September 14, 2018 | Morning Headlines
U.S. Carries Out Airstrike In Somalia As It Backs Local Troops
13 September – Source: Reuters – 207 Words
The U.S. military said on Thursday it had killed two militants in an airstrike in Somalia this week during a battle between U.S. and Somali government troops and Al-Shabaab Islamist fighters. The military’s Africa Command (Africom) said the strike was carried out on Sept. 11, in the central Somali village of Mubaraak, west of the capital Mogadishu.
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“The U.S. airstrike was conducted against an enemy fighting position in self-defense after U.S. and partner forces came under attack,” Africom said in a statement. Two militants were killed and a third one wounded during the strike which did not cause any civilian casualties or injuries, Africom said. It said one friendly soldier from the “partner force” was killed in the combat, and no Americans were killed.
Al-Shabaab had said on Wednesday that it had killed some soldiers during that fighting.
The United States has ramped up operations in Somalia since last year after President Donald Trump loosened the rules of engagement. U.S. forces are supporting a U.N.-backed Somali government against the rebels, who have lost control of most of Somalia’s towns and cities since withdrawing from the capital Mogadishu in 2011 but retain a strong presence in areas outside the capital.
Key Headlines
- U.S. Carries Out Airstrike In Somalia As It Backs Local Troops (Reuters)
- President Farmaajo Witnesses Signing Of Peace Pact By Warring South Sudan Factions (Halbeeg)
- Hirshabelle Parliament Plots Ouster Against President Mohamed Abdi Waare (Jowhar)
- Gunmen Kill Cleric And Elderly Man In Mystery Attack (Daily Nation)
- Mobile Money Doing Better In Somalia Than Most African Countries (CGTN)
- Wheelchairs Give Mobility And Independence To Mogadishu’s Disabled (Radio Ergo)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President Farmaajo Witnesses Signing Of Peace Pact By Warring South Sudan Factions
13 September – Source: Halbeeg – 217 Words
The warring factions in the South Sudan conflict have signed a peace agreement witnessed by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. The new peace deal immediately ends any further bloodshed and all forms of hostility between the infighting groups.
The civil war had claimed lives of at least 50,000 people, displaced two million others and stagnated the country’s progress since it gained independence seven years ago. Riek Machar, leader of the main rebel group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), and other insurgent factions signed the new agreement with the Juba government led by President Salva Kiir after assurances that a power-sharing accord would be honored. The deal, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar to his former role as vice-president.
In a statement, the Federal Government of Somalia welcomed the signing of the peace pact on Wednesday between South Sudanese sides. President Farmaajo pledged to work closely with all partners in the pursuit for lasting peace, stability and development in the region.
“We are hopeful that this ends the conflict permanently. Building a lasting peace in South Sudan is a key priority for regional stability and economic development,” President Farmajo said. The signing ceremony took place at the end of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders meeting who endorsed with the approval of President Kiir some amendments to address the concern of the South Sudanese opposition parties.
Hirshabelle Parliament Plots Ouster Against President Mohamed Abdi Waare
13 September – Source: Jowhar.com – 122 Words
Hirshabelle Parliament has sought the audience of regional leader, President Mohamed Abdi Waare, with reports indicating a no-confidence motion against him was on card. Ali Osman Ibrahim, one of the Hirshabelle legislators said the President had been called to Jowhar city for questioning. The legislators intend to question the regional leader on the security situation in Hirshabelle and interrogate him on alleged incompetence for the one year that he has been in office.
Abdi Waare, alongside fellow regional leaders, is also accused of planning to suspend cooperation with the Federal Government without consulting state legislators. The Hirshabelle leader and his Galmudug counterpart are facing rebellion from MPs in their regional assemblies over the decision to cut off links with the Federal Government.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Gunmen Kill Cleric And Elderly Man In Mystery Attack
13 September – Source: Daily Nation – 383 Words
Two people including an Imam were on Wednesday night shot dead by unknown assailants at Kilolapwa and Shamu villages in Ukunda, Kwale County, in attacks suspected to be linked to terrorism or politics.
The imam, Ali Hassan Chisuse, 58, was shot three times as he closed the door of Masjid Irshad mosque at around 8 pm, while Mwinyi Pataka, 70, was killed in his house in Shamu by assailants who got away on a motorcycle. Mr Chisuse was the chairman of the mosque and oversaw its day to day operations. He was also the chief campaigner and mobiliser for one of the gubernatorial aspirants in the 2017 election.
