27 Dec 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- The world must assist AMISOM to complete the task of bringing peace to Somalia ( Source: the East African)
- Somali government welcomes Britain conference on Somalia (Source: Radio Mogadishu)
- AMISOM takes on regional continental character as Kenya heightens attacks (Source: the East Afrcian)
- Somalia MPs protest closure of Parliament (Source: Daily Nation)
- African Union China sign AMISOM support agreement ( Source: afriquejet)
- Somalia gov’t says it is aware of air strikes inside the country (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- Tarsan: refugees should be kept in one camp ( Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
- Somalia seeks help making itself stronger (Source: China Daily)
- In Somalia fears over US wire transfer block ((Source: AP)
- Somali leaders reach an agreement in the Garowe Consultative session (Source: Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali hip-hop band fighting al-Shabaab for hearts and minds (Source: The Guardian )
- Al Shabaab arrests 14 businessmen for having non-Arabic signs on their shops ( Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
- Some 20 militants said to have been killed in southern Somalia airstrike (Somalia Report)
- Somalia:”We won’t give up ”says al Shabaab leader ( Source: Radio Al Furqaan)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali government welcomes Britain conference on Somalia
26 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu- 181 words
Somali government has strongly welcomed the Britain conference scheduled for February 2012, terming it as an opportunity for Somali and the peace process. Somali government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman Yarisow told Radio Mogadishu that the conference will tackle security issues in Somalia and will be attended by key players and countries interested in Somalia.
Somalia gov’t says it is aware of air strikes inside the country
26 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle- 252 words
Somalia’s interior ministry and national security affairs has on Monday disclosed that it is aware of the Kenyan air strikes inside the southern regions of the country, which are controlled by al Shabab militants.
Somali PM to tour Bossaso port city state in Puntland
26 Dec- Source: Somali National News Agency- 167 words
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and a high level Somali government delegation are set to depart for Bossaso town, a Somali port city state in north east Somalia.
SONNA correspondent in Bossaso say that preparations to welcome the Somali Premier is underway with massive cleanliness notices in all the locations to be visited by the Premier.
Somali leaders reach an agreement in the Garowe Consultative session
24 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu, Radio Shabelle, Kulmiye, Rissala- 148 words
Somali leaders and delegates meeting in the capital of the semi autonomous state of Puntland, Garowe have reached an agreement after a three day consultative session that brought together Somalis from all quarters. The session was to be concluded on Friday 23rd Dec but a disagreement on the mode to select the Somali lawmakers emerged with all sides agreeing to the traditional 4.5 formula.
Al Shabaab arrests 14 businessmen for having non-Arabic signs on their shops
25 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 123 words
Al Shabaab militia group in Beledweyne town on Sunday made good of its threat by arrested 15 people for allegedly refusing to replace the non-Arabic signs on their shops. Reports say rebel fighters were seen marking shops still bearing non-Arabic signs and ordered owners not to open them for three days.
Roadside bomb blast kills AU soldier in Somalia
24 Dec- Source: Shabelle, Mareeg Online- 211 words
At least one soldier from the African Union’s peacekeeping force in Somalia, AMISOM, was killed in a landmine bomb attack in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu witnesses said on Sunday. At least one AU soldier was killed and two others wounded in a landmine explosion targetting a convoy for African union forces in Somali capital Mogadishu, as they were trying to pass one of most dangerous streets in the capital called factory street.
http://shabelle.net/article.
Some 20 militants said to have been killed in southern Somalia airstrike
24 Dec- Somalia Report- 160 words
A suspected Kenyan airstrike hit the bases of al Shabaab insurgents in the outskirts of the southern port of Kismaayo. At least 20 Al-Shabab fighters were reported killed and an unknown number injured during the Friday evening attack, according to local residents.
Galmududg president confident of the outcome of Garowe talks
26 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 90 words
Galmudug president, Mohamed Ahmed Alin, is optimistic of the outcome of the recently concluded Garowe talks, saying that the talks will lead to a concrete government for Somalia. Alin who was among Somali leaders attended the recently concluded three-day consultative meeting in Garowe said he hopes that the talks will facilitate the formation of a central government that will replace the current transitional government in the country.
Tarsan: refugees should be kept in one camp
25 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 105 words
Benadir’s regional governor who is also Mogadishu mayor Mohamud Ahmed Nur Tarsan said that his administration will not tolerate for prowling refugee camps in the city. Tarsan said the comps should be merged together to form one big camp instead of having several camps in the city. He further said the increasing number of refugee camps have obstructed traffic flow in the city, adding that most of these camps have few people.
