later the opinion on Somalia is different.
Al Shabaab’ militia have been recruiting Kenyan youth – Police
18 Mar – Source: Coastweek, Xinhua – 280 words
Somali militants of al Shabaab are recruiting Kenyan children to fight their fellow citizens and soldiers who are battling the militia in southern Somalia and in other parts of the east African nation, the police said on Saturday. Deputy Police Spokesman Charles Owino said that a number of parents have reported to the police that their children could be planning terrorist attacks against fellow citizens on the east African nation’s territory.
Roadblocks in Somalia’s path to a full recovery
17 Mar – Source: Daily Nation – 561 words
During Mogadishu’s most recent golden age when the city was one of the top tourist attractions in the Horn of Africa with its beaches providing holiday playgrounds for thousands of Italians, the Uruba Hotel was the place to be for the city’s glitterati.
Former PM warns of pitfalls in Somali peace plan
17 Mar – Source: Standard – 573 words
A month after an international conference on Somalia, there are fresh concerns of relapse into chaos that have characterised the Horn of Africa state for the past two decades. The new concerns surface following a resolution of the conference in Lancaster, UK, last month at which it was agreed the life of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) should end in August, and a constituent assembly formed to write a new constitution and ‘elect’ a new parliament.
Somalis grow restless over ‘hawala’ freeze
17 Mar – Source: Daily Nation – 434 words
Frustration has gripped the Somali community following allegations that the head of one of the largest telecommunication companies in Somalia was providing financial support to al Shabaab through the informal hawala money transfer system. Mr. Ali Ahmed Nur Jim’ale of Hormuud Telecommunications was accused by the United Nations Security Council, as being one of the financiers of al Shabaab, providing the group with funds besides weapons, private fighters and ammunition.
KDF winds up Operation Linda Nchi
17 Mar – Source: Standard – 333 words
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have wound up Operation Linda Nchi in Somalia after registering a string of success against al Shabaab. In 154 days the troops engaged the militia group capturing some 22 towns that were under the Al Qaeda linked terror group and managed to neutralize the threats al Shabaab had posed to Kenya.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
U.S. fighter in Somalia says threatened by fellow militants
17 Mar – Source: Reuters, AP – 713 words
An influential American fighter for Somalia’s al Shabaab rebels, who has in the past urged Western-based Muslims to join the group, has dismayed radical Islamists by saying his life is under threat from fellow guerrillas due to internal disputes. Experts on Somalia said the video by Omar Hammami suggested splits over ideology and strategy were weakening al Shabaab, which joined al Qaeda in February and is fighting to topple Somalia’s weak interim government.
Jets bomb al Shabaab base in southern Somalia
17 Mar – Source: Reuters – 201 words
Jets bombed a base run by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels north of Somalia’s Kismayu port on Saturday but it was not clear if there were any casualties, residents and officials said. The jets hit the militants’ base near the village of Daytubako, 135 km (84 miles) north of Kismayu, the nerve-centre of their operations in the Horn of Africa country. Residents in Jilib, a town 15 km from the scene, said they could see the jets and hear the deafening thunder of bombs.
WFP committed to ensuring food assistance reaches hungry in Somalia
18 Mar – Source: Relief Web – 239 words
The World Food Programme is committed to ensuring that vital food assistance reaches the hungry in Somalia. We know that the vast majority of our food assistance reaches the hundreds of thousands of hungry people who depend on it every day in Mogadishu. Across Somalia, more than one million people rely on WFP food assistance each month.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“We welcome Somalia to bring in a wealth of cultural, economic and political values, which will strengthen the regional integration systems. By joining the EAC, Somalia will just be crossing over to its second home, a place Somalis have always interacted with closely in regard to sports, education, business, political asylums and other related issues.”
Somalia deserves to be in the EAC for regional stability
17 Mar – Source: The East African – 381 Words
News of wartorn Somalia expressing interest in joining the East African Community should be greeted with enthusiasm. Considering what it has suffered since 1991, Somalia needs a good political and economic environment, which will help it get back to the path of recovery. We must thank Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the entire African Union machinery for working round the clock to ensure that stability and peace prevail in Somalia.The presence of Amisom forces in Somalia is a good regional gesture to the suffering communities. Amisom has done a lot in terms of fighting to eliminate the insurgent groups besides feeding the hungry and treating the wounded.
“The release of this video from the American citizen who is perhaps most famous for his terrible hip hop songs such as “Send Me a Cruise” and “Blow by Blow” has caused considerable consternation among segments of the cyber jihadi community. The dispute appears to be genuine has become stronger with the release of multiple messages via Al-Shabab’s official or affiliated media outlets earlier today. Given the potential importance of this news, it is worth reviewing Hammami’s lengthy relationship with Al-Shabab.”
The End of a Romance? The Rise and Fall of an American Jihadi
17 Mar – Source: The Wasat Blog – 2443 Words
In a 1:10-minute video posted on YouTube on March 16, Omar Hammami, until now the most prominent non-Somali foreign member of the Somali insurgent-jihadi movement Harakat al-Shabab al-Mujahideen (Movement of the Warrior-Youth; Al-Shabab/Al-Shabaab), issued an “urgentmessage (sic)” to “whoever it [the message] may reach among the Muslims” in which he said that he feared for his life following a dispute with Al-Shabab following “differences” over matters of “shari’a and strategy.” Sitting in front of the black-and-white flag emblazoned with the Muslim testament of faith (shahada) that Al-Shabab uses, Hammami, who is referred to in transnational Sunni jihadi (hereafter “jihadi“) circles as “Abu Mansur al-Amriki [the American],” does not elaborate on the nature of his dispute with Al-Shabab or whether the dispute was with the movement’s leadership generally or specific members of the insurgent leadership cadre, in which they are also reportedly divisions and disputes over several issues including the response to the famine threatening the Horn of Africa and local or glocal versus full-fledged transnational militancy. The room appears to be the same one, or similar to the one, in a photograph of Hammami that was posted to jihadi Internet forums in December 2011, though it is impossible to tell for sure.