December 25, 2015 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Somali Islamists Publicly Execute Two Officials

24 December – Source: Reuters – 296 Words

Islamist militant group al Shabaab publicly executed a Somali military officer and the leader of a small town in the southern Somali region of Lower Shabelle, a spokesman for the group and local residents said on Thursday. The group, which seeks to overthrow the Western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islamic law, has remained a potent threat in the Horn of Africa country after it was forced from the capital Mogadishu in 2011.

About 200 locals gathered on Wednesday in Bariirey town, about 50 km south of the capital Mogadishu, to watch as al Shabaab militants shoot the two men dead, residents said. “Al Shabaab called us for a gathering. We thought they wanted to preach (to) us. But we saw two men whose hands and legs were bound. They opened fire on them, shooting them to death,” resident Ahmed Aden told Reuters.

Key Headlines

Somali Islamists Publicly Execute Two Officials (Reuters)
Al-Shabaab Retakes Berhani Town (Wacaal Media)
Pro-ISIL Militants Al-Shabaab Clash In Deadly Puntland Infighting (Garowe Online)
Puntland Head Of State Names New Governor For Mudug Region (Wacaal Media)
Al-Shabaab Now Split In Two And Competing To Show Lethalness IG Boinnet Says (Standard Digital)
Imams Laud Muslims Who Shielded Christians From Being Killed By Al-Shabaab Attackers (Daily Nation)
Why Hargeisa Is A Beacon Of Literary Prowess (The Star)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Al-Shabaab Retakes Berhani Town

24 December – Source: Wacaal Media – 107 Words

Reports reaching Wacaal media’s Kismayu news desk indicates Al-shabaab has retaken Beerhani town, 45 km from the city of Kismayu, and headquarters of the Jubbaland administration. A local resident confirmed this happened after Jubbaland forces and their Kenyan counterparts withdrew from the area hours after they took over the town making it possible for the heavily armed militants to take over immediately. Fear has gripped the town and surrounding areas after the two sides embarked on heightened military activity in the area. The joint forces of Jubbaland and Kenya retreated to Kismayu airport from where they launched the offensive to take the town in the first place.

Pro-ISIL Militants, Al-Shabaab Clash In Deadly Puntland Infighting

24 December – Source: Garowe Online – 195 Words

Heavy fighting between Pro-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters and Al Shabaab militants has raged in Bari region village of Timirshe of northeastern Somalia according to residents, Garowe Online reports. Heavily armed Al Shabaab militants on Thursday tracked a group of fighters loyal to former ideologue Abdulkadir Mumin, subsequently engaging in fierce gun battle that resulted in unknown casualties. Timirshe is agricultural village that lies a few kilometers away from Iskushuban, a town just 150 south of Bossaso port city.

Gunfire was ringing out around suburbs as of Thursday afternoon, residents said by phone from Timirshe. Abdulkadir Mumin whom more than two dozen militants accepted his loyalty to self-proclaimed ISIL caliph, abu-Bakr Al Baghdadi has been on-the-run since late October when a long running merger furthered with Mumin’s defection. Garowe Online has learned that Mumin had since been expecting arms consignment by Yemeni Daesh due to mounting Al Shabaab pressure. Officials tell GO that no go ahead has been given to Puntland Defence Forces (PDFs) for subdueing Timirshe infighting. Somali militant group is languishing in damaging dissension which in recent weeks degenerated into open confrontations over whether to switch allegiance to ISIL.

Puntland Head Of State Names New Governor For Mudug Region

24 December – Source: Wacaal Media – 83 Words

President of the semi-autonomous State of Puntland Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas has appointed Hassan Mohamed Khaliif as the new governor for Mudug region. Exclusive reports received by Wacaal media indicate the appointment takes effect immediately. Mr. Khalif was until his appointment a member of the local council of Galkayo. He previously vied for the position of the Mayor of Galkayo. The new governor will take over from the current acting governor who will now be his deputy Mr. Ahmed Muse Nur Yare.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Al-Shabaab Now Split In Two And Competing To Show Lethalness, IG Boinnet Says

24 December – Source: Standard Digital – 580 Words

Somalia’s Al-Shabaab Militants have split into two groups and now they are competing to demonstrate their thoroughness, Kenya security agencies have warned. Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet revealed one group is now pledging allegiance to Islamic State while another one is supporting Al Qaeda. The one supporting ISIS is operating in Lafey area near Mandera County while that behind Al-Qaeda is based in southern part of Kenya and within Boni Forest.

In his Christmas and New Year message, Boinnet said the new developments continue to pose a threat to Kenya and urged for vigilance amongst Kenyans in the festive season. “They are competing to spread an international jihadist agenda, which could be deadly if and when it happens. They are injured and I urge Kenyans to exercise vigilance all times,” said Boinnet. Speaking in Nairobi, Boinnet said there are about 100 militants who are operating in Northern part of the country and they keep crossing from Somalia to Kenya for attacks before they vanish.

He said the group that tried to hijack and attack a bus in El-Wak, Mandera on Monday was that of ISIS. The attack aborted after a group of Muslims in the bus shielded Christians by refusing to be split and offering them hijabs and headscarves, which Boinnet described as heroic. The Boni gang was recently spotted in the forest and more combined security teams have been deployed there. Boinnet said the Mandera gang is led by Isaak Osman Ali alias Okola, Abdifata Barre and Mohamed Bilal while the Al-Qaeda gang is headed by Omar Ahmed Abdumanan.

Imams Laud Muslims Who Shielded Christians From Being Killed By Al-Shabaab Attackers

24 December – Source: Daily Nation – 298 Words

The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIKP) has lauded the heroism of Muslims who shielded Christians from being killed by suspected by Al-Shabaab militants who attacked the bus they were travelling inMonday morning in Madera County. CIKP Secretary-General Sheikh Khalifa said the act showed what true Islam teaches that everyone must be a keeper of their neighbours.

During the incident, Muslim passengers refused to be separated from non-Muslims as instructed by the attackers. The suspects ran into the bush after hearing the roaring of a lorry, which they apparently thought was a police vehicle. That gave the bus an opportunity to speed off. “We congratulate the Muslims who offered their lives to save those who were non-Muslims. “That is the love that the Koran teaches. Saving one life is saving the whole world; killing one life is killing the entire world. These were heroes,” Sheikh Khalifa said.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“Hargeysa’s fame today as a cultural hub is an echo from the past. Hargeysa is a beautiful city surrounded by hills and the capital city of the Republic of Somaliland. “

Why Hargeisa Is A Beacon Of Literary Prowess

24 December – Source: The Star – 512 Words

Hargeisa! It’s best known as the home of the world famous annual Hargeisa International Book Fair. Although the book fair is open to, and attracts writers, scholars, and intellectuals from around the world, it saps its spirit and energy from the wellspring of Pan-Africanism: close ties and collaboration between and among Africans.

Thus, every year, the organisers choose a country from Africa which becomes “the guest country at the book fair,” and invites writers and intellectuals from that country who may well give a representative picture of the historical and cultural activity of the country. Ghana is the 2016 guest country at the Hargeysa International Book Fair to be held in the last week of July.

Hargeysa’s fame today as a cultural hub is an echo from the past. Hargeysa is a beautiful city surrounded by hills and the capital city of the Republic of Somaliland. I was invited by Dr Jama Musse Jama, the writer-intellectual, cultural activist and founding director of Hargeysa Cultural Centre, on a reconnaissance trip ahead of the 2016 book fair, but also to the first Somali Language Literature and Linguistic Workshop organised by the Centre.