Ahlu Sunna offers safety for aid workers
25 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle- 201 words
The administration of Somalia’s moderate Ahlu Sunna Walja’a in central regions of the drought and famine-stricken horn of Africa nation announced on Sunday that they will offer full safety for the international humanitarian aid agencies operating in their strongholds. Osman Isse Nor, the district commissioner of Guri’el town in central Somalia told Shabelle Media, that his forces got ready to protect and offer security for the international aid workers working in the regions under the control of Ahlu Sunna Walja’a, the pro-government group fighting Al-shabab militants in several regions in south and central Somalia.
Somalia:”We won’t give up ”says al Shabaab leader
24 Dec- Source: Radio Al Furqaan, Radio Garowe, Somalia Report- 348 words
A prominent Al Shabaab leader known as Sheikh Muktar Abdirahman who has never spoke to media spoke to the Al Shabaab controlled radio telling listeners that Al Shabaab will continue their fight and will not give up. Muktar stated that Al Shabaab’s role is to bring the Sharia law to Somalia which can be brought back through jihad.
“Al Shabaab was founded to bring back jihad so we can govern our country and the citizens of Somalia by Sharia law,” said Muktar speaking to Al Shabaab controlled radio.
Muktar gave a brief history of how Al Shabaab was founded by Adan Hashi Ayrow whose was killed in air raids in the town of Dusomareb and how his killing sparked the attacks from al Shabaab in Mogadishu according to Muktar.
Al-Shabaab extorts local traders in Hiiraan region
26 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu, SONNA- 130 words
Local traders in Hiiran are expressing concerns over extortion demands by the Al-Shabaab militia in the area as well as the ban by Al-Shabaab on shops with Somali names.
Local traders told SONNA that Al-Shabaab demanded them to pay money from their annually accumulated wealth and also clear shop names that the Al-Shabaab term as contrary to Islam .
Somali militants recruiting child soldiers as “warriors of Shabaab”
26 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle, Somalia Report- 222 words
The militant islamist group of Al-shabab began aggressively recruiting children as young as eight years in their strongholds in southern regions to fighting between fighting between Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces along with AMISOM against Al-shabab fighters in Mogadishu.
6 dead, 10 others wounded in Galkacyo city, Central Somalia
24 Dec- Source: Mareeg Online- 94 words
At least 6 people were killed and 10 others wounded after heavy battle between armed militias and forces of Galmudug State occurred in the southern village of Galkacyo of Mudug region last night, reports said. Reports say armed clan militias and Galmudug State soldiers fought in the southern part of Galkacyo and exchanged huge fires killing 6 and injuring 10 others mostly the warring sides.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Meeting on IDPs Situation Held in Somaliland’s Borama
25 Dec- Source: Hadhwabaag Times- 87 words
A meeting dissecting the situation of internally displaced people in parts ofSomalilandwas held at Borama town in Awdal region. The meeting which comes at very important time will be going on the next three days and it will be attended by members of IDPs from the neighborhoods of Qor Gab and Sheikh Osman in Borama.
Rallies against killing of three aid workers held in Somalia
24 Dec- Source: Mareeg Online, Shabelle- 2010 words
Large crowds of people, including women and children held demonstrations against three aid workers shot dead by gunman in the town of Guri’el of central Somalia, witnesses said on Saturday. Osman Isse, the district commissioner of Guri’el town for Ahlu Sunna Walja’a confirmed to Mareegthat hundreds of local people come out today in the streets of the Guri’el to show how they are against the killing of three humanitarian workers by a gunman in Mataban town of Hiran region, which is just 350-km north of Mogadishu, Somali capital.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
REGIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM takes on regional, continental character, as Kenya heightens attacks
26 Dec- Source: the East Afrcian- 659 words
The AU force in Somalia is increasingly taking on a regional and continental character, offering fresh impetus to ongoing campaign to stamp out militias who have stoked terror throughout the East African region. Last Tuesday saw the arrival of the first batch of Djiboutian forces in Mogadishu to join the AU Mission in Somalia (Amisom). More African countries are lining up to join. Kenya, which has troops in the south chasing after the al Shabaab terror group, whom it blames for a spate of kidnappings of Western tourists and aid workers that threatened its lucrative tourism industry, wants its soldiers rehatted as Amisom troops but needs a nod from the Security Council.
Somalia MPs protest closure of Parliament
24 Dec- Source: Daily Nation- 295 words
Somalia MPs have protested the country’s Ministry of Interior’s move to ban parliamentary sessions for four weeks. They have threatened to summon Minister Abdisamad Mo’alin Mohamud before Parliament to explain the move. MP Awad Ahmed Ashareh said lawmakers would demand the removal of Mr Mohamud and the Police Commissioner for locking Parliament.
