May 25, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Six Killed In Fighting Between Clan Militias And Al-Shabaab, Officials say.
25 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 252 Words
Clan militias who are believably loyal to former Defense minister, Barre Hiiraale, have killed six Al-Shabaab fighters in a clash in Elwak town and recovered six AK47 rifles, the town’s deputy mayor said.The incident happened on Tuesday night after Al-Shabaab fighters raided the base of the militias prompting hours of fighting.Sahal Moalim Adan, the deputy mayor of Elwak town, said the fighting took place in the town after Al-Shabaab attacked the base: “Al-Shabaab fighters have attacked the militias of Bare Hiraale, who had military base in the town. Six of the Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in the fighting and the rest fled.”
The deputy mayor added that the clean-up operation was still ongoing. He said Bare’s militia’s side equally suffered injuries including the commander, who has been in-charge of the militias.It was not immediately possible to independently verify this information.Al-Shabaab has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia in recent years in a joint offensive by AMISOM and local forces. However, the force is still believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters, who regularly launch guerrilla-style assaults and bomb attacks.Al-Shabaab is an offshoot of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which collapsed to several smaller factions after its defeat in 2006 to Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the TFG’s Ethiopian military allies.
Key Headlines
- Six Al-Shabaab Killed In Fighting Between Clan Militias And Al-Shabaab Officials Say. (Goobjoog News)
- Somali Security Minister Outlines Security Plan For Mogadishu (Shabelle News)
- Galmudug Signs Deal With An Iraqi Firm For The Construction Of Hobyo Seaport (Goobjooge.com)
- Two Dead As Govt Troops Exchange Gunfire In Mogadishu (Shabelle News)
- KDF Troops Kills 21 Shabaab Militants In Somalia (Daily Nation)
- AU Special Representative for Somalia Calls For A Step Change In Tackling Al-Shabaab (AMISOM)
- Somalia Reaps Rewards Of Ankara’s Investment (Financial Times)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Security Minister Outlines Security Plan For Mogadishu
25 May – Source: Shabelle News – 135 Words
The ministry of Internal Security of the Federal government of Somalia has organized a meeting in Mogadishu, to discuss ways to boost up the city’s security. The ministry has outlined its security plan for the capital during the forthcoming presidential elections, which coincides with the holy month of Ramadan.
According to Abdikamil Mo’alin Shukri, who is the spokesman of the Internal Security ministry of Somalia, heads of Mogadishu’s security agencies were in attendance at the high level seminar on the security.“The ministry shared a security plan with security agencies that defines a vision for the Mogadishu’s security,” said the spokesman.The security ministry has laid down the steps towards guarding against security threats, protecting the city’s residents from possible Al shabaab attacks during electoral period.
Galmudug Signs Deal With An Iraqi Firm For The Construction Of Hobyo Seaport
24 May – Source: Goobjooge.com – 188 Words
The regional administration of Galmudug has signed a deal with an Iraq-owned firm for the construction of a sea port in Hobyo town, Galmudug region.
The deal was signed in Mogadishu and witnessed by the Head of Galmudug State, Abdikarim Guled and the Federal Minister for Sea ports and Transport, Nur Farah Hersi.
Speaking to the media after signing the deal, Guled said the project will be key to the development of Galmudug region and the entire state at large.
“Hobyo will get a modern sea port where big vessels can dock. It will also boost trade in the region and will facilitate sea transport for the region as well as our neighboring countries,” said Guled.
Federal minister for sea ports and transport Nur Farah Hersi on his part lauded the initiative, which he said was part of the bigger development agenda to foster progress in all the regions of the country.The role of the Federal government in the project, which was facilitated by the Somali Ambassador to Iraq. Khadija Almakhzuumi, was not however clear. Khadija is a wife to the Head of Galmudug State Abdikarim Guled.
Two Dead As Government Troops Exchange Gunfire In Mogadishu
25 May – Source: Shabelle News – 90 Words
At least two people were killed and two others wounded when government troops fought over a plot in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on Tuesday.An Eyewitness, who spoke to Radio Shabelle, said the fighting broke out after two groups within the national army quarreled over the disputed piece of land at Mo’alin Nur nighbourhood.The armed confrontation lasted nearly an hour, according to the witness. In the past few weeks, there have been clashes between armed groups within the Somali National Army, fighting over disputed plots in Mogadishu.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
KDF Troops Kills 21 Shabaab Militants In Somalia
25 May – Source:Daily Nation – 130 Words
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops killed 21 Al-Shabaab militants in Hawina, Somalia, on Monday.The dead include a junior-level commander Salad Bart, who is believed to have been in-charge of the group.KDF said in a statement that its troops were en route to Tabda from Dobley, while approaching Hawina at 8.23am when a lone Al-Shabaab militant shot at them and fled the scene.The troops then started patrolling the area before engaging the militants who had attempted an ambush along the road to Tabda, KDF spokesman Col David Obonyo said.“The firefight that ensued resulted in the killing of the 21 terrorists with no casualties on KDF,” Col Obonyo said.About 17 AK-47 rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, five RPGs and assorted ammunition were recovered after the incident.
