December 10, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Man arrested ferrying six guns, 16 bullets
10 Dec – Source: Standard – 321 words
A man has been arrested and six G3 rifles with 16 bullets recovered from him in Elwak, Mandera at the Kenya-Somalia border. The 53-year-old Somali national was ferrying the weapons on a donkey cart when police stopped him on Sunday afternoon. Also seized were six empty magazines and a spare barrel.
Police believe the weapons were being ferried to Garissa and Nairobi for unknown mission. The suspect identified as Bishar Aden Bure was arrested along Elwak-Kutayo road by detectives who seemed to have been tipped off and is expected in court Monday.
The recovery was the latest in a series that have been made in the area as police work to stop terrorists from ferrying weapons from Somalia. It happened at about 2pm on Sunday hours before a military soldier and a civilian were shot dead outside a shop in Garissa Town on Sunday.
Key Headlines
- Kenyan soldier civilian killed in Garissa (Bar-kulan/Radio Star/Dhanaan Online)
- Al Shabaab planning another terror attack in Kenya as operatives move bomb materials (Intelligence Briefs)
- Somali premier socializes with citizens at a café in Mogadishu (Shabelle)
- Ex-cabinet ministers vow to support new government (Bar-kulan)
- Man arrested ferrying six guns 16 bullets (Standard)
- Somali forces AMISOM secure Jawhar (Radio Mogadishu/SONNA/Radio Risaala/AMISOM)
- Kenya in talks with UN to return Somali refugees home (Bar-kulan)
- Rebuilding Kismayo After al Shabaab (Newsweek/Daily Beast)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali forces, AMISOM secure Jawhar
10 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SONNA/Radio Risaala/AMISOM – 234 words
The Somali National Army, with the support of AMISOM troops has captured the town of Jawhar, 90 km northwest of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The joint forces faced little resistance as they entered the town, which has served as a major base for al Shabaab as they have been pushed out of other areas in Southern Somalia.
“The capture of Jawhar will go a long way towards improving security for the civilian population in Hiiran and the Lower and Middle Shabelle regions,” said AMISOM Force Commander, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti. “Our joint forces are now consolidating the city’s defences and I appeal to the residents to remain calm” he added.
Gen Gutti congratulated the Somali National Army troops on the achievement noting that AMISOM was continuing to enhance the capability of the Somali national security forces through training and mentoring . “AMISOM is building up the capacity of the Somali National Army to train its troops within Somalia and we have already begun courses for Somali trainers at the Al Jazira Military Training Base.”
Kenyan soldier, civilian killed in Garissa
10 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Star/Dhanaan Online – 154 word
A Kenyan military soldier and a civilian were shot dead outside a shop in the northern Kenyan town of Garissa on Sunday. A third victim, the owner of the shop, was admitted in hospital with a bullet lodged in his head. Police said he is in a stable condition, according to local media reports.
North Eastern police boss Philip Tuimur said no arrest has been made following the Sunday evening incident near the border with Somalia. The victims are said to have been sitting outside the shop in the company of a fourth man who apparently survived after excusing himself for a while, the Standard newspaper reported.
“After the man left, gunmen arrived and confronted the deceased pulling the trigger into their head at close range and escaped without stealing anything from them. We believe the motive was to kill the soldier,” said a senior officer in the area who asked not to be named.
Somali premier socializes with citizens at a café in Mogadishu
09 Dec – Source: Shabelle – 121 words
Somalia’s Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon ‘’Saa’id’’ has surprised a large number of ordinary citizens at a café in Mogadishu after he unexpectedly turned up at the café, sat with them and started to having a chat with them answering questions about his government’s plans to secure the whole country.
Prime Minister Saa’id became the first sitting Prime minister who came so close to ordinary citizens having tea at a café in Mogadishu. Residents in Mogadishu gather at tea cafés in the city to discuss and exchange ideas about national, social and political issues.
Ex-cabinet ministers vow to support new government
09 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan – 107 words
Cabinet Ministers who served under the last transitional government of Somalia have promised to support the new regime by working closely with it. Speaking at a meeting in Mogadishu on Saturday, former cabinet ministers said they were committed to support the new government in stabilizing the country and making sure that good governance and unity in the country are achieved.
The immediate former TFG president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his former Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali attended the meeting via the telephone. Former Women Development and Family Affairs Minister Maryan Aweys said their meeting aimed at supporting the new government by sharing with new leaders their experiences.
Puntland commandos unit capture al Shabaab mountain outpost
09 Dec – Source: Garowe Online – 160 words
Puntland commandos carried out a nighttime raid on an alleged al Shabaab outpost in the Golis Mountain Range, inflicting al Shabaab casualties and confiscating weapons and supplies late Friday night, Garowe Online reports. According to the Puntland press release, the daring nighttime raid occurred deep in northern Puntland’s Golis Mountain ranges in the villages of El Dibir and Dudun, two mountainous villages 45 kms west of Galgala village.
