July 22, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report

Government And AMISOM Forces Take Control Of Juungal Ahead Of Baardheere Offensive

22 July – Source: Wacaal Media – 125 Words

Latest reports we are getting from Juungal indicate that government and AMISOM forces have taken full control of the town after launching a successful offensive yesterday afternoon. The town which lies 35 km west of Baardheere is a key entry point and a major morale booster for the forces whose eyes were set on the ultimate prize of liberating Baardhere town, the remaining militant stronghold in Gedo region. A senior military official Col. Abdirizak confirmed to Wacaal media that they have dislodged Al-Shabaab under whose control Juungal was following a bloody gun battle that lasted until last night. Col. Abdirizak added that with help of Kenyan war planes, ground forces were making progress in the battle to free Baardheere. The forces will now proceed to their final destination.

Key Headlines

Government And AMISOM Forces Take Control Of Juungal Ahead Of Baardheere Offensive (Wacaal Media)
Efforts To End Inter-clan Hostility In Jowhar District (Goobjoog News)
Somaliland: NEC Jumpstarts Phase I Of Voter Registration (Somaliland Sun)
Yemenis Pitch Camp In Mogadishu As Government Pledges To settle Them (Goobjoog News)
Thousands Flee As SNA And AMISOM Close In Al-Shabaab Stronghold (Radio Dalsan)
AU Troops Launch Airstrikes In South Somalia (Xinhua)
Kenyatta And Obama To Talk Security And Flights (Times Live)
Airline In Air Force One Security Breach: Report (Sky News)
Internship Program Growing In Cedar Riverside Neighborhood (CBS Minnesota)
Uganda’s Pullout Is No Guarantee To Al-Shabaab’s Terror End (New Vision)
Survivor Describes Her Body Being Consumed By Pain (Sky News)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Efforts To End Inter-clan Hostility In Jowhar District

22 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 119 Words

The administration of Jowhar district has taken initiatives to ease tension and hostility erupted between two brotherly clans in the district. Jowhar District Commissioner, Abdikadir Ali Mohamed said that they sent delegates to the clans engaged in gun battle over land tenure. We sent delegates to ease the tension and hostility in the countryside, in hopes that the sides will come together and discuss on their differences. The cause of the brawl is not yet clear but sources say that the sides disagreed on borehole prompting new clashes in the area which has struggled with prolonged drought that killed hundreds of livestock. Arguments over land use, boreholes and pasture have perennially contributed to fighting among Somali clans who are largely pastoralists.

Somaliland: NEC Jumpstarts Phase I Of Voter Registration

22 July – Source: Somaliland Sun – 373 Words

Somaliland’s national electoral commission has announced the start of new voter registration system which first will commence in Somaliland’s second most populated region of Togdheer. In a press conference the NEC has held at their headquarter in Hargeisa, said after considering the current deadlock over when elections can be held in Somaliland and the dispute over the Somaliland’s House of Elders – Guurti decision to extend for another 18 months for the term in office for the current government its 5 year term has ended. The NEC has decided to start the voter registration on this Tuesday the 21st of July. “The Togdheer region will be the first region we will start the voter registration on 21st of July 2015 and this will be a pilot project as well as registering voters in areas outside the bigger cities where voter registration equipment will be tested” said the head of NEC who spoke to the media at a press conference announcing the start of voter registration.

“In order to have free and fair elections, the NEC is ready to take part in ending the political dispute over when elections can be held and bring together all sides the elections are concerned” said the chairman of NEC who also referred to the process they have undergone since their appointment as the new National Electoral Commission replacing the old one.The NEC has acknowledged the deadlock over the elections and their role to end the dispute over the election date by announcing the voter registration in earnest. However the exact day of elections remains unknown while the crisis relating to the extension term in office for President Siilaanyo for another 18 months in office deepens tension. The NEC also explained their role even though they didn’t challenge the Guurti decision which contradicts their role as independent and the right body that can schedule an election date. The Somaliland National Elections Commission consists of seven members, three were nominated by the ruling party, two by the opposition parties and the two remaining by the House of Elders – Guurti.

