March 27, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Ethiopian troops seize main rebel town in central Somalia

26 Mar – Source: Daily Nation – 217 words

Ethiopian forces on Monday seized the main base of the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents in central Somalia, the latest stronghold the extremists have lost in recent months, witnesses said. Ethiopian troops and fighters from the pro-government militia Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa seized El Bur town, some 150 kilometres south of the Ethiopian border, after a brief exchange of fire.

Key Headlines

Ahlu Sunna forces seize strategic central Somali town (Source: Shabelle Radio Mogadishu Bar-kulan)
Al Shabaab Storm Horn Relief Base in Afmadow ( Source:Somalia Report)
4 injured in Mogadishu bomb attack (Source: Bariga Afrika)
KDF destroys three al Shabaab bases (Source: the Star)
Turkish Airlines opens route to Somalia (Source: VOA)

SOMALI MEDIA

Ahlu Sunna forces seize strategic central Somali town

26 Mar – Source: Shabelle, Radio Mogadishu, Bar-kulan – 157 words

Pro-Somali government forces of Ahlu Sunna Waljam’a (ASWJ) backed by Ethiopian troops have taken full control of a strategic town in central Somalia after al Shabab fighters vacated the town without resistance, an official confirmed.

Heavily armed Ethiopian troops along with Ahlu Sunna soldiers entered the town late on Monday following the withdrawal of al Shabaab fighters ,

Al Shabaab Storm Horn Relief Base in Afmadow

26 Mar – Source:Somalia Report – 127 words

Al Shabaab stormed the base of Horn Relief aid agency base in Afmadow on Monday morning and looted their equipment. Hurre Abdullahi, a guard for the compound, told Somalia Report that 10 al Shabaab vehicles with armed men assaulted the compound, intimidated the guards into fleeing the base. Al Shabaab took equipment from the agency including computers, farming materials and medical equipment, before leaving towards Kismayo.

This is the second time al Shabaab has looted the agency, in 2009 al Shabaab also ransacked the agency building.

Sudan’s President Al Bashir sends condolences to Somalia

26 Mar – Source: Bar-kulan – 11 words

Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir on Monday sent his condolences to the Somali governmnet following the death of the former TFG president Abdullahi Yussuf Ahmed who died in United Arab Emirates last Friday. In his message delivered to the Somali embassy in Khartoum, Al-Bashir said his government and the Sudanese people were saddened by the death of the former leader.

District commissioner: We are committed to improve security in our area

26 Mar – Source: Shabelle – 113 words

The district commissioner of Wadajir for Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government TFG, Ahmed Hassan Adow stated that his administration is planning to improve the overall security of Wadajir district.

TFG promise to help Galmudug

26 Mar – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 71 words

The Mogadishu-based Somali government has promised to help Galmudug regional State in developing the region, officials say. Speaking in the central Somali city of Galkayo, President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali assured Galmudug that the regional state will be considered in the distribution of grants from donors and friendly countries. The two principals made the remarks while meeting Galmudug state vice president Abdisamed Noor Guleid and several Galmudug officials.

4 injured in Mogadishu bomb attack

26 Mar – Source: Bariga Afrika – 120 words

Witnesses say at least four people were wounded in a land mine blast that was targeted on a checkpoint manned by Somali soldiers in the capital Mogadishu, witnesses said Monday.

The explosive device went off early Monday morning at Fagah junction in Yaqshid district where witnesses said two soldiers were among those wounded in the explosion.

http://barigaafrika.net/?p=5308

Naval forces attack Somali fishing vessels

26 Mar – Source: Somalia Report – 78 words

Two Somali fishermen were killed after unknown International Naval forces opened fire at a Yemen registered fishing vessel with nine Somali crew members.

According to Puntland officials, the Naval forces mistook the fishing vessel for that of pirates. They also confirmed that Al-Qanim had arrived at Boosaaso port on Friday with two dead crew members.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Ethiopian troops seize main rebel town in central Somalia

26 Mar – Source: Daily Nation – 217 words

KDF destroys three al Shabaab bases

26 Mar – Source: the Star – 260 words

The Kenyan Defence Force operating under the Amisom umbrella over the weekend killed 13 al shabaab fighters and destroyed three of the insurgent group’s bases in Gedo and Lower Juba region. Kenyan fighter jets on Friday afternoon bombarded an area in Gedo region about 12km from Fafadun village which was earlier liberated by KDF forces and destroyed three al Shabaab bases.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Iran-bound Brazilian sugar ship hijacked off India

26 Mar – Source:Reuters – 228 words

An Iranian bulk carrier of Brazilian sugar was hijacked in the eastern Indian Ocean early on Monday with 23 crew on board, international shipping monitors said.
The Eglantine, which according to Reuters shipping data loaded in Rio de Janeiro in late February, was hijacked off India’s southwest coast by suspected Somali pirates, NATO’s counter-piracy mission said.

Turkish Airlines opens route to Somalia

27 Mar – Source: VOA – 753 words
This month, Turkish Airlines became the first major commercial carrier to fly directly to Somalia in more than 20 years. The move is the latest high profile step Turkey has taken to extend its economic and political influence on the African continent.

Turkish Airlines inaugural flight to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, is the latest high profile move in Turkey’s commitment to the war-torn country.

Somalia: Hargeisa stall demolitions infuriate traders

26 Mar – Source: IRIN News – 276 words
Thousands of traders in Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, are incensed at having their businesses demolished in a city beautification drive, and some fear the move could lead to a crime wave.
An estimated 5,000 traders have lost their only source of livelihood, Abdillahi Hassan, a human rights activist in Hargeisa, told IRIN.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Despite the rhetoric made by the leaders of the conference that the future of Somalia lie in the hands of Somalis, looking at the conference closely, it would seem it was dominated by foreign powers from Kenya and Ethiopia with their national interests at heart where their forces are deeply involved in Somalia to other foreign powers whose warships are in the Red Sea, chasing Somali pirates. The few Somali leaders in the conference seemed to have been sandwiched between powerful world leaders, in which the British prime minister, in a photo opportunity, was shown standing in front of these mainly third world leaders as though he was a colonial master marshalling his troops. And worst of all, president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the symbol of Somalia’s sovereignty, was missing from the photo. Perhaps he was deliberately excluded!”

The London Conference On Somalia: Rhetoric And Reality?

26 Mar – Source: Eurasia Review – 2781 Words

Since the collapse of the central government in 1991, over 17 conferences have been held to reconcile Somalia’s different stakeholders and factions. Most of these conferences, sponsored mainly by the international community, have failed to resolve the seemingly never-ending Somali conflict. The question is, will the London conference make any difference this time?

“By not fighting for the towns being taken they also avoid damage and civilian deaths being blamed on them, thus losing public support which they rely on. Instead, by maintaining clandestine operations within the population they boost such support and turn the population against the ‘invading’ troops. In a battle of ‘hearts and minds’ Al Shabab may have the upper hand when it comes to public support.”

Al Shabaab may have a hidden agenda

26 Mar – Source: Twatsort Blog – 481 WordsThe news reports coming out of Somalia at the moment tend to show a certain amount of optimism. As the National Theatre reopens in Mogadishu the alliance of military forces opposing the fundamentalist Islamic group al Shabaab capture various strategic positions without too much of a fight.