June 20, 2018 | Morning Headlines
U.S.-Backed Forces Raid Al-Shabaab Base Outside Kismayo
19 June – Source: Garowe Online – 195 Words
Somali National army backed by African Union and U.S. forces have unleashed a joint offensive against bases used by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab extremist group near Kismayo. A military source told Garowe Online that at least four militants have been killed during the operation, which was carried out on the outskirts of Bar-Sanguni, about 45 kilometers north of the coastal city. “Somali troops, along with Kenyan contingent of AMISOM forces and U.S. soldiers attacked an Al-Shabaab camp near Kismayo, achieving notable gains and neutralized 4 terrorist,” the source added.
The allied troops were reported to have liberated the area from the Islamists following heavy gunfight that left several Somali soldiers injured. It’s yet unclear the exact number of casualties on foreign forces. Recently, Jubbaland State president Ahmed Madobe and Somali national army chief, Abdiweli Jama Gorod paid separate visits to Bar-Sanguni base that was attacked by the militant to boost the morale of the soldiers stationed there.
The wide-scale anti Al-Shabaab offensive came after a U.S. special operations soldier, Staff Sgt. Alexander Conrad, 26, was killed and four others were injured in a firefight against the Al-Shabaab in Bar-Sanguni on 8th of June, 2018.
Key Headlines
- U.S.-Backed Forces Raid Al-Shabaab Base Outside Kismayo (Garowe Online)
- Puntland Leader Names New Solicitor General (Halbeeg News)
- Benadir Regional Administration Demolishes Illegal Buildings (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia Launches New Curriculum To Improve Access To Education (Xinhua)
- Investigation Underway In IED Deaths Of Police Officers (The Standard)
- Amina Ibrahim: Rape Broke My Spirit And Stole My Happiness (UNSOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Puntland Leader Names New Solicitor General
19 June – Source: Halbeeg News – 108 Words
Puntland president Abdiweli Ali Gaas on Tuesday appointed a new Solicitor General. The office which organises, coordinates and manages the administration of the state will soon be occupied by Mohamed Yusuf Mohamud. In a presidential decree dated 18th, June 2018, President Gaas stated that, Mr. Mohamud will assume office effective immediately. “With respect to Puntland charter and observing the experience and skills (of the candidate), Puntland President appoints Mr. Mohamed Yusuf Mohamud, as the Solicitor General of Puntland,” as stated on decree. The office has been vacant since the death of Mohamud’s predecessor, Mr. Mohamed Hassan, who died in March of this year in Garowe city, after battling with a long illness.
Benadir Regional Administration Demolishes Illegal Buildings
19 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 182 Words
Benadir regional administration destroyed a football stadium that was constructed illegally on public land. The Governor of Benadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu, Abdirahman Omar Osman stated that, the building was on government land and therefore it is not allowed to be used by individuals for their own interests’.
Benadir Regional Administration has previously destroyed several other buildings that were illegally constructed on government land. There have been numerous allegations of corruption regarding the sell of public land, with fake title deeds claims finding its way into the system.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo early this year halted the selling, leasing and the allocation of public land. Land and property ownership in Mogadishu remains sensitive and complex issue, dating back to the collapse of the central government in early 1990s.
It is not only public land that is being looted, lack of legal precedents and multiple ownership of private land over time, makes it difficult to resolve land ownership in the city. Since the collapse of Somalia’s central government in the 1990s, the public land as well as government institutions are occupied by individuals.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Launches New Curriculum To Improve Access To Education
19 June – Source: Xinhua – 259 Words
Somalia has launched a new education curriculum for primary schools across the country to ensure access to quality education for its youthful population, a government official said. Hassan Mohamed Ali, the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education said the new curriculum will be implemented in the new academic year that begins in August.
“We hope this new curriculum will make a positive input into the education of the Somali children,” Ali said in a statement released by the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Tuesday.
