July 15, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

SNA Brigade commander killed in ambush

14 Jul – Source: Radio Dalsan/Shabelle/Garowe Online – 120 words

The Commander of 6th Brigade of Somali National Army(SNA) operating in Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia has been killed in an al Shabaab ambush on Monday, report says. Omar Sheikh Elmi was killed after suspected al Shabaab militants ambushed his convoy between Leego and Yaaqbari weyne vicinities enroute to Bay regional district of Buur Hakaba, local reports disclose. Fighting erupted after the ambush but the casualty figures have yet to be verified. Al Shabaab commenced unrelenting rampage at the beginning of Ramadan month as central government in Mogadishu is grappling with rampant corruption and growing insecurity.

Key Headlines

SNA Brigade commander killed in ambush (Radio Dalsan)
Puntland President receives UNODC officials in Garowe (Bar-kulan/Risaala)
Mayor Mungab to prioritize Mogadishu security (Radio Shabelle)
Puntland parliament repeals controversial draft media law (Garowe Online)
Fate of seized ship’s Kenyan crew unknown (Daily Nation)
IJA security forces carry out security operations in Kismayo (Bar-kulan)
Eastern Africa standby by force ready in December (New Vision)
Mogadishu residents fear al Shabaab Al Badar day attack (Somali Current)
Central Emergency Response Fund allocates $1.4 million to fight measles outbreak in Somalia (Relief Web)

SOMALI MEDIA

SNA Brigade commander killed in ambush

14 Jul – Source: Radio Dalsan/Shabelle/Garowe Online – 120 words

Puntland President receives UNODC officials in Garowe

14 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Risaala – 86 words

Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas on Monday met Alan Cole, the Regional Coordinator for UNODC Counter-Piracy Programme, and the Deputy Head of UNODC Somalia Programme, Francesco Caonero in Garowe. The president was accompanied by Puntland State Minister for Local Governments as well top security officers in Puntland during his talks with the visiting UNODC officials in administration’s capital. The president expressed that his government needs support for running Garowe Prison, construction of Galkayo Prison, completion of Bosaso Prison construction and training for Puntland Marine Forces.

Mayor Mungab to prioritize Mogadishu security

14 Jul – Source: Radio Shabelle – 73 words

The Governor of Benadir & Mayor of Mogadishu, Hassan Mohamed Hussein “Mungab”, spoke at an opening ceremony of a seminar to train the 17 commissioners of districts in Benadir region. Mayor Mungab said that the regional administration will prioritize in strengthening the security in Mogadishu. Mr. Mungab mentioned that all 17 district commissioners of the region are required to enforce tighter security measures and cooperate with the Somali National Security Forces for that reason.

Puntland parliament repeals controversial draft media law

14 Jul – Source: Garowe Online/Raxanreeb – 91 words

Lawmakers in Somalia’s Puntland parliament returned controversial draft media law to Ministry of Information following complaints from press associations, Garowe Online reports. Puntland MP Saed Abdi Samatar said in an interview with Puntland-based independent station. On Monday that they cancelled vote on the media law after journalists voiced concern over clauses that have been tampered with. Samatar added that they will summon ministry of information officials to question them on illegible amendments within the law. “We expect Ministry of Information to present the original draft to parliament,” noted Member of Parliament.

IJA security forces carry out security operations in Kismayo

14 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan – 88 words

Interim Jubba Administration officials claimed to have foiled terrorist attacks that al Shabaab militias were planning to carry out during the holy month of Ramadan in Kismayo. Speaking to Bar-kulan, the spokesman for the Interim Jubba Administration, Abdinasir Serar Mah said the security forces foiled the attacks after launching security operations in Shaqalaha and Via-Afmadow neighborhoods on Saturday night. He added the security forces have successfully recovered a large cache of arms and arrested several men suspected of having links with the militant group in the security crackdown.

