August 26, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

AMISOM set to launch second offensive against al Shabaab

25 Aug – Source: Somali Current – 107 words

AMISOM has said it will resume an offensive against Al Shabaab militant group soon. African union forces in Somalia spokesman Col. Ali Hamud has said the offensive which will be launched soon is meant to push al Qaeda linked Somali militant group al Shabaab out of the remaining areas under their rule. “We are aiming to clear the group out of the remaining areas under their control to conclude phase one of the offensive,” He said. Col. Hamud statement comes as Somali national army and Ethiopian troops who are part of the AMISOM peacekeeping mission in Somalia capture the strategic town of Tigeylow in Bakol province.

Key Headlines

AMISOM set to launch second offensive against al Shabaab (Somali Current)
Landmine explosion injures three children in Galgadud region (Bar-kulan)
African Spy chiefs worried about youth recruitment into terror groups (Standard Media)
One person killed in Baidoa riot (RBC/Radio Bar-kulan)
EU ‘appalled’ by migrant dead off Italy (AFP)
Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a court sentences one man to death (Radio Bar-kulan)

PRESS STATEMENT

Somali forces and AMISOM liberate Tiyeeglow town in Bakool region from al Shabaab terrorists

26 Aug – Source: AMISOM – 342 words

Somalia forces supported by African Union peacekeepers have liberated the strategic town of Tiyeeglow in Bakool region from al Shabaab terrorists in the latest attack dubbed Operation Indian Ocean which is aimed at liberating more towns from the militants to ease suffering of the population and increase Somali government control in the country.

Tiyeeglow is approximately 530 km north east of the capital Mogadishu and lies along the main road from Baidoa to Beletweyne and further to the central regions in Somalia connecting the south to the north of the country. Al Shabaab used to heavily charge money from vehicles plying the route as part of their illegal extortion racket in Somalia.

The latest victory now means the Somali government now fully controls Bakool region after the ouster of the terrorist group al Shabaab from all major towns in Bakool region to deny them room and finances to continue funding their atrocities against innocent civilians.

During the latest operation in Tiyeeglow, al Shabaab militants did not mount any serious battle and fled the town after planting improvised explosive devices along the main road into the town and within the town itself in a bid to slow the advancing aligned forces in vain. AMISOM forces are currently defusing the explosives in order to make the road and town safe for all.

Acting Head of AMISOM Honourable Lydia Wanyoto Mutende congratulated the AMISOM Sector 3 Ethiopian contingent who supported the Somali forces in liberating Tiyeeglow from the terrorist group al Shabaab describing the victory as good news for all peace loving Somalis and the world at large.

”On behalf of the African Union and AMISOM, I wish to congratulate the brave Somalia forces and their brothers from AMISOM for returning Tiyeeglow to its rightful owners, the Somali people. AMISOM and the Somali government will not rest until the last al Shabaab held town falls back to Somalis. We wish to urge the local population in Tiyeeglow to work with the forces to flush out any terrorists that might still be hiding amongst them in order to maintain peace,” she said.

SOMALI MEDIA

AMISOM set to launch second offensive against al Shabaab

25 Aug – Source: Somali Current – 107 words

Landmine explosion injures three children in Galgadud region

26 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan – 116 words

At least two children have been injured in Dhabad village in Galgadud region after a landmine they were playing with exploded on them according to officials in Dhabad village. Aden Abdulle Jalal, a local official in Dhabad village told Bar-kulan that one the three children sustained serious injuries following the landmine explosion and is currently being treated at a medical facility in the village. The local official urged parents in the village to protect their children from playing with explosive devices and unknown objects to reduce the risk of deaths resulted by explosions. Jalal finally called on the federal government and the landmine clearing agencies in the country to launch mine clearing activities in the area.

One person killed in Baidoa riot

26 Aug – Source: RBC/Bar-kulan – 110 words

At least one person was shot dead by government security forces in Baidoa town of Bay region after people demonstrated against a scheduled visit by Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay. The people gathered early morning on Monday to denounce Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and Nicholas Kay who were proposing to reach Baidoa town to attend the formation of three-region administration which the people in Bay and Bakool strongly opposed. The demonstration started with peaceful but later turned into riot after the security forces attempting to disperse the demonstrators used live bullets resulting the death of one young demonstrator.

Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a court sentences one man to death

26 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 123 words

The Court of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a group in central Somali regions has sentenced one man to death for allegedly killing another man in the area. Awil Khalif Abdi was accused of being responsible for the murder of Salah Osman Hassan. Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a Head of Justice Sheikh Said Sheikh Mohamed Sheikh Abdirahman said in an interview with Bar-kulan that the defendant who was found guilty on 18th August was accused of killing another man in Qodqod village near Guri-el district in Galgadud region. Sheikh Abdirahman added that the convicted criminal is now being held at Guri-el police station. Residents in Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a administered areas in central regions have seen an increased death sentences carried by Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a court.

Somaliland: Justice & Welfare party delegates meet with Mayor of Vasters, Sweden

26 Aug – Source: Somaliland Informer – 125 words

A delegation of Justice & Welfare Party UCID who is on working visit to Sweden has met with the mayor of Vasteras Mr. Andres Teljeback. UCID delegation is headed by Mr. Said Omar, a senior Justice & Welfare Party has held in-depth discussions with Mr. Andres that lasted for hours and spoke about the possibility that the town of Vasteras should have working ties with Las Anod, Sool’s provincial capital. Mr. Said has submitted to the mayor about full report giving a full picture of the nationwide tranquility, democracy and the upcoming general elections that is due to take place in mid 2015 in Somaliland. Mr. Andres Teljeback, the mayor of Vasteras has received a present from UCID delegations and expressed that he was happy about it.

REGIONAL MEDIA

African Spy chiefs worried about youth recruitment into terror groups

25 Aug – Source: Standard Media – 144 words

African heads of intelligence and security services say radicalisation and extremism among youth pose a threat to stability of the continent. The intelligence chiefs want African governments to urgently address lack of employment among the youth to avoid their recruitment into terror cells that are growing at an alarming rate. The spy bosses who are meeting in Nairobi to discuss continental security threats, cited terrorism as the main threat to the region, saying it was growing at an alarming rate. “Terrorism is a fluid area that is growing at an alarming rate. It is dangerous and unless there is concerted efforts to contain it, violence will continue to happen,” said Francis Madeire of African Union headquarters’ intelligence section. He said international extremist groups are increasingly recruiting youths from Africa and exporting terrorists to disrupt stability in an organized manner in the name of Sharia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

EU ‘appalled’ by migrant dead off Italy

26 Aug – Source: AFP – 220 words

The European Union’s Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said Sunday she was “appalled” by a new report that migrants had died trying to cross the Mediterranean to get to Italy. “I am appalled by these new tragedies at sea and I express my condolences to the victims and their families,” she said in a statement, adding that she would meet with Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Wednesday in Brussels to discuss the latest developments. Media reports said on Sunday that an Italian navy ship had approached a boat in difficulty and found 18 dead along with 73 survivors on board. “I also thank the Italian authorities for the huge efforts put in place to assist and rescue thousands of migrants over the last days,” she said. Italy’s navy, coast guard and merchant marine have rescued more than 3,500 people since Friday in the stretch of the Mediterranean between Sicily and the Libyan and Tunisian coasts. Faced with the new crisis, Malmstroem again urged member states “to provide assistance to Mediterranean countries facing increased migratory and asylum pressure, in particular by resettling people from refugees’ camps outside the EU”. Many of the migrants making the risky and often deadly journeys are refugees from Eritrea, Somalia and Syria, but there are also many arriving from across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“This female Somali writer started her career because she was tired of “gloomy books about Africa.” She spoke to Azra Thakur.”

Meet the writer who shares the stories of strong Somali women

25 Aug – Source: Aquila-style – 1396 words

I found Nomad Diaries by Yasmeen Maxamuud to be a wonderful introduction to the lives of Somali women living in the United States. There were times where I was reminded of my own immigrant grandmother and mother as I read about the protagonist Nadifo’s life. Azra Thakur: As I mentioned in my review of Nomad Diaries, I am not familiar with stories that portray an African refugee woman’s journey to the United States presented in literature. What inspired you to write your novel? Yasmeen Maxamuud: Nomad Diaries came out of my desire to tell stories about the Somali diaspora community. I started writing about seven years ago out of a desire to communicate an issue in an article. Then came a plethora of reading about African affairs, and I didn’t like what was out there. Everyone had an opinion on Africans, but the African voice was lacking. At the time, I was reading a lot of gloomy books about Africa. Few that come to mind are King Leopold’s Ghost, about the Congo; and The Graves are Not Full about Rwanda. As I read these books, I began having one-way conversations with myself and I started asking questions. These responses became long accounts of my opinion about certain issues, like poverty, corruption, nepotism, and tribalism in Africa.