September 26, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

US to help Kenya pursue Mall attackers

25 Sept- Source: Daily Nation-261 words

The United States has offered to assist Kenya pursue the Westgate shopping mall attackers. US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec on Wednesday said the US will continue to work together with Kenya to stop terrorism. “At the request of the Kenyan government, we will provide additional assistance in the coming days to investigate this attack and to bring its organisers and perpetrators to justice,” he said in a statement.

Key Headlines

Al Shabab leader’s opponents behind Nairobi mall attack sources say (VOA Somali Service/Radio Dalsan)
Somali president: ‘Terrorists have no citizenship’ – video (channel4)
Somali Government Appoints an Organizing Committee for the Jubba Reconciliation Conference (OPM)
Three injured after gunmen drop explosives in Wajir North Eastern Kenya (Standard)
Al Shabaab spokesman: “Westgate operations ended all the operatives are dead” (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Dalsan/Andulus)
Soldier gunned down in Kismayo (Kismaayo Online)
US to help Kenya pursue Mall attackers (Daily Nation)
Lobby group wants all refugee camps closed (Star)
Somalia progressing but work remains (UPI)

PRESS STATEMENT

The President met with World leaders in New York to discuss security in Somalia

26 Sept- Source: Office of the President of Somalia-381 words

Meeting with the Turkish President

President Hassan Sh. Mohamud met today with several world leaders, including The Turkish President H.E. Abdullah Gul, The Emir of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al- Thani and former US Secretary of State Ms. Hilary Clinton discussing wide range of issues including the overall security in Somalia and the rest of the world.

President Hassan thanked the Turkish President for the unwavering support from both the people and the government of Turkey support to Somalia. “In Somalia Turkey have a special place in our history.” President Hassan alarmed his counterpart about the threat of terrorism despite the decline of Al-Shabaab and urged the urgent need to boost the Somalia security forces in order to achieve a lasting peace in the Horn of Africa.

President Hassan’s meeting with the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani

President Mohamud stated “The nature of these terrorist groups is that when they are defeated, they’ll try to make the innocent civilian suffer. There’s good number of foreign fighters but we need to fight them all. But the solution for the problems is building the Somali security forces. The government also is working to fight extremist through ideology, we’ve done counter extremism conference, and many are to follow.”

The Emir of Qatar comforted the President of Somalia by saying “We will continue your Excellency, working together, and Somalia will be stable inshallah”.

Meeting with Former Secretary of State Clinton

President Hassan also met with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The President noted “we are also launched Vision 2016 – we want to avoid extension and recycling the old processes – elders shouldn’t be selecting parliament, we need to have elections in 2016, party laws, electoral systems and referendum for the Constitution.”

“We envision building a professional Somali Security Forces, We’ve engaged our neighbors and the troop contributing countries.” President Hassan Sheikh said. Due to the international recognition, now we gained the support of the World Bank, the IMF and African development bank, we’ve signed the Cotonough Agreement.

Tomorrow afternoon President Hassan Sh. Mohamud is expected to address Head of States at the United Nation’s General Assembly. In his expected historic speech the President will focus more on security issues.

Somali Government Appoints an Organizing Committee for the Jubba Reconciliation Conference

25 Sept- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 332 words

In light of the provisions of the Agreement between the Federal Government of Somalia and Jubba Interim Administration signed in Addis Ababa on 27 August 2013 which the government of Somalia deems a positive step towards the federalization, stabilization and confidence building among the Somali communities;

To fully implement and successfully execute all the provisions in the Agreement;

Citing the Fourth Article of the Agreement concerning Reconciliation and Confidence Building;

The Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of National Resources, Abdirizak Omer Mohamed hereby appoints a high level committee to organize and execute the first phase of the Reconciliation Conference due to take place in Mogadishu on October 5, 2013. The second phase of the reconciliation conference which will focus on peace-building will be held in Kismayo.

The Federal Government of Somalia also welcomes the participation of IGAD in the launching of the milestone reconciliation conference.
Names of the Committee Members:-

1. Mr. Abdikarim Hussein Guled Minister of the Interior and National Security/Committee Chair 2. Mr. Abdullahi Elmoge Hersi Minister for Information, Telecommunication, Postal Services and Transportation 3. Mr. Abdihakim Haji Mohamud Faqi Minister of Defense 4. Mr. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir State Minister for Presidency 5. Mr. Abdishakur Ali Mireh Deputy Minister for Information, Telec. Postal Services, and Transportation 6. Mr. Abdirahman Kulmiye Hirsi Deputy Minister of Defense 7. H.E. Ahmed Abdisalam Haji Aden Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia 8. Mr. Aden Ibrahim Aw Hirsi Senior Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister/Committee Secretary

The Federal Government of Somalia is grateful to all the good offices that took part in the realization of this Agreement with the office of the Chair of IGAD Council of Foreign Ministers at the forefront.

Similarly, the Federal Government of Somalia calls upon the Somali communities concerned to sincerely contribute to the success of this conference verbally and materially. The members of this committee are instructed to discharge diligently and accordingly this highly significant national duty.

