September 17, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali forces, AMISOM troops capture Bibi town

15 Sept – Source: AMISOM – 162 words

Somali government forces with the support of AMISOM troops have captured the strategic town of Bibi in southern Somalia. During the 12:30pm operation, the forces faced little resistance from the Al Qaeda affiliated terror group, Al Shabaab. An assortment of weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the fleeing militants.

Three Somali soldiers sustained minor injuries during the engagement and have been accorded the necessary medical attention. AMISOM forces did not suffer any casualties. Bibi is an important town situated at a road junction linking it to Beles Qoqani and Afmadow.

AMISOM Force Commander, Lieutenant General Andrew Gutti, said the capture of the town would help enhance security for the population in the area. AMISOM is committed to supporting the people of Somalia as they endeavor to rebuild their country. He said. We will continue to do all in our power to ensure their hopes and dreams for a better future are not frustrated by the terrorists. He added.

Key Headlines

Inauguration for Somalia’s new president held in Mogadishu (Bar-Kulan)
No pardon for convicted criminals says president Mohamud (Radio Mustaqbal)
Somali Islamists “start withdrawing” from southern port city (Radio Shabelle)
Protests in Somalia against anti-Islam film (Radio Shabelle)
Somaliland arrests reporter over election of the new president of Somalia (Mareeg Online)
AMISOM fine-tunes Kismayu plan as Shabaab fights back (East African)
Somali president vows to reset security after assassination attempt (VOA News)

PRESS RELEASE

Somali forces, AMISOM troops capture Bibi town

15 Sept – Source: AMISOM – 162 words

SRSG Mahiga congratulates President Hassan Sheikh on his inauguration

16 Sept – Source: UNPOS – 151 words

The SRSG for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, congratulates His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh on the occasion of his inauguration as President of Somalia.

“This is another great day for Somalia and the Somali people. Today in Mogadishu I was honored to bear witness as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was inaugurated as his country’s President. This marks the end of the transitional period and the beginning of a new era for Somalia. The change that was envisioned in the Roadmap on Ending the Transition has arrived. The process was transparent, representative and Somali-owned and led,” said SRSG Mahiga.

“As the process moves forward,” Dr. Mahiga stated, “the UN Political Office for Somalia will continue to stand with the President in addressing key immediate tasks including stabilization of newly recovered areas, ensuring the integration and stability of the security services, delivering basic services to the Somali people and building a viable judiciary system.”

SOMALI MEDIA

Inauguration for Somalia’s new president held in Mogadishu

16 Sept – Source: Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu/Bar-kulan/Garowe Online – 98 words

A colorful inauguration ceremony for Somalia’s new president Hassan Skeikh Mohamud was held on Sunday in Mogadishu, with leaders from the international community, mainly East African presidents, attending the event. There was tight security in Mogadishu on Sunday as world leaders, including Djibouti president Ismail Omar Gelle, Ethiopia’s new PM Hailemariam Desalegn and Turkish deputy prime minister Baker Bozdag, arrived in the capital for the take over ceremony.

Somali president inaugurated, outlines priorities

16 Sept- Source: SNTV/Radio Mogadishu- 144 words

Somalia’s new president has said security, creation of a conducive environment for investment and reconciling Somalis are his top priorities.
Hasan Shaykh Mahmud made the pledge as he was being officially inaugurated in a ceremony carried “live” by the state-owned Somali National TV on 16th of September.
In his inaugural address in Mogadishu, President Mahmud said he would lead Somalia with “five new pillars” including security and reconciliation. He said he wanted to foster good relations with the rest of the world, urging the international community to “wear new spectacles” for the country.

No pardon for convicted criminals, says president Mohamud

16 Sept – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mustaqbal/SNTV – 81 words

Somalia’s newly elected president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has ruled out pardoning convicted criminals who have been sentenced to serve in jail terms for their criminal activities. President Mohamud said court decisions should be respected, adding that he will never offer amnesty to any individual that has been sentenced by a court of law. The president noted his constitutional rights to pardon such individuals, but ruled out doing so personally and warned against corrupt individuals freeing criminals in exchange of bribe.

