November 30, 2018 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Al-Shabaab Degraded By U.S., Federal Government Of Somalia

29 November – Source: SONNA – 222 Words

In order to support the Federal Government of Somalia’s (FGS) efforts to degrade the Al-Shabaab militia group, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike targeting the militants in the vicinity of Quy Cad near Debatscile, on November 27, 2018. This follows successful strikes in the area on November 19th and 20th.

According to the latest status report by the U.S forces on the ongoing airstrikes, no civilians were killed or injured in the operation: “We continue to work with Somali, AMISOM (Africa Union Mission in Somalia) and other international partners to grow and develop Somali security forces. As part of that effort, we conduct precision strikes to foil terrorist plans, kill Al-Shabaab terrorists and reduce the enemy’s freedom of maneuver”.

The airstrikes, say the U.S forces, keep pressure on the Al-Shabaab network and help provide Somali forces time and space to develop their independent capability to protect the people of Somalia: “In contrast to Al-Shabaab’s indiscriminate attacks on Somali civilians, AFRICOM (U.S. Africa Command) goes to great lengths to protect the innocent when striking terrorist targets,” explained Maj. Gen. Gregg P. Olson, director of operations, AFRICOM.

According to Maj. Gen. Olson, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations with FGS, AMISOM and Somali National Army (SNA) forces.

Key Headlines

Al-Shabaab Degraded By U.S. Federal Government Of Somalia (SONNA)
Local And International NGOs Explore Durable Solutions On Displacement In Somalia (Goobjoog News)
Nairobi Governor Hosts His Mogadishu Counterpart (Kismaayo)
War On Al-Shabaab Not Lost: Senior US Official (Anadolu Agency)
Somali Women Rally For Peace At A Two-Day Forum In The Capital Mogadishu (UNSOM)
Widows Of War: Clan Conflict Takes Its Toll On Somali Women And Children (Radio Ergo)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Local And International NGOs Explore Durable Solutions On Displacement In Somalia

29 November – Source: Goobjoog News – 215 Words

Local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and state actors are these week engaging in various parts of the country to share knowledge and device durable solutions on displacements based on data collected for a period of two years. Dubbed the Evidence Week, the event organized by Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) and the Somalia NGO Consortium (SNC) aims to support knowledge sharing and research uptake to inform better durable solutions programing and policies based on evidence.

The first of the Evidence Week events opened in Baidoa on Sunday followed by a similar one in Kismayo on Tuesday, while the Mogadishu and Hargeisa sessions happened Thursday. The event, which brings together various humanitarian organisations, policy groups and state and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), builds on evidence collected by stakeholders over a period of two years.

“The objective is to bring and discuss evidence collected by various stakeholders over the past two years on durable solutions and displacement in Somalia to better understand social changes and aspirations of displacement-affected communities,” the organisers said.

During Wednesday presentations in Mogadishu, participants explored the roles of the various stakeholders including collaboration and the intertwining roles of the state, non-state actors and business community. The theme of the events, which concludes Friday is Rethinking Displacement and Mobility in Somalia

Nairobi Governor Hosts His Mogadishu Counterpart

29 November – Source: Kismaayo.com – 197 Words

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Monday hosted the Mayor of Mogadishu and Governor of Banadir region, Abdirahman Omar Osman ‘Yarisow’ at Nairobi’s City Hall. The two leaders discussed bilateral partnerships between the two cities with the Kenyan governor expressing his wish to a visit Mogadishu soon.

Yarisow thanked Sonko and Kenyans in general the warm hospitality accorded to him and his delegation. He also thanked Kenyans for playing host to thousands of Somali citizens, who had fled from the conflict in their home country. Yarisow added that Nairobi should be lauded for its notable role in rebuilding the country by hosting a number of reconciliation conferences aimed at ending conflict in the Horn of Africa nation.

On his side, Mr Sonko complimented ongoing efforts to reconstruct Mogadishu, which was once one of the most beautiful capitals in Africa. Yarisow was accompanied by Somalia’s acting ambassador to Kenya, Ali Mohamed Sheikh, and members of the Banadir Regional Administration (BRA). The meeting between the two leaders came on the heels of the global conference on the sustainable blue economy in Nairobi, which was attended by a Somali delegation led by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

War On Al-Shabaab Not Lost: Senior US Official

29 November – Source: Anadolu Agency – 223 Words

A senior U.S. official said Thursday the war against al-Shabaab has not been lost in spite of a series of recent attacks across Somalia, including capital Mogadishu. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy and African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Kwesi Quartey headed their respective delegations on the 6th U.S.-AU High-Level Delegation Dialogue.

Responding to a question by Anadolu Agency, Nagy said the U.S. has recently appointed a resident ambassador in Mogadishu after more than two decades and would scale up efforts to eradicate the terrorist threat in Somalia and the region. He, however, noted that much preoccupation was invested on security concerns in Africa at a cost of little attention for development strategies.

