May 29, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

400 people arrested in Afgoye town

28 May – Source: Bar-kulan – 119 words

At least 400 people have been arrested by TFG and AMISOM forces in Afgoye town 30 kilometers from the capital, Mogadishu. Security officials in Afgoye said that the operation started on Monday and 400 people suspected of having possible ties with al Shabaab militant group have been detained. The operation was led by Somali military officials such as the Commander of Somali Armed Forces, General Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini, Police Commissioner Sharif Shiekhuna Maye and other prominent security officials.

Key Headlines

UN awaits access to displaced Somalis in Afgoye ( Source: VOA)
Galgadud residents vow to work with ASWJ administration (Source: Bar-kulan)
Al Shabaab is losing ground in the battle ( Source: Shabelle)
Al Shabaab vows revenge after losses of territory (Source: Radio Kulmiye)
Somaliland: expansion of Egal Airport officially launched (Source: Somaliland Press)
Kenya blast likely due to electrical fault – Iteere (Source: KTN TV)

SOMALI MEDIA

Al Shabaab is losing ground in the battle

28 May – Source: Shabelle – 126 words

The Prime Minister of Somalia, Abdiweli Mohammed Ali, said on Monday that al Shabaab militants are losing militarily and morally in the ongoing battles in southern Somalia. Speaking to State radio in Mogadishu, the PM stated that he is happy to hear and see that Somali and AU forces are gaining grounds from al Shabaab in southern parts of the country in the past few days.

Galgadud residents vow to work with ASWJ administration

28 May – Source: Bar-kulan – 110 words

The people of Galgadud region in central Somalia have vowed to work closely with Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama administration after meeting with ASWJ officials in Dusamareb district, Galgadud. ASWJ officials met with Galgadud women and youth associations on Sunday to discuss on issues related to security, development and the war against al Shabaab fighters.

Al Shabaab vows revenge after losses of territory

28 May- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 171 words

Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militants vowed Saturday to intensify the war against government and African Union troops, despite the fall of their key stronghold of Afgoye, the latest in a string of military losses.

“God willing we will continue the war and we will win the battle without doubt,” said Abdiaziz Abu Musab, spokesman for al Shabaab, a day after AU and Somali troops entered Afgoye.

Somaliland: expansion of Egal Airport officially launched

28 May – Source: Somaliland Press – 131 words

Plans to expand the Egal international airport have been officially launched after President Ahmed Silanyo laid the foundation stone on Sunday for the $5.61 million project. The airport is set to commission the upgrade project which the government says is part of a bigger plan to improve the facility to make it a regional flight hub. They added that the airport was first constructed by the British empire in 1958 and since has not had any major upgrade.

400 people arrested in Afgoye town

28 May – Source: Bar-kulan – 119 words

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan premier alludes to terrorism at blast site

28 May- Source: KTN TV- 211 words

The Kenyan prime minister has said the “country is under threat” from terrorists, but vowed citizens “will not to be cowed”.

In an impromptu speech he delivered during a visit to the scene of an explosion that took place at around 1015 gmt in the centre of the capital Nairobi, and which was broadcast live by the privately-owned KTN TV channel, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said terrorists want to scare investors and ordinary Kenyans.

Kenya blast likely due to electrical fault – Iteere

28 May – Source: Capital News /Reuters – 164 words

A massive explosion that rocked a building on Moi Avenue in Nairobi wounding dozens of people was likely caused by an electrical fault, according to Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere.

“We have been to scene of the incident and at this time we can be able to say that it was not a grenade or bomb blast. Form the preliminary investigations we do think it was electrical fault,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

UN awaits access to displaced Somalis in Afgoye

28 May- Source: VOA- 439 words

The U.N. humanitarian affairs office says it is still waiting for African Union and Somali forces to say which parts of the Afgoye corridor aid groups can access to help more than 400,000 internally displaced Somalis. AU and Somali government forces seized control of the corridor from militants last week.

Second International Somalia Conference: end of transitional phase

28 May – Source: Today’s Zaman – 631 words
The Second International Somalia conference is to be held at the Istambul Congress Center from May 31 to June 1 under the theme “Preparing Somalia’s Future Goals for 2015”. The high-level conference is expected to be attended by presidents, prime ministers and ministers from 54 countries, as well as representatives from international and regional organizations, including the secretary-general of the United Nations.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Whilst the economy may be on the up, Somaliland still feels extremely isolated. An employee of a big international NGO who I met in the lobby of my hotel, The Mansoor, looked at me with astonishment when I said I’d come to Hargeisa for fun. “The biggest danger here,” he said “is dying of boredom.” This might have been typical ex-pat world weariness, but it underlined the fact that Somaliland has successfully insulated itself from the more newsworthy goings on in Southern Somalia.”

Take a holiday in Somaliland: journey to the state that isn’t

28 May – Source: African Arguments – 1805 Words

Michela Wrong once wrote that you can tell a lot about an African country by the way they issue, or refuse you a visa. This remains true, but as African leaders see the benefits of liberalisation (in a variety of different guises), heralding a stream of hot money flowing in to the continent, there are many other measures of ‘doing business’ that are equally revealing. Commerce in Africa now seems inextricably linked with the mobile phone, so seeing how easy it is to get yourself up and running with a SIM card can be a good measure of a place.