A Puntland security source told GO that an elite commandos team from the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) trekked for more than 20 hours to reach the two operation bases in the villages. The Puntland press release said that “Puntland intelligence indicated that this location served as a home for al Shabaab senior members and is the location where wounded combatants received medical treatment.”
The security source confirmed to GO that at least 2 al Shabaab fighters were killed but declined to confirm if Puntland commandos had captured an al Shabaab fighters in the raid.
Kenya in talks with UN to return Somali refugees home
09 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan – 138 words
The Kenyan government has said it is in talks with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to have the Somali refugees sent back home since normalcy had returned in Somalia.
Speaking in Nairobi after visiting Kamukunji MP Yussuf Hassan who was injured in the Friday night grenade attack in Eastleigh, Internal Security Permanent Secretary Mutea Iringo said they are in talks with the UNHCR over the matter.
Hassan was among more than 30 people who sustained injuries in a grenade attack that occurred outside Hidaya Mosque in Eastleigh where he was addressing his supporters. “We are also in talks with UNHCR to have the refugees go back to Somalia since normalcy has returned,” said Iringo. He said most Somali refugees were roaming in the country instead of being at the refugee camps where they were registered.
Somaliland: Gunmen spray bullets at NEC headquarters in Sanaag
09 Dec – Source: Somaliland Press – 122 words
Unknown gunmen armed with automatic weapons raked the Somaliland Electoral Commission headquarters in Erigavo with bullets Saturday night, causing minor damages but no casualties.
Local media said the incident follows the recent publication of the Nov. 28 run-off municipal elections preliminary results. Erigavo, the provincial capital of Sanaag region, is one of number of districts that is currently disputed.
Several candidates from the new five political associations reported widespread irregularities and massive rigging of the elections by the ruling Kulmiye party. They made several attempts to appeal to district courts to intervene and delay the NEC results amid tensions. Thus far, the courts ignored their plea. Several news websites secretly filmed Kulmiye party officials voting multiple times in remote regions.
IOM launches a scientific study on sexual Gender-based Violence in Internally Displaced Camps in Garowe
08 Dec – Source: Raxanreeb – 156 words
The International Organization for Migration launched a scientific study on Sexual Gender-based violence in the IDP camps in Garowe., with senior researchers from University of Nairobi and Tokyo University participating in this scientific study. The launching meeting took place in Garowe with the participation of senior researchers from University of Nairobi, Senior IOM Officers, data collectors and Vice Minister of Women Development and Family Affairs.
Hussein Yonis Hassan, a senior IOM Officer speaking about the study stated that the objective of this study is to gather scientific information about sexual violence cases against women and possible interventions to tackle this violence. Speaking to Raxan-Reeb, Hussein said:
Women IDPs are the most vulnerable groups to sexual gender-based violence because of their residence status and the absence of social protection with their remote settlements outside the town. According to the monthly GBV reports, occurred and attempted rape cases were considerably high in and around the IDP settlements.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Al Shabaab planning another terror attack in Kenya as operatives move bomb materials
10 Dec – Source: Intelligence Briefs – 731 words
The successful intercept of bomb making material on transit from Garissa by Kenya police service officers is indicative of reactivation of terror cells objective to terrorist activity in Kenya.
In late November, Strategic Intelligence identified early signs of the Reactivation of Terrorist Cells in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Garissa besides a terror attack in a Mosque in Eastleigh Nairobi.
Terrorists may have identified means of communication to avoid detection and interception when redeploying in their attempts to further intimidate civilians and government through terrorist activity. Movement of explosives particularly IEDS, Grenades, bullets, and guns may have or maybe taking place with the intent of deploying to cause terror.
Man arrested ferrying six guns, 16 bullets
10 Dec – Source: Standard – 321 words
A man has been arrested and six G3 rifles with 16 bullets recovered from him in Elwak, Mandera at the Kenya-Somalia border. The 53-year-old Somali national was ferrying the weapons on a donkey cart when police stopped him on Sunday afternoon. Also seized were six empty magazines and a spare barrel.
Police believe the weapons were being ferried to Garissa and Nairobi for unknown mission. The suspect identified as Bishar Aden Bure was arrested along Elwak-Kutayo road by detectives who seemed to have been tipped off and is expected in court Monday.
The recovery was the latest in a series that have been made in the area as police work to stop terrorists from ferrying weapons from Somalia. It happened at about 2pm on Sunday hours before a military soldier and a civilian were shot dead outside a shop in Garissa Town on Sunday.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Rebuilding Kismayo After al Shabaab
09 Dec – Source: Newsweek/Daily Beast – 814 words
Retro white-metal-and-wood hospital beds—arranged in a cluster in the dappled shade of a broad tree—serve as the main emergency ward at Kismayo General Hospital. Emergency is the only kind of care the small team of hospital staff can provide with so few resources. For the past three years they’ve operated under the rule of Somalia’s al Qaeda–linked militants, al Shabaab.
