January 7, 2015 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Puntland claims victory over Al-shabaab in Gal-Gala

06 Jan – Source: Somali Current – 154 Words

Senior Puntland Security officer Abdulkadir Sumaysane said, that Puntland forces on Tuesday killed at least 20 Al-shabaab members in an attack in Gal-gal Mountains. “Our forces are now fully controlling Dindigle area, where Al-shabaab members were hiding “Abdul-kadir told local reporters. He said that five Puntland soldiers died during the combat. More than 6 Puntland soldiers reported to have been admitted Bosaso General Hospital for treatments according to health officials. “We have now captured the base from Al-shabaab” he said. On December 12, a landmine killed three Puntland soldiers and wounded four others near Gal-gala Mountains. “We have inflicted huge loses [on them] after the operation we are preparing to parade soon.” Abdul-kadir said. Somalia’s north eastern regional state president Abdi-wali Mohamed Ali Gaas has offered an official amnesty to Al-Shabaab defectors in the region, saying Puntland is ready to welcome misled youths within the group.

Key Headlines

AMISOM donates medical supplies to Beledweyne hospital (Radio Goobjoog)
20 militants killed in Galgala offensive (Garowe Online)
Tough New Year for the media (Dalsan Radio)
Puntland claims victory over Al-shabaab in Gal-Gala (Somali Current)
Heavy fighting between government forces and Al-Shabab fighters in Bakool Region (Radio Goobjoog)
Ugandan court further remands ten Al-Shabaab terror suspects (Coastweek.com)
About 60 people killed in northeastern Somalia attack (Press TV)
Kenyan businessman reported missing along Kenya-Somalia border (Xinuan.net/Hiiraan Online)
Chinese Ambassador meets with Somali acting ministers (Chinese Embassy)

SOMALI MEDIA

AMISOM donates medical supplies to Beledweyne hospital

06 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 160 Words

AMISOM officials in Hiran region delivered medical supplies to Beledweyne general hospital on Tuesday. The deputy commander of AMISOM fourth sector in Hiran region Col. Maria Bayane speaking in a ceremony held in the hospital said the officials handed over 80 cartons of medical supplies to the administration of Hiran region. He stated that the supplies are meant to cover the needs of the hospital that has been running short of medicine the recent months. The governor of Hiran region Abdifatah Hassan Afrah accompanying AMISOM officials handed over the aid to the director of Beledweyne general hospital Dr. Ahmed Mohamed. Mr. Afrah commended on AMISOM’s solidarity and support to the people of Hiran region in their difficult times. Healso called the humanitarian aid agencies to follow suit and deliver emergency support to the hospital. The hospital has been running short of medicine since MSF withdrew from Somalia late 2013.

20 militants killed in Galgala offensive

06 Jan – Source: Garowe Online – 276 Words

The President of Somalia’s Puntland government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has confirmed that Puntland Defence Forces (PDFs) killed 20 Al-Shabaab militants in a two-day deadly raids on bases in Galgala, Garowe Online reports. Speaking at a press conference in the state capital of Garowe on Tuesday afternoon, Ali said that Puntland army troops seized Guri-xoor, Dhagaxdher, Guri Dharkeyn, Gurihis, Karin Xagared and the largest hideout of Digjigle which lies 37km from Galgala village from Al-Shabaab fighters. “Puntland forces killed 20 [Al Shabaab militiamen] and wounded 29 others.

Five Puntland soldiers were martyred in the military offensive and four sustained injuries,” said Puntland President, adding that army troops also destroyed cache of weapons and seized surveillance equipment. Continuing, he went on: “Puntland soldiers captured senior Al-Shabaab officials including Mukhtar Abdinur Ahmed (Ahmed Gurey) and Ahmed Abdi Mohamed in direct confrontations”. Puntland government in northern Somalia launched first assaults on Al Shabaab hideouts in Gagala area and along Golis Mountain Ranges in mid-2010. Ever Since, Al-Shabaab has been opting for guerilla warfare in the restive Gagala, some 50km southwest of the Gulf of Aden port city of Bosaso. Despite intense military campaign in south-central regions, fugitive Al-Shabaab fighters continue to infiltrate the stable state according to intelligence briefings.