“For too long our predecessors have focused almost entirely on containing security and humanitarian crises to the detriment of establishing well-formed plans for spurring economic progress and solidifying domestic gains,” he said. He added that promoting economic growth, trade and investment was the future growth of Africa whose population is projected to amount to a quarter of the world’s workforce and consumers by 2030.

“Today we must also plan for a more prosperous continent where young Africans will have jobs that keep them at home and will contribute to the development of a continent that will be the envy of the world,” he said.

Somali Women Rally For Peace At A Two-Day Forum In The Capital Mogadishu

29 November – Source: UNSOM – 629 Words

Hundreds of women from across Somalia gathered on the Somali capital Mogadishu on 28-29 November to reaffirm their position and recommit themselves for peace, reconciliation and prevention of violent extremism.

The mood at the two-day Women’s Peace Forum was electric with peace songs and dancing taking centre stage, as participants from Galmudug, Puntland, South West, Jubbaland and HirShabelle states and Benadir region deliberated on ways of advancing peace efforts, reconciliation and defeating extremist elements in the country.

“It is our God given right to resist what divides us. It is imperative that as women, you hold up to values that build, instead of values that destroy,” Osman Adan Dhubow, the Federal Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs asserted, during the official opening of the forum on Wednesday. Participants at the Forum discussed ways of preventing and countering violent extremism, women’s role in it, and strategies that would enhance women’s participation in peace, security and reconciliation efforts.

The Forum is a culmination of the country-wide consultations undertaken between July and November to determine ways and strategies to enhance women’s role in peace, reconciliation and the prevention of violent extremism consistent with the national PCVE strategy and national reconciliation framework: “Women really want to have peace; and to have reconciliation is also very important. As women, when it comes to reconciliation, we are not in there,” remarked Fartun Abdisalam Adan, the Director of Elman Peace and Human Rights Foundation.

She underscored the importance of women taking a front seat in reconciliation efforts. “When it comes to reconciliation, women might just talk, but we are never involved. This is certainly a new beginning for Somali women to really be part of the reconciliation and to actually have peace in Somalia,” Ms. Fartun noted.

Batula Sheikh Ahmed Gaballe, the Chairperson of the Somali National Women’s Organization, delivered a keynote speech at the forum, where she underscored the important role women play in the prevention, mediation and resolution of conflicts. “The objective of this forum is to come up with a strategy to prevent and stop those spreading and harboring extremist ideologies; to conduct awareness campaigns, hold consultations and meetings and clearly show that Somali women are no longer spectators and occupying the backbench in peace initiatives,” she stated.

OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE

“Mohamud was the brother of my first husband. After two years of our marriage, Mohamud was killed in crossfire between two clan militias in Dabatag village. He was fetching water for the family when he was killed by clan militias.”

Widows Of War: Clan Conflict Takes Its Toll On Somali Women And Children

29 November – Source: Radio Ergo – 840 Words

Perennial clan clashes in Somalia have taken an enormous toll on the whole of Somali society, claiming an unknown number of lives and robbing families of livelihoods. Women and children have borne the brunt of the violent conflict with the loss of their husbands, fathers, and breadwinners.

In one area struck by clan conflict in the rural areas of northern Somalia’s Sool region, three widows shared with Radio Ergo their stories of lives shattered several times over by clan-based violence. The stories below of war widows Haweye, Amina and Khadra, living around 75 km south of Lasanod, all experience their most recent losses in October this year.

Haweye Elmi Warsame has been married three times but is now a widow raising her eight children as best she can. In 2004, the year that the clan clashes erupted in the area, she married Mohamed Ahmed Ali in Dharkeyn village. They lived happily together for eight years, during which time they had five children. In 2012, the fighting took a more serious turn. Ahmed was gunned down in a revenge attack by members of the opposing clan.

“There was fierce fighting between two clans living in the area. It led to the deaths of dozens of people and the displacement of hundreds others. My husband was killed while herding camels in a remote area,” Haweye recounted. Some months later, she married again to Adan Ahmed Ali, the brother of her late husband, in a ceremony organized by her in-laws. The ceremony locally known as Dumaal is a form of wife inheritance, which is common among Somali clans.

The couple started their new life together in Dharkeyn. In 2015, as the clan conflict was rumbling on, there were yet more revenge killings. Her second husband was one of the victims. “I had given birth to a child by my second husband. He was trader and was not involved in any armed conflict, but unfortunately he was shot by gunmen in the village,” Haweye said. Haweye married for the third time in 2016.

Abdirahim Ahmed Ali, her third husband, was also from the same family as her previous husbands and the marriage was arranged through Dumaal. “He was a mason and he used to give me $100 dollars monthly to spend on food, water and other basics. The amount was enough compared to what I survive on now, today,” Haweya said. Abdirahim was killed in October, again as a result of ongoing conflict, leaving Haweya once again a widow. She said he was targeted because of his clan as hostilities had once again arisen in the village.

ADDITIONAL SOMALIA NEWS WILL APPEAR IN THE AFTERNOON REPORT

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