Yemenis Pitch Camp In Mogadishu As Government Pledges To settle Them

22 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 687 Words

For the past two decades Somalia has been the biggest refugee producing and exporting country in the world, but things seem to be getting better and Somalia is becoming host country for refugees. The country is likely to have the first refugee camp as government grapples with the surge of refugees from Yemen following the ongoing conflict in that country. Since the flare up of war and the airstrikes by Saudi led coalition, thousands of Yemeni citizens have been fleeing from their home and started arriving in Somalia. Goobjoog News has been closely following the issue of Yemeni refugees arriving in Somalia and on Monday our news team visited the Yemeni embassy in Mogadishu. We spoke to the ambassador Fuad Mohamed Al-Marzuk about the situation of Yemeni refugees housed inside the embassy walls. “We have over 200 refugee families inside the embassy who fled from Yemen following the ongoing conflict. We have more than a thousand others in Puntland and Somaliland, all of whom have received help from Somali government and aid organizations. I can tell you that all is fine with them” said the ambassadors. He said that they have an appointment with the Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid whom they submitted a formal request to allocate land to establish a refugee camp for the increasing number of Yemeni refugees arriving in Somalia as the embassy premises would not be able to accommodate.

Yemeni refugees inside the embassy who pitched tents inside the compound told Goobjoog News that they receive food aid but not on regular basis. We could also see a kitchen where food is served for the refugees but we were told that some families opted to cook food themselves. Before we entered the embassy we passed a group of people camping outside who said they have been denied access to the embassy. “Those people are Somali nationals who were in Yemen as refugees, now they returned to their home country and they want to be considered as Yemenis so as to get help and that is not possible and we cannot afford” said the ambassador. Halimo Abdi is one of the Yemeni refugees who housed in tents inside the embassy. She told Goobjoog News about her living conditions there “ I and my children live here and in that tent is the grandfather of my children who is old and sick. I can tell you that we are fine here despite the lack of education for my children,” said Halimo. In another tent we passed by a woman doing laundry for her five children. She told us that when it rains, the tent doesn’t protect them. “We need good shelter,” she said, refusing to mention her name.

When we closely examined, we established the main needs for the Yemeni refugees range from food ration, medical treatment to education. Food rations, medical help and education is the major concern for all refugees in the camp. Among the places where Yemeni refugees are camped is Qardho , Puntland where some 400 refugees are housed in the East Africa University campus. Sheikh Abdikadir Yasin, the person in charge of the camp says 40% of these are children, 6 of which are unaccompanied. He said that the first priority need is shelter as the university would soon reopen and the refugees would have to vacate. “It’s true that the university will reopen on 1st of September, 2015 so it is very important for the refugees to get a new place and the government should allocate it,“ said Sheikh Abdirisak. On 18th of July Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid visited the university to see the refugees first hand. He promised that his government would allocate land to for a camp. “I wanted to visit you and get first hand information of your situation and I promise to do something about your needs. I have instructed The National Refugee Commission to take up your matters,” said the PM. Sheik Noor Barud Gurhan the chairman of Somali Refugee Rescue Committee who has been helping Somali citizens to evacuate from Yemen, is calling on the government to register Yemenis as refugees and make plans to resettle them.

Thousands Flee As SNA And AMISOM Close In Al-Shabaab Stronghold

21 July – Source: Radio Dalsan – 132 Words

Hundreds of people fleeing Somali National Army and African Union troops offensive on Al-Shabaab stronghold have reached Baidoa. Most the people have been displaced from Dinsoor, Bardere and surrounding areas. The Governor of Bay region Abdirashid Ali Mohamed has said they are expecting more people fleeing from the fighting in the coming days. He urged the government and international humanitarian organizations to come into the rescue of the displaced people. Somali National Army and African Union troops from Ethiopia are closing in on Bardere town which was held by Al-Shabaab since 2009. According to military officials the main aim of the new offensive dubbed Juba corridor is to open up Gedo region to other parts of the country and for easy access of humanitarian aid the people in the area.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