Tough New Year for the media

06 Jan – Source: Dalsan Radio – 212 Words

Somali Independent Media Houses Association is concerned about increasing crackdown by the federal government of Somalia against the media in the country. On Monday 5th of January, Shabelle and Sky FM journalists who were in custody since august appeared before court but their hearing was postponed due to the absence of their lawyer. On January 4th two journalists, Mohamed Salaad Osman who is the head of programs of Goobjoog Radio and Ibrahim Haji Yusuf were arrested while following up a story about an explosion in Mogadishu. They were released on Monday from prison by Somali security agencies without stating the main reason detained in the first place.

On Saturday 3rd January , authorities closed down Radio Risaala and arrested two journalists, the director Mohamed Abdiwahab Abdullahi and its editor Mohamed Kaafi Sheik Abukar. The two journalists are still in jail after covering unconfirmed case of Ebola virus in the country. The chairman of Somali Independent Media Houses Association Hassan Ali Gesey has called upon the government to respect the freedom of the media and free the detained journalists without further delay. “2015 has started in dark days for Somali media, we expect improvement as time goes and urge government to respect the nonnegotiable media freedom.” Gesey said.

Puntland claims victory over Al-shabaab in Gal-Gala

06 Jan – Source: Somali Current – 154 Words

Heavy fighting between government forces and Al-Shabab fighters in Bakool Region

06 Jan – Source: radio Goobjoog – 182 Words

Reports from Bakol region indicates that heavy fighting has broken between the government forces and Al-Shabab at Abag Bedey locality 20 kilometers outskirt of Hudur in Bakool region. The fighting erupted after the government forces invaded the town earlier today. The sounds of the bullets could be heard all over the surrounding areas as both sides used heavy artilleries and light weapons. After long hours of fighting , Al-Shabab quit the area and the government forces has taken the control of the town. Mohamed Moalim Ahmed, mayor of Hudur has claimed that they have killed ten Al-Shabaab members in the skirmish. He added that on their side, four of the government forces sustain injuries. The mayor vowed that they will spread the operations against Al-Shabab in order to uproot from the remaining area under Al-Shabab control. “We will follow them into their hideouts and clear them” he said. He added that they will continue the operation against the group to clear them out of the remaining areas under their control.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Ugandan court further remands ten Al-Shabaab terror suspects

06 Jan – Source: Coastweek – 272 Words

A Court in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Monday further remanded to prison 10 terror suspects arrested in September last year over a foiled attack in the capital. Buganda Road Magistrate Joan Aciro adjourned the case in which nine Somali nationals, including two women and one Kenyan to Jan. 19 to allow police complete investigations. The state prosecutor Edward Muhumuza told Court that the investigations were incomplete and that police required more time to complete the probe before the suspects are committed to High Court for the hearing of their case. The ten are among the 19 terrorism suspects arrested on Sept. 13 at Kisenyi, a Kampala suburb in possession of substantial amounts of explosives, two suicide vests and other materials.

The ten were charged on Sept. 24 for aiding and rendering support to Somali militants, ‘al-Shabaab’.
Prosecution alleges that the suspects from September 2011 to September 2014 in various places of Uganda, Kenya and Somalia aided, abetted and rendered support to ‘al-Shabaab’ militants, knowing that this would be used for preparation and commission of terrorism contrary to section 8 of the Anti -Terrorism Act of 2002. Since the death of the Somali militant group leader Ahmed Godane the Ugandan security agencies have put the country under alert fearing retaliatory attacks.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

About 60 people killed in northeastern Somalia attack

06 Jan – Source: Press TV – 194 Words

Almost 60 people have been killed during a weeklong battle between Somali security forces and the al-Shabab Takfiri militants in the northeastern part of the country, authorities say. Fifty-four militants of the al-Qaeda-linked group were killed during fighting with Somali security forces in the autonomous state of Puntland, regional leader, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, said on Tuesday. The attack also left five soldiers dead and four others injured, the official added. Forty-six militants were injured and several others arrested, he added. The detainees include al-Shabab commanders, Mukhtar Abdinur Ahmed, also known as Ahmed Gurey, and Ahmed Abdi Mohamed. Ali confirmed that the country’s “security forces… have conducted a series of clean-up operations against the remnants of al-Shabab members” in Galgala mountainous area.

