July 6, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Galmudug To Send Reinforcement To Local People Fighting With Al-Shabaab
06 July – Source: Halbeeg News – 232 Words
The administration of Galmudug state in central Somalia is planning to dispatch a reinforcement team to boost the local people who are fighting against Al-Shabaab militants in Mudug region. Local sources indicate that at least 15 people, including local civilians and members of the militia group have so far died in the fighting in Aad village, in the central Galmudug administration.
Galmudug’s chief of ministers, Sheikh Mohamed Shakir. held an urgent meeting with security commanders in Dhuusamareeb District. Sheikh Shakir thereafter said his administration had resolved to dispatch an immediate backup team to the local people fighting against Al-Shabaab. He reiterated that the security forces were ready to take action and give support to the villagers defending themselves from aggression by Al-Shabab, whose intention is to recruit their children as fighters. The battle between the locals and Al-Shabaab continued for two days in Caad village under Harardheere town of Mudug region. The clashes started after the parents resisted Al-Shabaab’s move to recruit their children into the militia group.
According to one villager who spoke to VOA Somali service, Al-Shabaab fighters met with elders in the area and requested for help in their recruitment exercise in the area: “The fighting kicked after their demand was rejected by residents” said the villager, who spoke on conditions of anonymity. He confirmed that the local people willingly organized themselves and resisted Al-Shabaab’s attacks in the area.
Key Headlines
- Galmudug To Send Reinforcement To Local People Fighting With Al-Shabaab (Halbeeg News)
- Internally Displaced Persons Fleeing The Caad Conflict Reach Hobyo Town (Radio Kulmiye)
- Youth Must Participate In The Peace Development Initiatives Of The Capital — Mogadishu Mayor (Halbeeg News)
- Somali Security Officials Undergo Training On Gender Equality And Human Rights (AMISOM)
- Sri Lanka Navy Rescues Three Somali Fishermen Stranded In Deep Sea (Colombo Page)
- ISIS May Be Waning but Global Threats of Terrorism Continue to Spread (New York Times)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Internally Displaced Persons Fleeing The Caad Conflict Reach Hobyo Town
06 July – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 116 Words
The District Commissioner for Hobyo in Mudug region, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, has reported the arrival of civilians displaced by the ongoing fight between Al-Shabaab fighters and pastoralists in Caad location. According to the commissioner, tension in Caad is very high following days of sporadic fighting between the locals and Al-Shabaab fighters.
The Hobyo District Commissioner, has accordingly requested the Federal Government and the international community to intervene in the conflict and support the local community from effects of the raging battle. Following a lengthy meeting, the Galmudug administration has accordingly decided to send more ammunition, medicine and soldiers to the frontline to help the local community fight and defeat Al-Shabaab in Caad.
Youth Must Participate In The Peace, Development Initiatives Of The Capital — Mogadishu Mayor
06 July – Source: Halbeeg News – 170 Words
The Governor of Benadir Regional Administration and Mayor of Mogadishu, Abdirahman Omar Osman (Engineer Yarisow) has called on youths to take part in the development initiatives of the capital city. He said this during the opening ceremony of a sports competition to encourage youth in Heliwa District.
“Youths are required to play a major role in the development of the capital city to build on the country’s future. Today’s football competition is part of our common efforts to enhance integration within members of society who reside in this district.” said the Banadir Governor. Mr Osman praised the leadership of Heliwa District for organising the event, which he noted would greatly help in the integration process.
The Governor also promised that his administration would strengthen relations with Banadir residents to ensure their safety and development of the capital. The Banadir regional administration has previously hosted sports competition in districts in the region with a view to improve relations between the administration and locals, as well as improve security and public order.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Security Officials Undergo Training On Gender Equality And Human Rights
06 July – Source: AMISOM – 413 Words
More than 30 participants from the Somali national security forces have concluded a five-day course on gender equality and human rights. The participants drawn from security agencies of the federal and state governments were taken through sets of rules, regulations and laws on gender equality and human rights to ensure compliance to international humanitarian laws as required by the United Nations and the African Union.
The train the trainer (TTT) course was conducted by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in partnership with the British Peace Support Team. Speaking during the closing ceremony, on Thursday, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, said the training was important in helping Somalia’s security forces comply with international rules and regulations on human rights.
“The training is in recognition that the work of building the capacity of Somali national security forces involves not just training in hardware but also on issues of compliance,” Ambassador Madeira noted. The training, the SRCC observed, was meant to not only ensure that AMISOM and SNSF, operate under the global and regional norms established by the African Union and the United Nations, but also promote the participation of women in the security sectors.
He hailed the enthusiasm exhibited by the participants, adding that their decision to plan and execute the course, fitted well with the AU Mission’s preparations for the gradual handover of security responsibility to Somali national security forces. The British Ambassador to Somalia, David Concar, who also attended the ceremony, lauded the participants for taking part in the training and urged them to promote gender issues in their respective federal member states and work places.
