August 17, 2016 | Morning Headlines
Over 300 Al-Shabaab Suspects Nabbed In Mogadishu: Official
16 August – Source: Xinhua News – 125 Words
Joint forces from Somali government and African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) arrested 313 Al-Shabaab suspects during a security operation in Daynile district of Mogadishu.
Ahmednur Abdi Siyad, District Commissioner of Daynile, said on Tuesday that the joint security forces conducted the operation in Kurdamac and Halgan villages in Daynile in the morning where 313 people were arrested.
The operation was aimed at ensuring peace and security in the district by flushing out the terrorist elements, he said, adding that the operation will continue to eliminate remnants of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group. He said similar security operation has been going on in the rest of the capital over the past two weeks, which comes ahead of the Somalia election set to be held between September and October.
Key Headlines
- Over 300 Al-Shabaab Suspects Nabbed In Mogadishu: Official (Xinhua News)
- Ugandan Soldiers Handed Jail Terms Over Oil Scam In Mogadishu (Goobjoog News)
- Jubbaland Welcomes Kenya To Lead War On Al-Shabaab (Shabelle News)
- Somali Shops Vandalised After Fatal Shooting (Goobjoog News/IOL)
- Somaliland: IFJ Urges End To Judicial Harassment Of Journalists (IFJ)
- Police Link Youths’ Disappearance To Shabaab Recruitment (Daily Nation)
- Somali Man Denied Refugee Status Has Decision Overturned On Appeal By High Court (The Journal)
- Somalia FA Launches Third Phase Development (SuperSport)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Ugandan Soldiers Handed Jail Terms Over Oil Scam In Mogadishu
16 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 494 Words
A Ugandan military court sitting in Mogadishu has sentenced nine of its soldiers serving under the African Union sanctioned force, AMISOM, to jail terms after being found guilty of running an oil scam involving civilians in Mogadishu.
The court, the first from any of the AMISOM troops and police contributing countries to sit in Somalia, handed sentences ranging from one to three years after finding the soldiers, who included both senior and junior ranking officers, guilty of misconduct and violating the rules and regulations of peacekeeping.
Reading out the verdict, the Chairman of the Court Martial, Brig. Gen. Dick Olum, said the nine had damaged the image of the Ugandan People’s Defence Force as well as that of AMISOM. He warned that the force will not tolerate any incident of misconduct among its officers serving in peacekeeping missions.
“The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt. The accused persons are hereby convicted of the charges against them and this conviction is given under my hand and seal this 15th day of August 2016. You are convicted as charged,” Gen. Olum told the soldiers.
Three of the soldiers were dismissed with disgrace from service meaning they will lose out on any benefits entitled to soldiers serving with the mission. Major Sulait, corporal Sekandi Ronal and Private Tibaijuka Expedito were all dismissed with disgrace and will serve three years, two years and two years imprisonment respectively.
Major Kundu Weyaula was handed a one year sentence and demoted to the rank of Captain while his colleague Staff Sergeant Abwot Richard was slapped with an 18 months jail term and demoted to a Sergeant. Others are Lance Corporals Kasule Budala and Atugiriire Dennis, both sentenced to 18 months in prison and demoted to the rank of Private.
The soldiers were accused that in June this year they were found selling and or colluding to sell oil belonging to AMISOM at Mogadishu’s Bakaro market. Pictures of the soldiers selling fuel circulated in the social media. The nine are part of the 18 soldiers, who were earlier arraigned before the same court for selling fuel belonging to the Mission.
Jubbaland Welcomes Kenya To Lead War On Al-Shabaab
16 August – Source: Shabelle News – 168 Words
The President of Jubbaland Interim Administration Ahmed Madobe has welcomed the Kenyan Defense Forces to his region to lead the offensive against Al-Shabaab militants.
The Jubbaland leader is currently in the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi, where he met Kenyan government officials to discuss on a military strategy to push Al-Shabaab militants out of Middle and Lower Jubba regions. Reliable sources in Nairobi, told Radio Shabelle that Madobe and Kenyan officials have agreed to end their differences over military operations in Jubbaland.