Kenyan businessman reported missing along Kenya-Somalia border

06 Jan – Source: Xinuan.net/Hiiraan Online – 269 Words

A Kenyan businessman is reported to have gone missing along the Kenya-Somalia border, where he went to repair his broken vehicle. The 60-year-old Josphat Mwangi Mbuthia was last seen in Falama village, Ijara division Hullugho sub-County on Thursday, according to the police. Garissa County Police Commander Charles Kinyua said on Sunday the father of five from central Kenya was reported missing by people who were with him shortly before his disappearance. The local police commander said the man came to the area after his truck, which was hired to work for local constructors, broke down and developed a mechanical problem.

“The businessman is reported to have lost in Falama area between Ijara and Hullugho sub-counties in Garissa,” Kinyua said. According to two mechanics that were last with him, the prominent trader had walked away from them in search of better mobile phone network coverage before he went missing. He said despite they can’t rule out an act of criminality, adding that they are currently treating the matter as a case of a missing person until otherwise proved. “The area where the man went missing is close to the Boni forest, where there were previous incidents of people being kidnapped or killed by Somali militiamen, but it is too early to speculate that at the moment,”

Chinese Ambassador meets with Somali acting ministers

06 Jan – Source: Chinese Embassy – 84 Words

On Monday 5th January, 2015, H.E. Mr. Wei Hongtian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Federal Republic of Somalia met with Dr. Abdirahman Dualeh Beileh, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion, and Hon. Daud Mohamed Omar, Acting Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The two sides exchanged views on the China-Somalia relations, including the cooperation in the field of mineral resources between the two countries.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“We condemn these five arbitrary arrests and the closure of an independent news outlet, which constitute flagrant violations of freedom of the media and information…Journalists must be able to work freely, inform their fellow citizens and express public concerns without being threatened with jail as soon as they show an interest in public interest subjects of a sensitive nature.”

Three journalists held for reporting possible Ebola case

06 Jan – Source: Reporters Without Borders – 413 Words

Reporters Without Borders calls for the release of three radio journalists who have been held without charge since their arbitrary arrest in Mogadishu on 3 January for reporting the existence of a possible case of the Ebola virus in the Lower Shabelle region. Their independent radio station, Radio Risaala, has also been closed on the orders of the authorities. The three journalists are Radio Risaala director Mohamed Abdiwahab Abdullahi, editor Mohamed Kafi Sheik Abukar and reporter Mohamed Abdi Ali. They were arrested after broadcasting an interview with an inhabitant of Mulo Sharay, a town in Lower Shabelle, about the possible Ebola case.

At a press conference later the same day, health minister Ali Mohamed Mohamud categorically denied the existence of any Ebola case in Somalia. Two other journalists with a privately-owned radio station were arrested in Mogadishu’s Waberi district the next day while covering a suicide bombing that killed five people. Radio Goobjoog programme director Mohamed Salaad Osman and reporter Ibrahim Haji Yusuf were held for several hours without ever being told why.

“Why European colonialism and Cold War politics has led Somalia to fall into the crevasse of State failure”

Understanding Somalia: reasons for its state failure

06 Jan – Source: Newshub.com – 598 Words

Since the end of the Cold War, Somalia has held many titles. First as a state in civil conflict driven by clan warfare, then as a failed state nesting a humanitarian tragedy and now finally, two decades later and topping the premier league of failed states, Somalia has become the new front for international terrorism. Once considered a potentially lucrative location early on by British and Italian colonialists in the 1900′s, it is now largely considered to be an “outlaw state”. From their colonial legacy to a lack of central governance, Somalia’s fall into state failure is extraordinary. One thing is certain; Somalia has undeniably become the world’s most dangerous place.

Somalia’s plunge into state failure is down to a combination of internal and external factors. There is a tendency to suggest factors like terrorism and famine constitute as reasons for Somalia becoming a failed state. This is a misconception because these factors emerged as a result of no official central government. Instead of being causes of state failure, they are instead symptoms of state failure that continue to drive failure in the country. The reasons for Somalia’s deterioration are simple and somewhat predictable, given the path the country has gone down since acquiring independence.

The biggest factors to have contributed towards Somalia’s state failure pertains to the legacies of European colonialism and impact of Cold War politics. Similar to other failed states like Haiti, Somalia has a colonial past that deeply impacted society. During their colonial period, most of Somalia was subject to a European scramble. The colonial powers of Britain and Italy divided communities, ignoring pre-colonial social and political organizations and arrangements for their own administrative convenience The negative impact of colonialism came after Somalia had acquired independence in 1960.