September 25, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
AMISOM Troops Kill 20 Al-Shabaab Militants
25 September – Source: The Star, Kenya – 170 Words
At least 20 Al-Shabaab militias have been killed by AMISOM and Somalia National Army troops in Hiraan, central Somalia. AMISOM said this happened after Al-Shabaab fighters launched a guerilla assault on AMISOM and SNA bases in two villages a few kilometres from Baladweyne. Several other fighters were injured.“Despite Al-Shabaab adopting crude war tactics like hit and run as well as old-school guerilla warfare, AMISOM have established their grip and asserted their capability to both pre-empt and neutralise attacks from the militants with minimum to zero casualties on their troops,” a AMISOM official said.
Special representative of the AU Commission Chairperson to Somalia Maman Sidikou has reiterated the need to increase peace initiatives if stability is to be realised. Sidikou said it is necessary to appreciate AMISOM troops’ bravery in war-torn Somalia.“We cannot underestimate the power of those who have made deliberate efforts to shun violence and embrace peace. A bright future for Somalia depends on collaborative efforts,” Sidikou said during the International Day of Peace celebrations.
Key Headlines
- AMISOM Troops Kill 20 Al-Shabaab Militants (The Star Kenya)
- Chief Of Somali Armed Forces Sworn Into Office (Goobjoog News)
- Deputy Head Of Somaliland Immigration Police Detained (Wargane News)
- 7 Somalis Confirmed Dead In Hajj Stampede (Wacaal Media)
- Puntland Former President Speaks On 2016 Election Clan Clashes (Garowe Online)
- Terrorism Charges Laid Against Somali-Canadian ISIS Fighter (Global News)
- No Room For Big Families At Women’s Shelters Say Advocates (CBC News)
- Why We Reject Federal And Imposition Of Western Democracy In Somalia (RBC Radio)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Chief Of Somali Armed Forces Sworn into Office
25 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 218 Words
The newly appointed Chief of Somali Armed Forces, Mohamed Adan Ahmed was sworn into office at the presidential palace in Mogadishu today. The event was presided over by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud following last month’s nomination of Somalia’s Chief of Armed Forces. Ahmed who replaced Dahir Aden Elmi was inaugurated by Chief Justice Eydid Abdullahi Ilka-Hanaf. Speaking at the ceremony, President Hassan Sheikh has congratulated the new chief of SNA and commended all SNA commanders. “In fact Somali National Army (SNA) has reached tangible progress and the government is putting more efforts to cover the needs of the army” said the president.
General Mohamed Aden Ahmed was appointed as the new Chief of Somali Armed Forces on the 3rd of September. The General has a wealth of experience and formidable background to bring into his new post. A graduate from the Military Academy in Egypt, he also trained in the Command and General Staff from Moscow, and also War College and Strategic Studies in USA. The General previously served in numerous posts in the National Armed Forces Such as the Commander of the Parachute Commandos Battalion in Ballidoogle, Division Commander respectively in Baledweyn, Baidoa and Dhusa Mareeb. General Ahmed also has the experience of participating in Joint Forces Exercise with forces from Russia, Egypt and USA.
Deputy Head Of Somaliland Immigration Police Detained
25 September – Source: Wargane News – 77 Words
Deputy Head of Somaliland Immigration police has been arrested today. Reports say that Brigadier General Mohamed Sulieman Hasan was put behind bars on the orders from the minister of interior. Details are sketchy over the reasons behind the apprehension of the deputy immigration police. Reports confirm that the Head of Somaliland Immigration police and the deputy met the minister of interior prior to his arrest. It is not yet known as far as the detention is concerned.
7 Somalis Confirmed Dead In Hajj Stampede
25 September – Source: Wacaal Media – 100 Words
Up to 7 Somali pilgrims have died in yesterday’s stampede where more than 700 Muslim pilgrims lost their lives in Mina. Confirming the incident to the VOA, Ahmed Adan Digaale, a Somali pilgrim said that they have so far confirmed the death of 4 Somalis from Kenya and 3 from Somalia taking the death toll of Somalis to 8 after one Somali pilgrim lost his life in the earlier incident involving a crane collapse. Saudi Authorities say investigations have already been started to ascertain the cause of the incident and how to minimize or avoid a recurrence of the same.
Puntland Former President Speaks On 2016 Election, Clan Clashes
24 September – Source: Garowe Online – 159 Words
Former Puntland President, Abdirahman Mohamed Farole has spoken on Somalia’s transition towards election by 2016, bashing the Federal Government leadership for failing to deliver on promises, Garowe Online reports. Farole has accused Mogadishu-based federal government of sowing differences among federal member states and interim regional administrations.He added that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud needs to resign, he has failed to lead the country. On clashes that raged between two clans in Qoriley area, Farole called for immediate end to hostilities. He also called on the government to track individuals orchestrating the deadly violence, in his first remarks touching on the renewed clan clashes in areas near Somalia-Ethiopia border. Meanwhile, Puntland Vice president has unveiled that efforts to quell the clan revenge attacks are underway. Nearly 20 people from the opposing sides have been reported killed in the clan fighting.The conflict has been dragging for ten years, forcing hundreds to displace and spurring alarming mistrust in northern Sool region.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Terrorism Charges Laid Against Somali-Canadian ISIS Fighter
25 September – Source: Global News – 239 Words
Terrorism charges were laid Thursday against a 22-year-old Calgary man who allegedly left Alberta in early 2014 to fight with ISIS in Iraq. Farah Mohamed Shirdon was charged in absentia by the RCMP Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) in Alberta, and a Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued. INTERPOL is issuing a Red Notice shortly, said RCMP in a release.