Thank You,

SOMALI MEDIA

Al Shabab leader’s opponents behind Nairobi mall attack, sources say

25 Sept- Source: VOA Somali Service/Radio Dalsan- 145 words

A well-informed source told VOA Somali that the terrorists who carried out Nairobi’s Westgate mall attack were from a group opposed to Ahmed Godane, the leader of al Shabaab. “Foreigners that scape Godane’s wrath and other Somali diaspora carried out this attack because Ahmed Godane didn’t want to carry out jihad operation across the country, Somalia,” said the source. The Somali Youth from diaspora and the foreign jihadists have been trying, for the last five months, to go behind Godane and launch attack in other East African countries, added the source who was not identified. A separate source told Radio Dalsan that foreign jihadists began to escape Somalia earlier this year in fear of attacks from Godane. The overall leader of al Shabaab has over the last weeks ordered the executions Al-amriki and Bilal Al-Britian after they disobeyed his order.

Al Shabaab spokesman: “Westgate operations ended, all the operatives are dead”

25 Sept- Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Dalsan/Andulus- 234 words

Al Shabaab spokesman has declared that his group’s ‘operations’ at Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall has ended and all the operatives have died. Sheikh Ali Mohammud Rage said the operation was meant to destroy the Kenya’s economy and dignity and ‘we shown them their abilty’ The spokesman made the remarks during an interview with Andulus Radio, the al Shabaab-run Radio. Ali Rage warned of further attacks if Kenyan troops did not pull out of Somalia immediately. “If the Kenyan citizens want to feel secure, Kenya should remove its forces from the territory of Somalia.”The attack, one of the worst in Kenya’s history, finally ended on Tuesday as the president of Kenya Uhurru Kenyatta said, leaving at least 61 civilians and six members of the security forces dead.

Soldier gunned down in Kismayo

25 Sept- Source: Kismaayo Online- 100 words

A soldier from the Interim Jubba Administration was on Wednesday evening gunned down in Kismayo, reports say. The deceased was killed in Alanley neighborhood by a fellow soldier who managed to escape from the scene immediately after the killing. The motive behind the killing is not yet known.

REGIONAL MEDIA

US to help Kenya pursue Mall attackers

25 Sept- Source: Daily Nation-261 words

Three injured after gunmen drop explosives in Wajir, North Eastern Kenya

25 Sept- Source: Standard- 134 words

Three people were injured when gunmen dropped two explosives and engaged police in sporadic shoot out in Wajir town Wednesday night. Gunmen, who drove in two vehicles drove past a local church engaging in shooting, injured the three victims before police responded. They then dropped two explosives which are believed to be grenades as they drove out. OCPD Isaiah Odhiambo says they are now in control of the situation and they are hunting down the gunmen.

Lobby group wants all refugee camps closed

25 Sept- Source: Star (Kenya)- 104 words

A lobby group in Coast region has called on the government to arrange for the safe return of all refugees in the country. Pwani Ni Kenya said on Tuesday the move is going to improve security in the country by returning home the Somali refugees in Kenyan camps. Speaking to the Star, PNK chairman Alex Kasuku said closing down all refugee camps will guarantee Kenyans safety. The group condemned the Westgate terror attack which the Somalia based al Shabaab militia claimed responsibility. Kasuku said terrorists have been finding their way into the country through the refugee camps.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali president: ‘Terrorists have no citizenship’ – video

25 Sept- Source: channel4.- 3:16 min

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud tells Channel 4 News that al Shabaab members are not allied to one particular country – and Somalis are no more radicalised than other nationalities.

Somalia progressing but work remains

25 Sept- Source: UPI-217 words

Somalia is commended for its political progress though the human rights and national security situation present challenges, a U.N. rights official said. The U.N. Human Rights Council held a special session Wednesday in Geneva on assistance to Somalia. The European Union last week hosted a one-day summit outlining a “New Deal” for Somalia. Delegates to the summit pledged their support as Somalia focuses its development agenda on consolidating political gains made since forming its first functioning central government in more than 20 years last year.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“It cannot be that it is humanly impossible to resolve the problems of that country. So my question to world leaders is where is Somalia’s Marshall Plan?”

Where is Somalia’s Marshall Plan?

25 Sept- Source: Mail and Guardian Blog-879 Words

On the bright side, the Nairobi Westgate mall tragedy must bring Kenyans together again and perhaps even go some distance to heal the wounds from their recent internal conflict. Conflict, in general, including the very thing that has just happened to the Kenyans at the hands of al Shabaab, has been a prolific source of underdevelopment in Africa, and it therefore needs a comprehensive approach to managing it, and this must ultimately be a mixture of international as well as indigenous conflict-management mechanisms. Sure, terrorism is terrorism, it is unquestionably bad and it must be dealt with decisively, however, there should also be no obfuscating the fact that Africa has been the epicentre of some of the world’s most difficult conflicts and social problems. All rhetoric about “punishing” the perpetrators and waging a “war on terror” is welcome and is necessary, but it should not preoccupy us so that we forget the “elephant in the room” – the root cause – which is Somalia, apparently the world’s most failed state and a safe haven for “breeding” terrorists.