Mogadishu residents fear al Shabaab Al Badar day attack

14 Jul – Source: Somali Current/Radio Dalsan – 120 words

Security has been heightened in the capital Mogadishu as day 17 of Ramadan which is known for al Shabaab militant group sophisticated attack is closing in. Several Somali security forces are patrolling the streets while searching cars and guarding major government buildings in the capital making sure no stone is an turned as far as the security of the city is concerned. According to the history of Islam 17th day of Ramadan is when Muslim army led by prophet Muhammad peace be upon him defeated the Quraish in Badar, however for al Shabaab this is a day to reflect the meaning of the victory by targeting what it believes as a government of a apostate.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Fate of seized ship’s Kenyan crew unknown

14 Jul – Source: Daily Nation – 93 words

The fate of three Kenyans on a Zanzibari-registered vessel hijacked on its way to Somalia is unknown. On Monday, Andrew Mwangura, the secretary general of a seafarers’ group, expressed worry after receiving what he called conflicting reports. “We were told they were on their way home but this doesn’t sound true. Rarely do crew abandon their ship and cargo,” he said. He added that pirates could not release them without getting ransom. Mr Mwangura said the vessel, MV Jamila, was also destined for Mombasa to bring spares for its sister ship MV Fatma.

Eastern Africa standby by force ready in December

14 Jul – Source: New Vision – 273 words

Uganda and other countries in the Eastern Africa region will be ready to deploy a 5,000 strong standby force by December 2014, the army has said. The force will be comprised of troops from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Seychelles and Comoros. Others countries in the region have not yet joined the efforts to build the Eastern Africa standby force (EASF) that will be comprised of the military, police and civilian components. Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, the commandant of Uganda rapid deployment capability centre, said the force which will be one battalion strong backed by tank units, will be ready for deployment by December, one year before the African Union (AU) deadline. African leaders resolved to establish Africa standby force during the AU summit in Addis Ababa in 2004. The leaders from five regions – Eastern, Western, Central, Southern and Northern Africa were tasked to establish five standby regional forces by December 2015 to form Africa standby force.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Central Emergency Response Fund allocates $1.4 million to fight measles outbreak in Somalia

14 Jul – Source: Relief Web – 174 words

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$1.4 million for an emergency campaign to combat the outbreak of measles in Somalia, that has already left thousands of children at risk of disability and death. The funding will be used to vaccinate 520,000 children under 5 years in the worst affected areas of Banadir, Lower Juba and Puntland. Around 4,000 suspected cases of measles were reported between January and June, more than double the suspected cases seen in the same period last year. Three quarters of cases were reported in children under 5 years. “The CERF funding comes at a crucial time when thousands of children’s lives are at risk,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Philippe Lazzarini, who is responsible for pooled fund allocation at country level. “The vaccination drive will help prevent the spread of the disease to other locations, particularly those inaccessible to vaccination teams.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“A road will not solve all aspects of maritime crime. Unlike piracy, most maritime crimes (smuggling, trafficking, illegal fishing) are compatible with legitimate trade. However, infrastructure investment in remote areas will help build a secure and stable state. Poor and cut-off areas in Somalia have been fertile recruitment grounds and havens for all types of insurgents. We see the road as complementary to state-building and the law and order agenda, not as a substitute. But it is a good place to start land-based counter-piracy.”

The best way to stop Somali pirates? Build better roads

14 Jul -Source: Washington Post – 902 words

Imagine you are a Somali pirate captain. You have hijacked a cargo ship after four weeks out at sea, 800 nautical miles from home. It will take maybe three, perhaps six, possibly 18 months to extract a $4 million ransom from the owner. You cannot stay indefinitely on the high seas, which bristle with foreign navies, and on the coast there are rival gangs and militias that may try to take your ship. But you need the land for communications, food, water and khat, the preferred drug of your crew.… Where do you find safe anchorage? Imagine you are the imam or elder of a village on the Somali coast. The pirates offer you money for safe anchorage. But do you want pirates swaggering around your town, armed to their teeth and high on drugs? They will put off trading boats from Yemen and India. This will drive up prices and deprive your fishermen of customers. Their money will undermine your authority. What if your daughter marries a pirate, your nephew is killed in a skirmish, your son is tried for piracy in Kenya? How will your friends cope with reconnaissance planes overhead, what if they shoot? Anyway, most of the ransom money will be needed for bribes further up the political chain. Our thought experiment shows that piracy is not an attractive revenue source. Most local elites refuse to protect pirates — just as mafias do not necessarily protect every kind of organized crime in their territory. So who makes the choice to protect pirates?