“Explosion wounds and C-sections—that’s all we can cope with right now,” says the hospital director. His charges, 23 of whom arrived on the same day in October, when an IED exploded in town, suffer broken bones and injuries caused by shrapnel. Many also nurse gunshot wounds from stray bullets that government-aligned forces fired in the chaos after the attack.
Despite the apparent challenges, the hospital director presents the circumstances optimistically: By “using sparingly,” the hospital has managed to have enough emergency kits to treat the patients who come to the facility—the only hospital not under al Shabaab control in the region. They do have anesthesia.
The hospital recently signed an agreement with the World Health Organization to receive some surgical equipment and medicine—the first international support since Doctors Without Borders was forced to withdraw from the area in 2008 after three of its staff were killed in an IED attack. And two days after The Daily Beast interview, the hospital staff was slated to be paid for the first time by the city’s new post-Shabaab administration.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Without a Big Bush it will difficult for Somali Republic to regain its sovereignty and becoming once again a respected member of the UN”.
Tough Challenges ahead for Somalia’s post-transitional government
09 Dec – Source: Hiiraan Online – 866 words
I observed with a degree of care and diligence the trend and tendency of Somalia’s political novelty since H.E Prof Hassan Sheikh Ahmed was elected to the highest office in our land. Besides rhetorical affirmation, it appears that serious gaps need to be bridged if we want to succeed in our efforts geared towards bringing our nation back from the brink. In an evolving regime of vicious circle, three key areas are intertwined not separate (domestic revenue, security and justice).
“The Seychelles islands have a total population of 85,000 and no military power to speak of. They were largely defenseless against pirates. So were many of the ships moving north and south off the East Coast of Africa. Four years ago, Somali pirates began operating as far East as the Seychelles, which are a group of 115 islands 1,500 kilometers from the east African coast”.
How the Seychelles Became Toxic For Pirates
09 Dec – Source: Strategy Page – 661 words
Over the last year you stopped hearing about Somali pirates attacking ships off the Seychelles islands. That’s because in the last year the UAE (United Arab Emirates), India and the United States have provided massive assistance to turn the Seychelles Coast Guard into a force that can quickly spot pirates and neutralize (capture or kill) them.
For example, last year India sent a Dornier 228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft to the Seychelles where it will serve at least two years. Two years ago India offered to give Seychelles a Dornier 228 and two Chetak helicopters for anti-piracy duty, but tiny Seychelles preferred that India simply operate this equipment on their territory until the Somali piracy threat is gone. India has already sent a naval patrol boat and one Chetak helicopter to the Seychelles to help with anti-piracy patrol. Indian warships are also coming by more frequently.
The UAE provided $15 million to build a new naval base for the coast guard and doubled the number of ships by sending two 30 meter (91 foot) patrol boats and three smaller speed boats. The 30 meter boats, although armed only with machine-guns, are fast enough and have sufficient firepower to handle any pirates they encounter. Last year there were several such bloody encounters and the Somali pirates decided that the Seychelles were no longer good hunting grounds.
The Corroding ‘Lead Camel’ Effect”
08 Dec – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1215 words
As in old caravans ‘Where the lead camel goes, so shall others’. Such goes the Somali proverb, notwithstanding its regional variations and dialectical flavors. The Lead Camel Effect (LCE) describes a syndrome or a common human tendency to blindly follow leaders, role-models, and all those whom authority is attributed to even if such individuals were leading them astray.
LCE is not unique to one particular culture or society. Think of how the American Generation X who, though born decades later in a different social and political environment, emulated their Baby Boomer parents’ counter-culture ideals; the hallmark carefree lifestyles flavored with cynicism, cultish mentality, defiance of authority, drug abuse, and sexual promiscuity.
Top tweets
@albanyassociate Somali youth feel hopeful, despite challenges | UNDP http://bit.ly/YSGveW.
@GodWhispered Somali army captures town from Al-Shabaab: The Somali National Army, along with African Union troops, on Sunday … http://bit.ly/U6ApzY.
@UNICEF #Somalia‘s journey from disaster to resilience is a test case for development, writes @marktranhttp://uni.cf/THJ9wH #COP18.
@apo_source UN Special Representative’s statement on the IGAD Grand Stabilization Plan for South Central Somalia: UN …http://bit.ly/Z3Ntww.
@nuurist #Somalia: liberation MUST be followed up with#Stabilisation!http://t.co/
@amisomsomalia Human Rights Day, a focus on Journalists’ security in #Somalia.http://vimeo.com/
Image of the day
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Augustine P. Mahiga (left), Minister of Information, Abdullahi Elmoge Hersi (right) and other Government and UNPOS officials observe one-minute silence for the 18 Somali journalists killed in 2012 during a handover ceremony at the Ministry of Information for UNPOS-donated audio equipment to boost the Government’s public communication capacity on December 9, 2012. Photo: UNPOS/AU-UN IST/STUART PRICE.