The Jubbaland leader, who has been a close ally of Kenya over the last decade, reportedly shifted allegiance to the Ethiopian troops within the AMISOM contingent. A dispute between both sides emerged after Madobe requested the Ethiopian government instead to help his administration in liberating his territory from Al-Shabaab.
Somali Shops Vandalised After Fatal Shooting
16 August – Source: Goobjoog News/IOL – 280 Words
Angry residents of Asanda Village in Strand have vandalised and looted at least eight spaza shops owned by Somalis after a resident was shot dead, allegedly during a dispute with a shopkeeper.
A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said Siyabonga Jozana, 26, was killed during an argument after he claimed he was shortchanged when buying groceries. Five shots were fired, the witness said. Siyabonga’s aunt, Ntombovuyo Jozana, said she did not feel safe in the area.
“As a family we want the Somali leader to come and talk to us and to come up with the way forward in this incident. We want him to take responsibility.” Jozana was described as a good guy who respected everyone. Former councillor Mbuyiseli Matha said: “What happened was not meant to happen. It was totally unacceptable. I encourage the community not to take the law into their hands, even though we understand they are angry. We plan to have meetings with the community and educate them not to take the law into their own hands. We are supporting the Jozana family and trying to come up with a solution.”
Organiser of the Asanda Phakathi Sanco branch, Xolani Saziwa, said the organisation visited the Jozana family to console them and make peace. Somali shop owner Nuur Mahamad said: “Residents came to my shop and threw stones at my windows. They got in, took my stock, now my fridges are broken. Shop owner Ebrahim Muhamad said residents took his stock and burnt down his store. Now he had to start from scratch.Western Cape police spokeswoman Constable Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed a case of murder was under investigation and that no one had been arrested.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somaliland: IFJ Urges End To Judicial Harassment Of Journalists
16 August – Source: IFJ – 273 Words
The International Federation of Journalists has joined its affiliate, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), in calling on the Somaliland authorities to stop the criminal persecution of journalists and independent media accused of publishing so-called false news and defaming President Silanyo and his close circle.
Editors-in-chief Mohamed Mohamud Yusuf, from privately owned Foore newspaper, and Muse Farah Jambir, responsible for Ogaal newspaper, have recently been accused of publishing “false news” against the President’s family and some ministers, NUSOJ reported.
Yusuf is also accused of disturbing public order, anti-national propaganda and public incitement through fabrication following an article published in Foore in May called “Is it true that 15 to 35% of what Somaliland is due to receive from Dubai Port for managing Berbera port will go to the family of Somaliland President Silanyo and their closest ministers?”.
Reports said Jambir is facing trial after he was accused of defaming and smearing the President and the First Lady of Somaliland by publishing allegations relating to the privatization of Petroleum tanks in the port city of Berbera and the interests of Somaliland’s first family in these deals with businessmen.
NUSOJ General Secretary said: “We strongly protest against the judicial harassment of Somaliland journalists and independent newspapers through ongoing criminal persecution. These cases intend to censor, intimidate and silence independent media and to instil fear among journalists who dare to hold public officials to account”.
Police Link Youths’ Disappearance To Shabaab Recruitment
16 August – Source: Daily Nation – 528 Words
The war on radicalisation has been heightened in Kenya’s Isiolo county following disappearance of six youths who police suspect have joined terror group Al-Shabaab. This brings to 31, the total number of youths who have crossed the border to join the Somalia- based Islamist group.
Authorities are currently tracking down the suspects from Tulloriba, some of whom are reported to be in Elwak, Mandera. Police have also confirmed that terrorists have shifted routes from Mandera to Isiolo through Moyale and Marsabit towns while others pass through Wajir through Garissa to Isiolo as they target Nairobi.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers, Administration and regular police have been deployed to man the Moyale-Isiolo highway to monitor terrorists’ activities following reports of active Al-Shabaab cells that coordinate recruitments in the region. Already, two video theatres in Isiolo are under investigations.