AU Special Representative for Somalia Calls For A Step Change In Tackling Al-Shabaab
25 May – Source: AMISOM – 439 Words
A two-day meeting of Sector Commanders drawn from the African Union Mission in Somalia has ended in Mogadishu today.
The forum is a periodic gathering of Sector Commanders and other key security players, where matters regarding security in are discussed, especially the challenges posed by terror group Al Shabaab. It was officially opened on Monday by the AU Special Representative for Somalia Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira.“The effectiveness of Al-Shabaab comes from its capacity to split into small groups which are undetectable. Secondly, it comes from it’s mobility and third, it comes from it’s capacity to surprise and speed to surprise,” said Ambassador Madeira in his opening address.
He added, “This war cannot be won only with guns. Guns are necessary, but guns alone cannot win such kind of war. Insurgency means that there is a section of population that believes in these individuals. These populations need not necessarily to be eliminated but to be harnessed and converted to our side as a method of winning the war against them. With the radicalized individuals, what we have to again is education, sensitization, mentoring so that they understand that these radical ideas, this intolerance is not acceptable because humanity is diverse, societies are diverse.”
Ambassador Madeira directed the Sector Commanders to decisively deal with Al Shabaab, while at the same time highlighting the need to employ superior techniques, which would ensure the terror group is completely subdued and pushed out of their remaining hideouts.
Acting AMISOM Force Commander Major General Mohammedesha Zeyinu emphasized the building of partnerships between AMISOM, the Somali National Army and communities in the sectors.“This conference enables us to have common understanding; and shared information about the enemy. It is also an opportunity for us to learn from each other’s experiences in the sectors. Our main objective is to analyse our situation, our strengths, our weaknesses and come up with solutions,” said the Acting Force Commander.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Mahad Wasuge, a researcher at the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies think-tank in Mogadishu, says eye-catching projects such as the 200-bed Recep Tayyip Erdogan hospital, which opened in January 2015, have been a public relations coup for Turkey. “Somalis are always sceptical about western agencies and countries,” he says. “Turkey did something different.”
Somalia Reaps Rewards Of Ankara’s Investment
25 May – Source: Financial Times – 841 Words
After touching down at Aden Adde international airport in Mogadishu, arrivals enter a gleaming terminal run by Favori, a Turkish company. They drive away on fresh tarmac laid by Tika, Turkey’s international development agency. The refuse is collected by lorries provided by the Turkish Red Crescent, Turkey’s largest humanitarian organisation, and the paving stones are made in a construction yard built by the municipality of Istanbul.
Over the past five years, Turkey has committed $400m in aid to Somalia, according to government figures. The sum reflects its transformation from a net recipient of humanitarian aid to one of the world’s biggest donors — a turning point reached in 2013.The aid increase is evidence of Ankara’s ambition to bolster its international influence and distract from a rocky period for both Turkish domestic politics and foreign policy. Olgan Bekar, Turkey’s ambassador to Somalia, says his country has made real changes in Mogadishu: “We cleared their garbage and cleaned their streets,” he says. “We built hospitals, schools. At the moment there are more than 2,000 Somali students on scholarships in Turkey.”
Turkey has been interested in Somalia since the early 1990s. Its Lt Gen Cevik Bir led a UN peacekeeping mission in the country from 1993 to 1994. In 2011 Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister at the time, became the first non-African leader to visit the country since President George H W Bush came to Somalia over New Year 1992-3.
Brought low by drought and decades of civil war, Somalia has been dismissed as a failed state. So when Mr Erdogan eschewed body armour and brought his wife with him, the response from Somalis was rapturous. Some parents gave their newborn boys the name Erdogan, while stories emerged of girls being named Turkiye and Istanbul.
Since becoming president in 2014, Mr Erdogan has made it clear he wants to expand Turkey’s sphere of influence across western and sub-Saharan Africa. Mr Erdogan’s press office has said he is to visit Uganda and Kenya next week. But the founder of the Islamically rooted Justice and Development party (AKP), singles out those he terms “our Muslim brothers and sisters” in Somalia as especially significant.
TOP TWEETS
@HassanIstiila:#UPDATE @SomaliPM has met with #Somalia #Journalists Union @NUSOJ_Somalia & newly elected#leaders in #Mogadishu
@aheartforafrica:#Somalia: 2 gov’t soldiers injured in#Mogadishu #explosion
@Abdullahi_Abuka:#NRC #Mogadishu #Somalia held Training Workshop for PRMN Local #NGOs #Partners in #southCentral Zone
@HIPSINSTITUTE:In this @FinancialTimes piece on Turkey and #Somalia, @laurapitel quotes @HIPSINSTITUTE‘s@MahadWasuge and others
@Abdi_AlSheikh:Kenya says its forces kill 21 al Shabaab fighters in Somalia – Reuters http://dlvr.it/LPCWh8 #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson for Somalia, (SRCC), Ambassador Francisco Madeira, shakes hands with an AMISOM official during a recent Sector Commanders meeting held in Mogadishu.