March 21, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Breaking: Rival Government Forces Clash In Mogadishu
21 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 135 Words
Rival Somali government forces on Wednesday morning briefly clashed in the capital, Mogadishu. Local residents near Tarbunka Square confirmed to Hiiraan Online of the skirmishes, and said that they could hear sporadic gunfire around area.
It is yet, unclear of casualties, and what has triggered the clashes between the two forces. The movement of people and vehicles in the area have been curtailed, as the tension is still high. Sources close to initial investigation confirmed to Hiiraan Online, that the clashes is between NISA and the forces trained by UAE in Mogadishu
This is not the first time the government forces fought in the capital. In January, this year, two soldiers were killed and several other sustained injuries in a similar incident.The security forces and the city’s stabilization forces engaged in brief gun battle following dispute.
Key Headlines
- Breaking: Rival Government Forces Clash In Mogadishu (Hiiraan Online)
- Government Forces Apprehend Senior Al-Shabaab Officer (Halbeeg News)
- Council Of Interstate Cooperation (CIC) Baidoa Meeting Postponed Due To Political Crisis (Jowhar.com)
- Fighting Leaves Six Al-Shabaab Fighters Dead In Southern Somalia (Xinhuanet)
- New Ambassador To Somalia Appointed (Gulf Times)
- In Somalia Women Defy Strict Rules To Play Football (The Daily Mail)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Government Forces Apprehend Senior Al-Shabaab Officer
21 March – Source: Halbeeg News – 168 Words
Two Al-Shabaab operatives have been arrested in Lower Shabelle region, following covert operations conducted on Tuesday in Awdhegle town by Somali security forces. Deputy Governor of Lower Shabelle region, Mr. Abdifatah Haji Jim’ale, who spoke to the media identified the two as a high ranking officer of Al-Shabaab’s financial and assassin division.
“The forces arrested two Al-Shabaab members. Mr. Abdikarim Abu Hamza, a finance officer in Lower Shabelle and Benadir regions, and Mr. Sheikh Mudey, a well known amniyat operative,” said Jim’ale. He noted the security officials were interrogating the suspects before they are arraigned in a court. “The investigations are underway, the two are interrogated in the region,” he affirmed.
The official said, Lower Shabelle authorities are still in operation to hunt and arrest more Al-Shabaab fighters in the region. Somali forces stepped up their operations against the group after President Farmaajo called for new offensives against the fighters. Al-Shabaab group often carry out assassinations and ambush attacks against government officials in main town of the country.
Council Of Interstate Cooperation (CIC) Baidoa Meeting Postponed Due To Political Crisis
21 March – Source: Jowhar.com – 169 Words
Reports from Baidoa indicate, that the Council of Interstate Cooperation (CIC) meeting, scheduled to take place in Baidoa on March 20th, was postponed indefinitely. The political crisis in Mogadishu, between parliament speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari and Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, is said to be a major reason for the adjournment of the meeting.
The meeting was set to be held days ahead of Somalia’s National Security Council (NSC) 7th meeting, which is also scheduled to take place in Baidoa though, it is not known whether it will be delayed as well, due to the political crisis. Issuance of a statement regarding the postponement of the meeting was also delayed after the leaders couldn’t agree on how to go about it.
Southwest President Sharif Hassan, is reportedly trying to convince his regional counterparts to support the motion of no-confidence against Jawari, urging them to pressurise MPs from their regions to take part in the attempt to remove the speaker. Some of the regional leaders reportedly turned down President Sharif’s suggestion.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Fighting Leaves Six Al-Shabaab Fighters Dead In Southern Somalia
20 March – Source: Xinhua Online – 185 Words
At least six al-Shabab fighters were killed and several others injured in heavy fighting with the Somali National Army in southern Somalia, officials said Tuesday. Somali Army official Abdirahman Ibrahim Muhamed said the militants ambushed an army base in Budhubo town, in Gedo region, on Monday evening, sparking fighting that lasted several hours. “Somalia National Army killed six terrorists in Burdhubo town and wounded more of them during the fighting,” Muhamed said. “We are safe and there are no casualties on our side.”