Following public outcry on increased recruitment of youth into terror groups, Isiolo governor Godana Doyo, County Commissioner George Natembeya and religious leaders on Tuesday held a joint security meeting with residents at a mosque in Tuloroba.
“According to our intelligence, Isiolo is considered as a transit point used by the terrorists on their way to Nairobi and other counties, but we want to assure locals that our multi-agency team together with police have intensified the crackdown to ensure that they are arrested immediately,” said Mr Natembeya.
Governor Doyo also pointed out that suspicious people pretending to be herders have invaded the County and were out to radicalize youth. Mr Natembeya confirmed that some of the refugees from Daadab camp in Garissa who want to escape repatriation have moved into Isiolo to recruit young men into Al-Shabaab.
Somali Man Denied Refugee Status Has Decision Overturned On Appeal By High Court
16 August – Source: The Journal – 490 Words
A Somali who claimed he was kidnapped, tortured and subjected to forced labour in his home country, has won a legal challenge in the High Court against a decision of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal not to declare him a refugee.
In a reserved judgement Ms Justice Mary Faherty quashed the decision and transferred the case to the tribunal for a new hearing. Judge Faherty said the man, who is in his thirties and cannot be identified for legal reasons, claimed to be a member of the Reer Xamar clan in Southern Somalia.
He had claimed that during the Somali Civil War his family had been persecuted by another clan on grounds of race and ethnicity because of their membership of the Reer Xamar clan. His father and two brothers had been killed, his sister kidnapped and forced into marriage and two other brothers had disappeared. Judge Faherty said the man alleged he had been attacked, shot and kidnapped several times. A threat had also been made against him by members of an Islamist terrorist group who believed he was a spy for the then-transitional government.
He had arrived in Ireland in the late 2000s, where he had unsuccessfully applied for asylum. An appeal regarding that decision had later been rejected and the man had applied to the High Court for a Judicial Review. Judge Faherty said the man had claimed the tribunal had relied on a flawed language-analysis report prepared by Swedish company Sprakab and had alleged that the qualifications of the analyst were unclear.
The report had concluded the man’s knowledge of the Reer Xamar sounded “rehearsed” and the tribunal had found his general credibility, including his claim of membership to the Reer Xamar clan, could not be assessed.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“In May 2009, former Somali Police chief and former Galmudug State President, Major General Abdi Hassan Awale, was awarded with a special recognition award for his long-standing role in the promotion of sport in Somalia since Somalia descended into civil war in 1991”.
Somalia FA Launches Third Phase Development
15 August – Source: SuperSport – 387 Words
Somali Football Federation over the weekend launched the third phase of the regional football development programme for the semi autonomous Somali state of Galmudug in the city of Galkayo about 750 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu.
A total of 62 football volunteers are being trained different football-related skills under the regional development scheme. They are 30 referees, 20 coaches and 12 football administrators from several cities, towns and villages across the Galmudug semi autonomous state.
According to the strategic plans announced by Somali FA president Abdiqani Said Arab several years ago, the regional development scheme is intended to spread football knowledge and experience throughout the country, as part of the [Spread the football programme].
Somali Football Federation deputy Secretary General, Ali Mohamed Ahmed, who addressed the launch ceremony for the educational courses first commended Galmudug state for the high profile welcome the SFF official received since arriving in Galkayo late on Friday.
“The main reason we organise such educational courses is to give every single region the capacity to be able to organise their own courses successfully in the future. Another important factor is also to help semi-autonomous states to organise professional regional level football leagues,” SFF deputy Secretary General, Ali Mohamed noted during his address at the launch ceremony on Saturday.
“At the end of the courses Somali Football Federation will launch a fully-equipped office for the local football Association in the Galmudug State, as we did in other states including Puntland and Jubaland,” Ahmed said.