September 10, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

50 al Shabaab’s Amniyat members nabbed during past months, says Police Chief

09 Sept- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio RBC- 198 words

Somalia’s Police Chief General Mohamed Hassan Ismail said that the country’s security forces nabbed 50 al Shabaab’s Amniyat members during the past two months in targeted swoop. General Ismail noted that the security forces were facing tough times to bring the peace and stability back to the country’s capital Mogadishu due to the increased al Shabaab attacks that followed he recent military offensive carried by AMISOM and Somali forces. In a written statement released on Tuesday, the Police Chief admitted that as the joint military continue to push al Shabaab from the regions outside the capital that is likely to pressure the militant groups to flee towards the large towns like Mogadishu where he says they believe they can seek hideouts. “Al Shabaab’s visible power in Mogadishu has now ended and made them to try to infiltrate within the community but thanks to the information from the locals we have nabbed 50 Amniyat members so far,” he added. General Ismail mentioned that as his command has now finalized the first police team to dispatch to the newly liberated areas in the south and central districts to restore the rule of law after the defeat of al Shabaab.

Key Headlines

UN Special Representative for Somalia condemns terrorist attacks in Somalia (UNSOM)
50 al Shabaab’s Amniyat members nabbed during past months says Police Chief (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/Radio RBC)
Somaliland President Silanyo launches new e-passport (Somaliland Informer/SLTV/HornCableTV)
The new al Shabaab leader has no strong links with al Qaeda (Radio Dalsan)
Renowned traditional elder laid to rest in Buloburte town (Radio Bar-kulan)
Kenya holds two Germans suspected of al Shabaab link-police (Star-Kenya)
Somalia lauds Kuwait’s role in supporting Arab joint action (KUNA)
Somali militants threaten U.S. attacks to avenge leader’s death (Reuters)

PRESS STATEMENT

UN Special Representative for Somalia condemns terrorist attacks in Somalia

09 Sept- Source: UNSOM- 179 words

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, condemned terrorist attacks in several locations in Somalia yesterday that resulted in the death and injury of many innocent civilians.

“I am appalled to learn of the murder of many innocent civilians killed in terrorist attacks yesterday. Yet again the proponents of violence show that they have nothing to offer but continued suffering for the Somali people. I call on all to co-operate fully with the authorities as they investigate these heinous crimes to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly,” SRSG Kay said.

“We remain resolute in our support for the Somali people as they work to realise their hope for a peaceful and stable future. This should be a time for reconciliation in the interests of all Somali people and I echo the Federal Government’s recent call for those prepared to renounce violence and join the political process,” he added.

SRSG Kay extends his sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those who have suffered as a result of the attacks.

SOMALI MEDIA

50 al Shabaab’s Amniyat members nabbed during past months, says Police Chief

09 Sept- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/Radio RBC- 198 words

Somaliland President Silanyo launches new e-passport

09 Sept- Source: Somaliland Informer/SLTV/HornCableTV- 115 words

Somaliland President Ahmed Silanyo on Tuesday launched Somaliland’s first new e-passport. Silanyo launched the travelling document at the department of Immigration headquarters in Hargeisa where government officials including head of immigration, Ministers of Finance and Interior were in attendance. Somaliland president took turns to be captured in order to be issued with the new travelling document. He tasked officials of Somaliland Immigration service to protect the integrity of the passport by ensuring that it cannot be easily forged. The president on the other hand has urged citizens to have the newly unveiled e-passports. Somaliland is an unrecognized state in the Horn Africa after it seceded from Somalia in 1991.

The new al Shabaab leader has no strong links with al Qaeda

09 Sept- Source: Radio Dalsan- 178 words

The new al Shabaab leader who was recently selected after the death of Ahmed Godane has no strong links with al Qaeda. This is according to al Shabaab expert from France National Center for Scientific Research, Mr. Ronald Marchal. Mr. Ronald says Ahmed Omar aka Abu Ubaydah or Ahmed Dheere who was one of the aides of Godane has no strong links with the main terror group of al Qaeda. He adds that Abu Ubaydah is not well-known like Godane. “There is something missing here as Abu Ubaydah is not up to the level of linking regions or the world,” Ronal said. He added that Abu Ubaydah is not aware much of how al Shabaab conduct themselves economically and politically. He however said Abu Ubaydah is active. Abu Ubaydah survived an attempt on his life last year after Godane killed al Shabaab officials who staged mutiny. On the other hand, Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed who knows Abu Ubaydah better says he was born in Zone 5 Ethiopia but came to Somalia in early 1980s. “He is a man who believes in Takfiri ideologies,” Ahmed Mohamud said.