The coordinated attacks happened within a span of 30 minutes, leading police to suspect they could have been carried out by the same assailants. Msambweni OCPD Joseph Chebusit said it was not immediately clear who was behind the attacks but police have launched investigations. The gunmen fled after the shooting that stunned locals. Nothing was stolen from the victims and police say that the motive of the killing is yet to be established.
However, a reliable source revealed that there is a high possibility that the assailants were members of the Al-Shabaab terror group, who were hired to carry out the attacks on individuals seen as hindering the militants activities.
The source further added that the imam could have either been a target of the terrorists for his stand on radicalisation, or a target of the police for unknown reasons. The source said Al-Shabaab group has established a vibrant intelligence network within local communities where they get information to help in planned attacks. Kwale has been listed among the counties with high numbers of youth who had been radicalised and joined Al-Shabaab, with some returning after finding life difficult in Somalia.
Mobile Money Doing Better In Somalia Than Most African Countries
13 September – Source: CGTN – 308 Words
Somalia is home to one of the most active mobile money markets in the world, performing better than most countries in Africa. Mobile money has superseded the use of cash in Somalia, with over 70 percent of adult Somalis using mobile money services regularly. According to a report issued by the World Bank, the Horn of Africa nation records approximately 155 million transactions, worth about $2.7 billion per month.
The World Bank report titled “Rapid Growth in Mobile Money: Stability or Vulnerability?” also laid out recommendations for the country to introduce mobile money regulation that can boost a secure system for widespread financial inclusion.
We will continue to support the partnership between the Central Bank of Somalia, the National Communications Authority and the key private sector actors as they deliberate on an appropriate regulatory framework for the sector.” said Tim Kelly, Lead ICT policy specialist at the World Bank.
Somalia’s economy has grown modestly in recent years, and it remains vulnerable to recurrent shocks. Between 2013 and 2017, real annual GDP growth averaged 2.5 percent. Nonetheless, growth has not been sufficient to translate into poverty reduction. The World Bank now projects the country to grow at an annual rate of 3-4 percent.
Somalia has been dogged by an Islamist insurgency for over a decade, which has taken tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions others, also crippling various basic sectors. The World Bank urged Somalia to allow public investments in basic services as a way of strengthening the economy.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Going out on rainy days is especially hard to people with disabilities. Jama once failed to attend his classes for 10 days due to the heavy rains”
Wheelchairs Give Mobility And Independence To Mogadishu’s Disabled
13 September – Source: Radio Ergo – 370 Words
Ibrahim Nur Iman, 25, has been peddling himself to work through the streets of Mogadishu in a wheelchair for the last 18 days. It has been such a life changing experience for him to have his own mobility that he has been counting each of the days. He no longer has to crawl on all fours due to his severe disability as he used to do, arriving late with dust and dirt all over his clothes and very tired limbs.
Ibrahim, who works at the airport with a firm called Sahal installing and repairing electrical equipment, is one of 100 recipients of manual wheelchairs donated by the Saudi government through the Somali health ministry. “I crawled every day to the airport for a year before I got this wheelchair!” Jama told Radio Ergo. “I could not afford to get a tuk-tuk taxi on my monthly salary of $150. In any case, I need to be lifted into the taxi and drivers are not always willing to help.”
Another young person also happy with a newfound mobility and independence is Jama Mohamed Ahmed, who lives in an IDP camp. Jama, 18, is a grade 8 student at Hamar-Weyne school. His old wheelchair broke in 2012 and could not be repaired. Since then, for five years he has been crawling his way to school.
Jama told Radio Ergo he used to wait for such a long time trying to cross the road due to the traffic that he was always late. “My teachers understood my situation but now I get to my classes on time, I am never late! When I was told that I was going to get one of the free wheelchairs I was very happy, because it is vital for my mobility,” he said.
Going out on rainy days is especially hard to people with disabilities. Jama once failed to attend his classes for 10 days due to the heavy rains. Basmo Amir Shaketi, deputy head of social welfare in Banadir administration, said people with disabilities are marginalised and neglected in the streets despite their vulnerability to danger. The recipient of the wheelchairs were selected by the administration according to their need. Eighty of them were given to IDPs.