September 3, 2015 | Morning Headlines
Elders Call For Cease Fire In Puntland Clan Clashes
02 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 164 Words
Traditional elders, politicians and intellectuals have called for an end to fighting which has so far claimed more than three lives in some parts of Puntland in the past two days. Abdikadir Dihaal, one of Puntland high-profile intellectuals, said on Wednesday evening that the fighting had caused unnecessary deaths and suffering to many families in Qoriley and Agaarane localities.“The localities are very important in terms of bringing lasting peace to their neighbourhoods and creating a good future for our people. It’s important to maintain the unity of the people in these villages,” Dihaal said.
He called on elders in the regions affected to resolve their differences for the common good of the locals. He said the people in those areas should unite and ensure that their reconciliation meetings become fruitful for the benefit of their areas and whole Puntland.This comes few days after heavy fighting reignited hostilities between two clans in those areas resulting in the displacement of hundreds of people.
Key Headlines
- Elders Call For Cease Fire In Puntland Clan Clashes (Goobjoog News)
- Security Tightened At Mogadishu Presidential Palace Over Possible Terror Threat (Horseed Media)
- Nicholas Kay Condemns Janaale Attack Assures Somalia Of UN’s Support (Wacaal Media)
- Qoryoley District Commissioner Says Town Will Be Secluded If Bridge Destroyed By Al-Shabaab Is Not Repaired Urgently (Wacaal Media)
- Somali Businessmen Murdered In South Africa (Horseed Media)
- Somalia Eyes Return To Exploration (Offshore Engineer)
- MN ISIS Suspects Back In Court Wednesday As judge Weighs Next Steps (MPR News)
- Somali Songstress Cherrie Hersi Premieres The Chilling Visuals For ‘Tabanja’ (Okay Africa)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Security Tightened At Mogadishu Presidential Palace Over Possible Terror Threat
02 September – Source: Horseed Media – 212 Words
Security was heightened at the Presidential palace in Mogadishu on Wednesday following the Al-Shabaab extremists attack on an African Union troop base, Horseed Media reports. presidential guards and security forces intensified their presence around the presidential palace increasing the number of checkpoints and patrols with fears of an imminent attack by the terror group. Villa Somalia is a heavily fortified, but neglected compound in the heart of the city where the most senior Somali government officials, including the president, have their offices. Some also live inside the compound.
“We were stopped by the guards and our cars were searched including other vehicles on the road” said one local resident. Since the al-Qaeda-linked militant group was pushed out of the capital, it has carried a number of assassinations and suicide attacks in which it targeted government and security officers. A spokesman from the extremists vowed to launch more attacks against the government and the African Union troops in the country. Last year, Al-Shabaab attacked the state house twice highlighting their ability to penetrate and conduct strikes in an area regarded as the most secure oasis in Mogadishu.
Nicholas Kay Condemns Janaale Attack, Assures Somalia Of UN’s Support
02 September – Source:Wacaal Media – 113 Words
UN special representative to Somalia Amb. Nicholas Kay has condemned yesterday’s deadly Al-Shabaab attack on an AMISOM base in Janaale town. Kay expressed shock at receiving news of the attack and reiterated the UN’s position of always standing with the people and government of Somalia as well as the peace keeping mission of the African Union. “I am sending my condolences to the friends and families of all the officers who lost their lives in the Janaale attack. They have died while ensuring peace returns to Somalia and we commend them for their selfless service” said Kay. He assured Somalia of the UN’s support in the war against Al-Shabaab and terrorism at large.
Qoryoley District Commissioner Says Town Will Be Secluded If Bridge Destroyed By Al-Shabaab Is Not Repaired Urgently
02 September – Source: Wacaal Media – 143 Words
Qoryoley district risks being cut off from the rest of the regions if a bridge destroyed by Al-Shabaab is not urgently repaired. Area district commissioner Mohamed Haji said that the town already feels the effect of the of the cut-off after the militants destroyed the bridge yesterday. He said there is no exit route in case of an attack as emergency and food aid can also not be delivered since the bridge was the town’s only entry and exit point. “We are in seclusion and if we do not get the bridge urgently repaired we can be trapped in case of an emergency. This bridge plays an important role in the lives of Qoryoley residents” said the DC. His sentiments come a day after the militants destroyed the bridge by blowing up an ox laden with explosives as it passed over the bridge.
Somali Businessmen Murdered In South Africa
02 September – Source: Horseed Media – 144 Words
Armed South African gangs have shot and killed two Somali businessmen based in a southeast coast town, fellow colleagues have said. Witnesses told the media that the businessmen, Abdi Amir and Aden Abdiwahab, were killed on Tuesday night in two separate incidents in East London city while they were in their business centres. “Both of them were very prominent and had been actively involved in business activities,” said one of their colleagues.