“Our investigation showed that Shirdon served in a combat role and performed other functions for ISIS such as recruiting, fundraising, encouraging others to commit violence, and spreading propaganda – all designed to enhance the activities of the ISIS,” said assistant commissioner Marlin DeGrand, officer in charge of the RCMP’s Criminal Operations in Alberta, in a release. RCMP said Shirdon left Canada on March 14, 2014 to allegedly join and fight with ISIS in Syria. Reports that he had been killed in Syria in 2014 were proven to be false.
Charges laid against Shirdon Thursday included: Leave Canada to participate in the activity of a terrorist group; Participation in the activity of a terrorist group (ISIS); Instructing a person to carrying out terrorist activity for the benefit of ISIS; Instructing a person to carrying out terrorist activity for the benefit of ISIS; Commission of an indictable offence for a terrorist group; Commission of an indictable offence for a terrorist group, “relating to the utterance of threats made on or about September 23, 2014 during an interview with VICE Media.
No Room For Big Families At Women’s Shelters, Say Advocates
24 September – Source: CBC News – 581 Words
A lack of shelters for large families is leaving some victims of domestic violence in dangerous situations, says an Edmonton outreach worker who helps refugees and immigrants. Habiba Abdulle said in one case when a mother of more than seven children finally worked up the courage to leave there was nowhere in Alberta for her to go. “It was heartbreaking,” said Abdulle, who works with the Alberta Somali Community Centre. “This woman was so brave, so fed up, and she finally wanted to leave. But in the end when she made all those efforts to leave we couldn’t find anywhere to put her.” Abdulle said the family was taken in by two local families, living apart for three months.
When they finally moved back into their own home after a restraining order was issued, it was not enough to keep them safe. The husband broke into their home and beat up his wife in front of the children. “If she was in a safe place, she would not experience that,” said Abdulle, who worries about the “long lasting impact on those children.” Abdulle was one of many who welcomed Wednesday’s announcement by the province to provide $15 million in new funding to support women and children escaping domestic violence. But she fears it will do little to improve circumstances for abused women she helps in local communities from East Africa and the Middle East, where new shelter space that accommodates larger families is “desperately needed.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“In addition, the 4.5 formula, a power sharing agreement between clans, should be addressed because it assumes that certain clans are majority and others minority in the absence of clear scientific population census in Somalia.”
Why We Reject Federal And Imposition Of Western Democracy In Somalia
25 September – Source : RBC Radio – 834 Words
The International Community should learn when and when not to interfere the domestic affairs of Somalia. Over the years, most of the international interventions were driven by some policy assumptions that exacerbated the problem of Somali and have led to destructive implications to the objectives. Perhaps we recall the fate of America’s operation in Somalia in 1993, famously known as the Blackhawk Down; the disastrous military intervention of Ethiopia in 2006 and; Kenya’s recent foray into Somalia that backfired terribly as a result of some faulty miscalculations and assumptions. All of these policies have failed to empower the Somali people’s capacity to restore their traditional systems that could handle not only the political challenges, but also the security that drive the conflict in contemporary Somalia. This system is called pastoral democracy and it has been effective for over centuries in Somalia.
Clearly, the federal experiment in Somalia is perceived by majority Somalis as a foreign tool that is designed to disintegrate what is left of Somalia today. The Mbagathi Process that produced the Federal Government has neither consulted with the Somalia people nor solicited from Somali intellectuals of the type of governance that best suites the country. It was led by Kenya and Ethiopia, with a bunch of the warlords of the time, whose motive was only to secure a pie of the political power in Somalia. Moreover, a predominantly nomadic society such as Somalis would have difficulty accommodating for the provisions of the Federal Constitution that require to commission boundaries between clans as part of the federal state formations. This could trigger and set off a malicious war between clans, as already witnessed in Galmudug, when it declared its boundaries with Puntland, which triggered renewed political contentions and apprehensions from a new cycle of clan wars.
TOP TWEETS
@UNHCRSom: HOW IT WORKS: #UNHCR support @refugeesfrom #Kenya who wish to return to South Central #Somalia#Puntland #Somaliland
@USAforSOMALIA: .@USAforSOMALIA extends best wishes to#Somalis in #Somalia and around the world for a blessed Eid al-Adha #EidMubarak Ciid Wanaagsan
@Jothee: Tax Justice: Puntland https://youtu.be/pn-dHZpCd9s #taxjustice #film #puntland #somalia #governance
@omabha: MAST Security Update: Libya, Yemen & Somalia – Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide http://dlvr.it/CFzfNk #Somalia
@lasoco: AU Special Representative for Somalia sends a message of goodwill to Somalis … -… http://j.mp/1NPUr0o #Somalia
@Mados7Mohamed:Why al Shabaab is still a formidable threat to the region https://shar.es/17jJJT via @sharethis #Somalia#Kenya #Africa #AMISOM
@raxanreeb: #Somalia: Why We Reject Federal and Imposition of Western Democracy in Somalia. By Ali Ghedi | RBC Radiohttp://www.raxanreeb.com/2015/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The swearing in ceremony of the newly appointed Chief of Somalia Armed Forces, Mohamed Adan Ahmed at the presidential palace in Mogadishu