Somali Islamists “start withdrawing” from southern port city

16 Sept- Source: Radio Shabelle- 96 words

Al Shabaab fighters have started to withdraw from the southern Somali port city of Kismaayo ahead of an imminent attack from Somali government forces and African Union troops.

Residents told Radio Shabelle that they saw al Shabaab’s military vehicles taking fighters out of the city.

It is unknown where the fighters were taken to. Reports say al Shabaab have also freed all prisoners in the city.

Allied forces continue battling al Shabaab for Kismayo

16 Sept – Source: Garowe Online – 119 words

Heavy clashes in lower Jubba region have claimed the lives of more than 10 people from the battling sides as the allied forces continue the onslaught against al Shabaab for Kismayo. The town of Birta Dheer and Biibi were home to heavy clashes on Saturday and Friday as al Shabaab and Somali forces alongside AMISOM forces battled furiously. An AMISOM press release stated that they had taken control of the district of Biibi, a strategic town that connects major districts in the lower Jubba region.

Fire guts Kismayo’s Umbulutoria market

16 Sept – Source: Bar-kulan – 93 words

A fire swept through the Kismayo’s main market, Umbulutoria, on Sunday morning destroying property worth millions of shillings, reports say. Kismayo is the only port still under the control of al Shabaab and is often described as the lifeline of the militant group. Although the cause of the fire is not yet known, reports say the fire first begun at a building where a petroleum product was being sold.

Protests in Somalia against anti-Islam film

14 Sept – Source: Shabelle – 97 words

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Mogadishu on Friday to express their anger over a film that insults Prophet Muhammad. The film titled ‘Innocence of Muslims’ sparked a wave of protests in many Muslim countries and in several cases the outrage ended with raids on U.S. embassies. These riots began in Egypt and Libya and spread to Iran, Tunisia, Yemen, Lebanon, Oman, Sudan, Qatar, Indonesia and Somalia.

Puntland government carries out major cabinet reshuffle

15 Sept – Source: Garowe Online – 116 words

The Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole issued a decree on Saturday reshuffling the cabinet of ministers. The large-scale reshuffle was announced by Ahmed Aydid Director of the presidential palace on Saturday afternoon and let go of long time Minister of Women Affairs, Asho Gelle Diriye and 6 other ministers. Asho Gelle who served under former President Gen. Adde Muse and had been a minister of Women Affairs for seven years was replaced by Halimo Hassan Haji.

Officials: Somali forces detain suspected al Shabaab members in Afgoye

15 Sept – Source: Radio Shabelle – 84 words

Forces loyal to Somalia government on Saturday conducted search operations in Afgoye district, 30 Km outside the capital, Mogadishu, witnesses said. Local residents said that about 100 people in connection with al Shabaab militant were apprehended by Somali security forces during two day search operations.

Ethiopia’s new PM lands in Somalia

16 Sept – Source: Shabelle – 104 words

Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who survived a vote by the ruling party over the weekend and was announced as the official representative of the party, arrived in Mogadishu on Sunday for talks with Somalia. Sources close to the PM confirmed to that the new PM would take part in the inauguration ceremony of Somalia’s new president in the capital.

Somaliland arrests reporter over election of the new president of Somalia

15 Sept – Source: Mareeg Online – 80 words

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the arbitrary arrests of journalists in the town of Boorama in Awdal region by the Somaliland Police on 13 September 2012. The journalist Hashim Sheik Omar Got who reports to both Bar-Kulan Radio and Somalisat Television, a privately owned television with its headquarters in the UK, were arrested on Thursday, 13th September, 2012 in the town of Borama by the Somaliland police.