Renowned traditional elder laid to rest in Buloburte town

09 Sept- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 115 words

Ahmed Abdi Alin, a prominent traditional elder who died in a landmine explosion on Monday on the road between Buloburte and Jalalaqsan towns in Hiran region was laid to rest in Buloburte town. The burial ceremony of the traditional elder was held at a burial ground in the eastern side of the town. Hiran regional administration officials, senior military officers and ordinary people were all in attendance. Speaking to mourners, Hiiraan Governor, Abdifatah Hassan Afrah said the traditional elder lost his life at a time when was making every effort to assist most vulnerable communities in the region. He sent his heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and close relatives of the traditional elder. The Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Col. Osman Dubbad described the elder as someone who sacrificed a lot for the betterment of the drought-hit families in Hiran region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya holds two Germans suspected of al Shabaab link-police

09 Sept- Source: Star- Kenya- 216 words

Kenyan authorities have detained two German nationals who they accuse of being members of the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, which has been blamed for a series of attacks on Kenyan soil, police said Tuesday. “We arrested the two foreigners following information that they had travelled to Somalia and joined the militant group fighting the government,” John Mulaulu, Kenya’s acting head of Anti Terrorism Police Unit, told Reuters by telephone. “The two were arrested on Aug. 29 within the Kenyan capital, Nairobi when they arrived from Somalia,” he said, adding that both men were German. The police were questioning the two men over their alleged links to al Shabaab, which has carried out a series of attacks on Kenya, including an assault by gunmen on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall last September, which left 67 dead. Al Shabaab has threatened attacks in east Africa and the United States as punishment for a U.S. missile strike last week that killed the rebel group’s leader Ahmed Godane, who publicly claimed responsibility for the Westgate assault.

Somalia lauds Kuwait’s role in supporting Arab joint action

09 Sept- Source: KUNA- 240 words

Somalia’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Said Abdullah Mohammad praised on TuesdayKuwait’s pioneering role in supporting the Arab joint action. During his visit to the Arab Planning Institute (API) here, Minister Mohammad stressed historic role of Kuwait and its leadership in supporting development projects in different Arab countries, especially those in Africa, either by offering direct aid or specialized economic services. “Somalia in particular has benefited from the support provided by Kuwait in different fields,” he told KUNA. “Kuwait is the seat of several Arab institutions which work in development activities, including the API, which has been supporting Arab joint action,” he added.

KDF troops set to join regional standby force

09 Sept- Source: Daily Nation- 254 words

The Kenya Defence Forces are set to be given approval to contribute troops to the East Africa Standby Force (EASF). The force will be charged with undertaking emergency security operations in eastern Africa under the authority of the African Union. The approval follows a drill on Friday in which Kenyan soldiers were tested on their ability to provide security, stability, rapid operations, disaster response and support to humanitarian facilitators during a function at Archer’s Post camp in Isiolo. The Eastern Africa Standby Force is a regional organisation with the duty of keeping peace and securing the Eastern Africa region in times of conflicts such as those going on in South Sudan and Somalia. Its members include Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. These countries have since signed to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali militants threaten U.S. attacks to avenge leader’s death

09 Sept- Source: Reuters- 255 words

Somali Islamist militants have threatened attacks in east Africa and the United States, warning President Barack Obama he would hear “shocking news” as punishment for a U.S. missile strike that killed the rebel group’s leader last week. Al Shabaab made the threats late on Monday, hours after launching twin attacks inside Somalia against African peacekeepers and a government convoy. The death toll from those bombings rose to at least 18on Tuesday, police said. “Let our mujahideen (fighters) wait for good news. And let Obama wait for shocking news,” senior al Shabaab official, Fuad Mohamed Khalaf Shongole, said in a recorded message, promising to avenge the death of Ahmed Godane in a U.S. raid on Sept. 1.

Somali refugees in Kenya face increased levels of abuse, extortion and harassment – Refugees International

09 Sept- Source: Reliefweb-716 words

Somali refugees in Kenya are facing pressure on multiple fronts. Earlier this year, the Kenyan government announced that all urban refugees must report to refugee camps. At the same time, the government launched a security operation aimed at rooting out alleged members of the al Shabaab terrorist organization from Eastleigh, a predominantly Somali neighborhood in Nairobi. Together, these two initiatives opened the door to increased levels of abuse, extortion, and harassment of refugees by the Kenyan police. This comes as the Kenyan government is publicly urging large-scale returns of Somali refugees even though the humanitarian situation inside Somalia is deteriorating severely.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Losing key towns to AMISOM, a spate of failed attacks in the capital and competing with ISIS and Boko Haram for fresh fighters and resources, al Shabaab’s third leader faces an uphill battle to regain lost ground.”

Welcome to al Shabaab 3.0

09 Sept- Source: Beacon Reader-1015 Words

The killing of al Shabaab’s Ahmed Godane in a US airstrike in Somalia last week comes at a bad time for the insurgent group and their new leader Ahmad Umar. Losing key towns to AMISOM, a spate of failed attacks in the capital and competing with ISIS and Boko Haram for fresh fighters and resources, al Shabaab’s third leader faces an uphill battle to regain lost ground. AMISOM and the Somali army have been toasting their successes the last few weeks – ‘liberating’ Al Shabaab villages with little resistance and taking the important town of Bulo Marer – the location of a failed raid to free a French intelligence officer last year. The target for AMISOM’s latest operation named ‘Indian Ocean’ is the port town of Baraawe, 260 kilometres south of Mogadishu. Baraawe is on AMISOM’s hit list as one of the insurgent group’s key towns that generates tax income and is a port of entry for fresh arms and fighters. As with the southern port town of Kismayo that quickly fell to the Kenyans, by cutting off Baraawe and its revenue stream for al Shabaab AMISOM could put a serious dent in the Ahmad Umar’s ability to continue waging war.