AU Troops Launch Airstrikes In South Somalia

22 Words – Source: Xinhua – 229 Words

African Union fighter jets on Tuesday launched air raids against Al-Shabaab camps in areas near the town of Dinsor in southern Somalia, local officials said. Mayor of Gofgadud district in southern Somalia Ahmed Gadid told media that the aim of the bombing was to take the villages from Al-Shabaab fighters before a capture of Dinsor. “This military campaign is part of a major operation to remove Al-Shabaab from their strongholds,” the mayor said. “Government forces and the African peacekeeping forces will soon enter the town of Dinsor.” Residents told Xinhua that they saw military jets flying down near Dinsor.

“We saw military jets flying down, and after a few minutes we heard huge explosions,” said resident Mohamed Osman. This comes days after Uganda announced sending helicopters to the Horn of Africa nation to help flush out Al-Shabaab militants. African Union Mission in Somalia Deputy Force Commander of Operations and Plans Major General Mohammedesha Zeyinu said Sunday the aim of the operation, codenamed “Operation Jubba Corridor” is to eliminate insurgents in the few rural areas it still occupies. “This operation seeks to clear main supply routes to facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid to the population and flush Al-Shabaab from all the said areas, ensuring full control by the Federal Government of Somalia,” Zeyinu said. The military offensive against Al-Shabaab is taking place in the Bay and Gedo regions of Somalia.

Kenyatta And Obama To Talk Security And Flights

22 July – Source: Times Live – 300 Words

A key Western ally in the battle against the spread of militant Islam out of Somalia, Kenya’s security agencies receive training and equipment from the US, Britain and Israel. Yet over the past two years the country has suffered a series of major attacks by Somali Islamist group Al-Shabaab, including a massacre in April of 148 people at a university near the Somali border. The violence has hurt Kenya’s tourism industry, vital to its economy, and has piled pressure on Kenyatta to improve security. “The fight against terror will be central [to discussions with Obama]. We have been working in very close co-operation with US agencies,” Kenyatta said, without elaborating.

Obama’s visit to his father’s homeland to co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit with Kenyatta, has been touted by Kenya as global recognition of economic strides made in the past decade. Kenyatta said he wanted more US companies to work with Kenyan firms in the energy and health sectors, as well as on infrastructure development. Establishing direct flights between Kenya and the US would be on the agenda of the visit as the lack of such a link was hurting business and tourism, Kenyatta said. He hoped Obama’s visit would help Kenya obtain the US regulatory status required for direct flights there. US officials have previously cited concerns about security measures at Nairobi’s main airport as the reason the US regulator has not allowed direct flights to Kenya.

Airline In Air Force One Security Breach: Report

22 July – Source: Sky News – 346 Words

Kenya’s national airline has sparked a major security breach after it published the arrival and departure times for the President’s visit in Air Force One, according to a report. An official from Kenya Airways sent an email with the expected times for the presidential plane’s visit to Nairobi later this week, Fox News reported. The White House never publishes the 40 to 50-minute window in which Air Force One lands or takes off. The email, sent on 13 July to aviation officials around Kenya’s two major airports, also gave dates and times for the closure of the airports, the report said. Recipients included staff, aircraft operators and even flight schools at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. It read: “Jomo Kenyatta and Wilson will be closed as follows. This corresponds to the expected arrival and departure time for President Obama.”

The US State Department has issued a travel alert to Kenya and has warned that the summit Barack Obama is set to attend this week on entrepreneurship is a likely terrorist target. It reads: “There is the opportunity for criminal elements to target participants and other visitors. “Large-scale public events such as this summit can also be a terror target. US citizens should maintain a high level of security awareness.” Mr Obama is expected to talk about the threat of extremism during his visit to the country where his father was born.