About 90 militant fighters took part in the attack, he said. Al-Shabaab said on its affiliated websites that its fighters staged major attacks against SNA and Ethiopian bases in Burdhubo town overnight with casualties. Independent sources said at least two civilians were killed during the fighting between the two sides. Burdhubo was calm after soldiers from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) regained control. The al-Qaida-linked militant group has lost control of several small towns in the Horn of Africa nation, including in the restive city of Mogadishu, but still manages to stage assaults on military bases and government facilities, including AU bases.
New Ambassador To Somalia Appointed
21 March – Source: Gulf Times – 56 Words
New ambassador to Somalia appointed. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued Emiri Decision No 10 of 2018 appointing Hassan Hamza Asad Hashem as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Somalia. The decision is effective starting from its date of issue and is to published in the official gazette.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“When the girls have to attend training sessions, we have to organise to pick them up and bring them here and back home after the session because they are girls and we think about their security,” said Ali. “There are so many challenges, from security to lack of resources… but that will not deter our ambition to establish female football clubs in this country,” he said”.
In Somalia, Women Defy Strict Rules To Play Football
21 March – Source: The Daily Mail – 644 Words
Shortly after sunrise, a group of young women arrives at a football pitch in Mogadishu, where they shrug off their hijabs — some changing underneath the billowing veil — to reveal their team kit. Young Somali men stand nearby, some disapproving but all watching closely, as the women jog up and down, dribble a worn-out ball between colourful cones and do sit-ups, less than 200 metres (656 feet) from a heavily guarded security checkpoint.
The sight of young women playing football is highly unusual in Somalia, due to societal pressures as well as fear of Al-Shabaab. The Al-Qaeda linked Islamist group launches regular attacks in Mogadishu and considers forms of entertainment, such as football, to be evil, worse still if women are involved. “It is obvious that we are scared despite the fact that we put on heavy clothes over our shorts and T-shirts (until) we get to the pitch. It is very difficult to walk normally with sports clothes — we never wear sports clothing in society,” said Hibaq Abdukadir, 20, one of the footballers.
She is among 60 girls, who have signed up to train at the Golden Girls Centre in Mogadishu, Somalia’s first female soccer club. Mohamed Abukar Ali, the 28-year-old co-founder of the centre, said he was inspired to create the club after he realised that Somalia had no female footballers. The sight of young women playing football is highly unusual in Somalia, due to societal pressures as well as fear of Al-Shabaab “We are… trying to make these girls the first Somali female football professionals,” he said. However this is not an easy task. “When the girls have to attend training sessions, we have to organise to pick them up and bring them here and back home after the session because they are girls and we think about their security,” said Ali. “There are so many challenges, from security to lack of resources… but that will not deter our ambition to establish female football clubs in this country,” he said. “We believe it is the right time and we should have the courage to think differently.”
TOP TWEETS
@Goobjoognews: TWO AL-SHABAAB militants killed in US airstrikes in southern Somalia –
@t_mcconnell: Young women play football in #Somalia, as young men leer and tut https://yhoo.it/2IDlaiY via @AFP
@DalsanFM: Dep. Speaker Mudey Revokes MPs Leave Demand For Their Return To Somalia Ahead Of Jawari Motion –http://radiodalsan.com/en/dep-
@AbdirizakOm: Hon.Jawaari is capable speaker with solid legal background & extensive experience in constitution making processes.Majority of MPs r in the opinion that the current crisis should be resolved through the constitutional legal framework & voting should take place in a transparent way.
@DalsanFM: #Somalia #UAE trained SNA soldiers withdraw from their checkpoints including the State Run Radio#Mogadishu Station in reaction to Wednesday morning gunfight with NISA agents hear Tarabunka junction in Mogadishu.Casualties reported in the clash.
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Reports of deadly internal firefight between two units within the Somali security forces in Mogadishu: Residents
@AFP: These Golden Girls are shrugging off their hijabs, societal pressures and fears of Al-Shabaab militants at Somalia’s first female soccer club http://u.afp.com/oSfq
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Two Al-Shabaab fighters killed three injured in a fresh U.S. airstrike near Mubarak village, Lower Shabelle region on Monday: @USAfricaCommand
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Young Somali women getting ready to play football at one of the Stadium in Mogadishu.
Photo: @_mcconnell