The murder is the latest in a number of attacks on Somali immigrants in South Africa. Police arrived at the scene after the armed gangs fled and no one has been arrested. Somali Community in the country has accused the government for not taking actions on the killings, which have been continuously occurring. The South African government has also pushed the violence against foreigners as a result of criminality and not xenophobia.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Eyes Return To Exploration
02 September – Source: Offshore Engineer – 281 Words
Puntland Petroleum Minerals Agency (PPMA) has awarded ION Geophysical Corporation a contract to acquire 8,000 km of seismic data covering the entire Somalia Puntland offshore margin. The regional 2D multi-client survey, known as Puntland SPAN, is being conducted to support a future license round initiative and to assist the E&P industry in gaining a better understanding of the architecture of the sedimentary basin and the hydrocarbon potential of this unexplored offshore margin. Data acquisition is expected to begin in fourth quarter of 2015.
In addition, the PPMA has announced demarcation of its offshore territory into 25 exploration blocks covering 180,000 sq km of the Somalia Puntland seaboard. In total, there are seven blocks in the Gulf of Aden and 18 blocks in the Indian Ocean that have been defined. Block sizes range from 5,000 sq km in the inshore area to 25,000 sq km in the deeper water. Dr. Issa Farah, the Director of the PPMA, commented, “The creation of the Block scheme is an important milestone in the development of oil and gas exploration within the jurisdiction of the autonomous State of Puntland.
The PPMA is pleased to announce the availability of these blocks and looks forward to engaging with the industry to discuss their plans for the region.” Joe Gagliardi, Senior V.P. of ION’s Ventures group, added, “We are very pleased to assist the PMAA in demarcating a block boundary scheme, which heralds an important step in their preparation for future licensing rounds offshore Puntland. The acquisition of the Puntland SPAN data will provide valuable insight into the petroleum prospectivity of the region, and we are pleased to be a part of this ground-breaking program.”
MN ISIS Suspects Back In Court Wednesday As judge Weighs Next Steps
01 September – Source: MPR News – 812 Words
Seven men charged with conspiring to join the terror group ISIS will be in federal court Wednesday, as a judge considers pretrial motions filed in their cases, ranging from whether the government should disclose informants used in the case to whether the defendants should be given supervised release while they await trial. In joint motions filed on Aug. 7, defense attorneys said that the government should dismiss counts of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. They argued that those charges violate their clients’ rights to exercise their religion. They also requested that counts of financial aid fraud that two of the suspects are facing should be dismissed. On Tuesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis denied those motions. He’ll consider other motions on Wednesday.
How many ISIS suspects from Minnesota are in jail?
Since late 2014, a total of eight men have been arrested on charges of conspiring to join ISIS. Six of the eight men were arrested on the same day in April during multiple operations in the Twin Cities and San Diego. A ninth man, Abdi Nur, traveled to Syria in May 2014 and is believed to be fighting for ISIS. In court documents, prosecutors said the men had been targeted as part of a months-long surveillance operation by the FBI. In April, U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Andy Luger said the men “recruited each other … friend to friend, brother to brother.”
What will the judge decide on Wednesday?
Judge Davis will consider more than two dozen pretrial motions filed by defense attorneys in the past few weeks. Attorneys for seven of the alleged ISIS recruits — Zacharia Abdurahman, Hamza Ahmed, Abdirahman Daud, Adnan Farah, Mohamed Farah, Hanad Musse, Guled Omar — will be in court. An eighth man, Abdullahi Yusuf, pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, and is awaiting sentencing. When three of the men appeared in court in April, Davis offered the possibility of freeing the men on supervised release plans. In late June, their attorneys submitted release plans that included religious counseling for the young men, volunteering, basketball and even yardwork. David rejected those proposals on July 8. The judge, however, indicated that he was prepared to take a closer look at the release plans. The hearing could continue into Thursday if needed.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“It invites you to dance, it forces up hands in jubilation, but it also tells an important story of the city’s periphery, the hard choice that people face daily when reality penetrates.”
Somali Songstress Cherrie Hersi Premieres The Chilling Visuals For ‘Tabanja’
02 September – Source: Okay Africa – Video: 3:26 Minutes
In June, we featured Swedish-based, Somali songstress Cherrie Hersi‘s first single “Intro” on our list of Songs By Somali Singers & Rappers To Listen To This Summer. The singer, who grew up in Finland and began her singing career just two-and-a-half years ago, is now back with the premiere of the music video for her latest single. “Tabanja,” which is a Swedish slang word for ‘gun,’ is a song which the singer’s camp says “shows a suffocating truth of a world caught in a downward spiral.” Cherrie’s ethereal voice lends itself seamlessly to the track’s bass-heavy production as the song’s notably poignant message is unexpectedly wrapped in a beat fitting for a house party or club.
“It invites you to dance, it forces up hands in jubilation, but it also tells an important story of the city’s periphery, the hard choice that people face daily when reality penetrates.” The black-and-white visuals were shot in the Rinkeby neighborhood of Stockholm where Cherrie currently lives and features performances from some of the singer’s closest friends. The three-and-a-half-minute music video carries the song’s weighty message by presenting chilling imagery of death and ruin, all while maintaining “a tiny ray of hope.” Watch the gripping visuals for Cherrie’s “Tabanja” below.