Internship Program Growing In Cedar Riverside Neighborhood

21 July – Source: CBS Minnesota – 423 Words

Students in one Minneapolis neighborhood say their summer jobs are about much more than making a little money. On Tuesday, members of the internship program called STEP-UP gave some elected city officials and stakeholders a glimpse into the internship experience. The program spans across the city of Minneapolis, offering 1,650 students and young adults summer internships. This year, the program director said most of the growth has come in the East African community and the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. The family of 15-year-old internship recipient Maryan Mohamed is from Somalia. Mohamed works to help new immigrants learn to speak English in the Riverside Plaza Tenants Association.

The apartment complex has about 5,000 residents, according to the program manager. “Our people moved from Somalia for education, so all of our families just want everyone to be successful,” Mohamed said. Fellow intern Hana Guled said she hopes to someday become a doctor and continue helping in her community in Minneapolis. “I want to teach people to take care of themselves so they don’t have to rely on anyone else,” Guled said. The young people in the program said they make around $9 per hour through the city and state-sponsored STEP-UP program. This year Cedar Riverside has 65 young people working internships across Minneapolis. STEP-UP Director Tammy Dickinson said this is the most outreach in this neighborhood in the program’s history.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“If Uganda and Kenya pulled out of Somalia, we will have not only failed the mandate of the African Union, but also put many people’s lives in danger, including Ugandans. We must keep the African spirit up, Somalis are Africans and are human they have the same blood feel the same pain as Ugandans do. What our soldiers in Somalia need is our support not sympathy.”

Uganda’s Pullout Is No Guarantee To Al-Shabaab’s Terror End

21 July – New Vision – 487 Words

I read with little surprise the article written by Kavuma-Kaggwa, an elder from Kyaggwe recently published by New Vision regarding Uganda/Kenya’s involvement in Somalia. What surprised me more than annoy, was the fact that this author repeatedly says we have nothing to lose, if we pulled out of Somalia. What a selfish and cowardly statement! I take this piece of writing as an opportunity to inform Ugandans that our involvement in the defence of our neighbours is for our own good. I once asked a mzungu friend of mine who happens to live in Uganda for now a year, how much Luganda he now knew. He said not much but he knows one sentence “nfuniramu wa?”(loosely translated as: how do I benefit?)

I see Kaggwa asking where does Uganda gain from? Kaggwa and others who may think like him, are aware that Uganda is a landlocked country we need all borders open for our trade. Secondly, If we pulled out of Somalia today, we will have created a safe haven for Al-shabab to train more terrorists for Africa and Somalia could be used as a training ground for other butchers like the ADF. Being a Pan-Africanist, I have keenly followed steps of this war and if am not mistaken, the killing that these terrorists are carrying out now are kicks of a dying horse. Al-Shabab is at its weakest point. We have also been informed that there is trading of guns in Somalia, it is, therefore, a duty of the Ugandan government to sacrifice and save what may turn into terror for our country tomorrow.

Survivor Describes Her Body Being Consumed By Pain

22 July – Source: Sky News – Video: 8:17 Minutes

A woman who underwent female genital mutilation as a six-year-old in Somalia has given Sky News a harrowing account of the process.

TOP TWEETS

@Eye_on_Somalia: #allAfrica Kenya Parliament Wants KDF Deployed to ‘Safeguard’ Territorial Water From Somalia: [Dalsan… http://bit.ly/1VtfxVU #somalia

@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Coalition troops advancing towards Dinsor have on Tuesday captured Raama-Addey, a small but key town, officials. #Somalia

@Somaliadev: #InSomaliCulture there are various folk dances celebrated across the country. #Somalia

@UKinSomalia: @HarrietLMathews is delighted to meet@SomaliPM and discuss UK support for #Somalia

@MogadishuImages: A nation builder to reckon with. Believes women could lead #Somalia to peace if given equal political representation.

@SomaliaNewsroom: 1st #Mogadishu Int’l Book Fair will be held on the 26th, 27th and 28th of August 2015http://mogadishubookfair.com/ #Somalia

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

Civilians at the Tortorow’s livestock market in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia.

Photo: AMISOM