Sri Lanka Navy Rescues Three Somali Fishermen Stranded In Deep Sea
06 July – Source: Colombo Page – 152 Words
Sri Lanka Navy has rescued three Somali fishermen who were stranded in a drifting vessel in the deep sea off the Southern coast. Sri Lanka Navy Ship Nandimithra rescued the three Somali fishermen stranded at sea about 115 nautical miles off Galle Lighthouse on Thursday (05th July 2018).
Upon receipt of a distress call from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of a Somali fishing vessel along with three persons onboard lost at sea, the Naval Headquarters promptly dispatched SLNS Nandimithra with a team of Medical Assistants to the location by 5.20 p.m. on Wednesday to rescue them.
Having reached the location today, the Navy Medical Assistants aboard SLNS Nandimithra administered first aid to the distressed fishermen and they were safely brought to the Galle harbor by 3.45 p.m. Thursday. The three Somali fishermen have been handed over to the Galle Police after a general medical check-up.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“In the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, a group that alternates between the names al-Sunnah wa Jama’ah, Swahili Sunna or al‑Shabab, has unleashed a series of attacks on an impoverished region bordering Tanzania. Local officials said the group has no formal links with the Islamic extremist group Shabab in Somalia, but has copied many of their tactics.”
ISIS May Be Waning, but Global Threats of Terrorism Continue to Spread
06 July – Souce: New York Times – 1374 Words
In Germany and France, the authorities thwarted terrorists’ plots to attack with the deadly poison ricin. In eastern Syria, the Islamic State continued its retreat under stepped-up assaults by Kurdish militia and Iraqi pilots. And extremists in Yemen, Somalia and Libya were targeted by American airstrikes. That spate of action, over the past few weeks alone, illustrates the shifting and enduring threat from Islamic extremism around the world that will last long after the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is defeated on the battlefield.
From the scheming of lone extremists with no apparent connections to terrorist groups, like the ricin plots, to fighters aligned with the Islamic State or Al Qaeda in more than two dozen countries, terrorist threats are as complex and diverse as ever, American and other Western intelligence officials said in interviews.
The Islamic State, in particular, is adapting to setbacks and increasingly using the tools of globalization — including Bitcoin and encrypted communications — to take their fight underground and rally adherents around the world: “If you look across the globe, the cohesive nature of the enterprise for ISIS has been maintained,” Russell Travers, the acting head of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in an interview.
“There’s not been any breaking up, at least not as yet,” Mr. Travers said. “The message continues to resonate with way too many people.” The Pentagon’s latest defense strategy elevates Russia and China above terrorism in the hierarchy of national threats. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met late last month with the four-star commanders of American Special Operations forces and troops in Africa to discuss options for halving the number of counterterrorism forces on the continent over the next three years, and assigning them new missions.
Yet many counterterrorism specialists voiced concern that refocusing resources and political capital could go too far and give violent extremists time and space to regroup and rebound — much as the Islamic State did in 2013, emerging from the ashes of Al Qaeda in Iraq. “I worry about very seasoned fighters who will pop up periodically,” said Mr. Travers, who noted that the continuing turmoil in Syria makes it harder for spy agencies to monitor terrorists on the run. “Some are being tracked, some aren’t.” The risks of these missions was laid bare on June 8, when an American Special Operations soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an attack in southwestern Somalia against Shabab fighters.
TOP TWEETS
@qayd2012: Around 100 displaced people from Aad arrived Hobyo district by seeking safety and basic services access. Local authority couldn’t able to assist displaced families but vows to humanitarian actors for emergency relief. @MoHADM_Somalia @RidwanAbdi17 #Galmudug #Somalia
@HarunMaruf: Now that @amisomsomalia is given greenllight to expand civilian component of its operations in Somalia, hope they employ more locals http://www.peaceau.org/en/
@adancabdulle: Reports of significant Al Shabab movements between Afgoye & Balcad area (about 300-500 militants) including foreigners. This has been ongoing for the past few hours.
@adancabdulle: Intelligence officials say these militants are escaping the relentless drone campaign in Lower Shabelle & the Jubba Valley. Officials expect this group to accelerate terror operations in Middle Shabelle region.
@HarunMaruf: The EU parliament issued a strong-worded resolution which accuses Saudi Arabia and UAE of retaliating against the Somali Govt for staying neutral in gulf conflict. EU says UAE and KSA cut budgetary support to Somalia. EU urges UAE to “cease all acts of destabilisation” in Somalia
@ilwareed: EU slams UAE retaliatory acts against Somalia over Gulf crisis https://www.ilwareed.info/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo is received in Djibouti ahead of the Africa – China Economic Forum hosted by Djibouti government yesterday.
Photo: @TheVillaSomalia