The new curriculum was announced late Monday during celebrations to mark International Day of the African Child held in Mogadishu where the government vowed to work closely with development partners to ensure access to quality education for its youthful population. “The curriculum will be adopted for use in schools across the country, whether they are private schools or public schools,” said Ali.
He said children in Somalia have a right to education like their counterparts in other African countries, noting that the government will work tirelessly to ensure its population is well educated. Ali described education as the cornerstone for Somalia’s development, urging ministries and government institutions to work together to improve schooling after decades of conflict.
The International Day of the African Child is marked every year on June 16 and this year’s theme “leave no child behind for Africa’s development” is aimed at creating awareness on the importance of protecting the rights of children and ensuring both boys and girls have equal opportunities.
Investigation Underway In IED Deaths Of Police Officers
18 June – Source: The Standard – 171 Words
Police are trying to establish whether an alert was issued before an attack in Tarbaj, in which eight policemen were killed. Sources said there were signs of an imminent Al-Shabaab attack, considering an exodus by residents. “The indications were there because, among others, elderly people had been moved from the area to Garissa and a number of youths had not returned to the area. Al-Shabaab militants were also sighted there,” said an official based in the area.
North Eastern Regional Coordinator Muhammad Saleh said those behind the attack escaped, adding that preliminary findings pointed to Shabaab’s involvement although there were other reports that the attackers may have been locals. The gunmen stole eight rifles and more than 540 bullets from the slain policemen – five Administration Police officers and three police reservists.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“In a country where survivors of conflict-related sexual violence face exclusion and stigmatization, it is not surprising that the vast majority of victims in Somalia do not report the crime,”
Amina Ibrahim: Rape Broke My Spirit And Stole My Happiness
19 June – Source: UNSOM – 778 Words
“He crept into our house, held me down and forced himself on me repeatedly.” So Amina Ibrahim* recalls the terrifying night when an intruder entered her house in south-central Somalia as she slept with her children, among them a four-day-old newborn, and violently raped her. Physically challenged by the long-term effects of polio, Amina could not run to escape her attacker. Her main concern was not to awaken her young children.
“After the ordeal, I was numb, and remained on the hard, cold floor until my husband returned home at daybreak,” recalls Amina, adding that the rapist disappeared into the night with her mobile telephone and left her with no means of communication. “I felt searing pain all over my body. You know, I hadn’t fully recovered from the birth of my baby,” she says. “I felt weak, exhausted and powerless. I had no energy to scream for help.”
Despite growing up during some of Somalia’s most turbulent years, nothing had prepared Amina for the traumatizing experience. The physical ordeal compounded her disability, and her mobility became even more limited. Long after that shattering night, she felt overwhelmed by her emotions. “I was in shock and cried for days on end. I lost interest in my baby, couldn’t bond with her. I had lost all feelings,” she recollects.
Amina’s assailant, who is still at large, may have had prior knowledge about her husband’s absence from home that night. In her village in south-central Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, men often leave their homes to avoid being forcibly recruited by the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Stories like Amina’s are unfortunately common in Somalia, yet most remain untold.
Over the past year, the United Nations verified more than 330 cases of sexual violence attributed to armed actors in Somalia, out of which 75 were perpetrated by Al-Shabaab. The militant group is also known to force women and girls into sexual slavery, trafficking for sexual purposes, forced marriages and pregnancies, and prostitution.
Three years ago, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 19 June as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence – women, men, girls and boys.
In a country where survivors of conflict-related sexual violence face exclusion and stigmatization, it is not surprising that the vast majority of victims in Somalia do not report the crime, according to experts. It is estimated that for each rape reported in connection with conflict, between ten and 20 cases go unreported.
Unlike many rape victims, Amina was fortunate to receive her husband’s support. The mother of seven describes her husband as “most caring and loving,” and praises him for staying by her side throughout the darkest moments. He continues to play an instrumental role in her physical and emotional healing process. “Rape broke my spirit and stole my happiness. But he has been a blessing in my life,” says Amina.