Djiboutian president, Turkish deputy PM arrive in Mogadishu

16 Sept – Source: Shabelle – 79 words

A high-level delegation led by Djiboutian president Ismail Omar Gelle on Sunday arrived in Mogadishu as the Horn of Africa nation moves towards peace and a stable stage, after free and fear landmark elections. The Djiboutian President Ismael Omar Gelle and his high-ranking delegation were received at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu by senior Somali Government officials and Djiboutian troops who are part of AMISOM.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Outgoing Somalia president hands over to new leader

16 Sept – Source: Africa Review – 157 words

Somalia’s outgoing president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has handed over instruments of power to the newly elected leader. At a ceremony held at the General Kahiye Police Academy in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday, the outgoing president performed his last duty as president. The ceremony was attended, by among others, the President of Djibouti, Mr Ismael Omar Ghelle, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalagn and the Deputy Premier of Turkey, Mr Bekir Bosdag.

Kenyan principals asked to appoint Internal Security minister

16 Sept – Source: Daily Nation – 175 words

The Civil Society groups on Sunday intensified calls for the appointment of a minister for Internal Security as renewed violence rocks parts of the country. President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have been asked to appoint a functional Internal Security minister to relieve Mr Yusuf Haji, who holds the docket on an acting capacity.

AMISOM fine-tunes Kismayu plan as Shabaab fights back

15 Sept- Source: the East African- 413 words

African Union generals have fine-tuned their plan to capture Kismayu, even as Al Shabaab leaders warned on Friday that the port city would not fall easily, and the new Somalia leadership became the target of terrorists.
The new Somalia leadership of Mr Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud — elected president on Monday — started off on shaky ground following an assassination attempt on Wednesday. His new government replaced the Somali Transitional Federal Government.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia inaugurates elected president after 20 years of strife

16 Sept – Source: Reuters/News Yahoo/Washington Post/AFP/- 155 words

Somalia’s new president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office on Sunday, calling for an end to terrorism and piracy in a nation mired in conflict for more than two decades. Mohamud’s inauguration, the first of its kind since the country slid into civil war after warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barrein 1991, follows a regionally-brokered, UN-backed effort to end fighting in which tens of thousands of people were killed and many more fled.

Somali president vows to reset security after assassination attempt

16 Sept – Source: VOA News – 136 words

Incoming Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud — the target of an assassination attempt earlier this week — says restoring security will be his first order of business once he officially assumes office Sunday. Mr. Mohamud spoke Saturday to VOA from the country’s heavily-fortified presidential palace in Mogadishu. He arrived there Thursday — three days early — under heavy security hours after three suicide bombers attacked a Mogadishu hotel where he was residing. At least four people, including all three bombers, were killed.

Somalia’s al Shabaab urge attacks on West over anti-Islam film

15 Sept – Source: Times Live – 102 words

“The Shebaab mujahideen are urging people of Somalia to show their love for Islam and particularly to our Prophet Mohammed by making attacks against the West,” Shebaab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage told AFP by telephone, without specifying any targets. “The unprovoked attacks against Prophet Mohammed are not initiated by media houses and movie makers but they are clear instructions by Western governments,” he said. ”

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Mogadishu Then and Now is an attempt to redeem the city’s damaged reputation and restore its lost glory in the public imagination and in the Somali people’s collective memory”.

Mogadishu’s lost glory captured in a book

14 Sept- Source: the East African- 249 words

Mogadishu once ranked among the prettiest and most cosmopolitan cities in Africa. The city has a long history that dates back to the 10th century when Arab and Persian traders began settling there.
For centuries, Mogadishu was a traditional centre for Islam and an important hub for trade with communities along the Indian Ocean coastline.
However, since the beginning of the civil war in the early 1990s, Somalia’s capital city has gained the reputation of being the most dangerous and violent city in the world.
Mogadishu Then and Now is an attempt to redeem the city’s damaged reputation and restore its lost glory in the public imagination and in the Somali people’s collective memory.
The book showcases Mogadishu in all its splendour prior to the civil war and contrasts this with the devastation and destruction that has characterised the city for more than two decades.