African Union, China sign AMISOM support agreement
24 Dec- Source: afriquejet, PANA- 254 words
China has agreed to provide equipment and material valued at about US$4.5 million for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), according to a press release issued by the African Union (AU) on Friday. The release said the AU Commission and China on Friday signed an agreement in Addis Ababa on provision of “further support to the AU Mission in Somalia” under which China would provide equipment and material worth US$4.526 million to AMISCOM.
http://www.afriquejet.com/
Kenyan, Somali troops reportedly kill over 180 al-Shabaab militants
26 Dec- Source: KBC Radio- 130 words
Over 180 Al-Shabab militants were reportedly killed in airstrikes carried out by the Kenya Defence Forces [KDF] and TFG troops in the towns of Badaade and Kolbio last night. The Christmas airstrike targeted Al-Shabab camps in the two towns following intelligence information that the Al-Shabab insurgence were planing to attack the KDF and TFG troops. Troops on the ground remained vigilant following reports of planned attacks on the troops by the insurgent group during the festive season.
Somalia leaders ink new political roadmap
26 Dec- Source: Africa Review- 183 words
Authorities in Somalia held a consultative meeting to discuss the formation of a government to replace the transitional body and signed a new political roadmap on Saturday. The UN sponsored convention took place in Garowe town, the capital of the semiautonomous state of Puntland, 1000 km northeast of Mogadishu.
We are not hitting civilians, says KDF
24 Dec- Source: Capital FM News- 466 words
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has reiterated that it is not targeting civilians as it continues to pursue Al Shabaab terrorists in Somalia. Military spokesman Col Cyrus Oguna declared on Saturday that they are adhering to the international humanitarian law through strictly ensuring that no civilians are directly targeted in the attacks. “We operate within the rules of engagement; we respect the laws of armed conflict and we stick by them. We are a professional organisation that respects the sanctity of life,” he stressed.
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
Grenade attack wounds six near Kenyan-Somali border
24 Dec- Source: Capital FM, AFP- 190 words
Six people were wounded in Kenya on Saturday when a grenade exploded in a bar in a town bordering Somalia, the latest such attack since Nairobi sent troops into its war-torn neighbour, police said. “An explosion has occurred in a bar in Wajir. Six people have been wounded,” a senior police officer in the region said, requesting anonymity. “No prime suspect has been arrested but a major security operation is under way,” he said.
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia seeks help making itself stronger
26 Dec- Source: China Daily – 207 words
China’s escort mission in the Gulf of Aden has positively “hacked” at piracy and has”contributed a lot to regional stability”, says Somalia’s ambassador to Beijing. Now more international efforts are needed to build peace and stability in Somalia so it caneliminate the piracy that started inland in his country, Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim told China Daily inan exclusive interview.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
In Somalia, fears over US wire transfer block
24 Dec- Source: AP- 1093 words
Somali officials said Friday they are pleading with U.S. authorities to persuade banks to reconsider a decision to block money transfers from Minnesota’s Somali community to relatives in this Horn of Africa nation, where anarchy has given safe haven to an al-Qaida linked terror group. The institution that handles the bulk of money transfers from Minnesota to Somalia — Sunrise Community Banks — has said it will discontinue the service at the end of December over fears it could be at risk of violating government rules intended to clamp down on the financing of terror groups.
Somali hip-hop band fighting al-Shabaab for hearts and minds
26 Dec – Source: The Guardian – 794 words
Somali hip-hop group Waayaha Cusub record material in a makeshift studio in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Shine Ali doesn’t scare easily. If he did, he would not be with his band in a basement studio in Nairobi, rapping lyrics that challenge the Islamist rebels who control much of his homeland, Somalia – and whose reach extends deep into the Kenyan capital.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
The world must assist AMISOM to complete the task of bringing peace to Somalia
24 Dec- Source: the East African- 948 words
Just beyond the terminal at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulleh International Airport sits a rusty, hulking wreck of a plane. It has been there since 2007, shot down as it attempted to deliver equipment to the first batch of African Union troops deploying into the Somali capital. It was an inauspicious start to a mission that has today helped provide Somalia with the best opportunity it has had in two decades to achieve lasting peace. Today, as sleek passenger jets taxi past, bringing ever increasing numbers of visitors, it stands as a reminder of just how much things have changed. One recent guest, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, summed it up perfectly. “A few years ago, people tended to think of Somalia as a place of famine or bloodshed,” he said. “We finally face a moment of fresh opportunities. We must seize it.”
Within the city, there is a palpable sense of hope. Ever since AMISOM and the Somali National Army forced the Al Qaeda linked extremist terror group, Al Shabaab, to withdraw from the city, violence levels have come down markedly. For the first time in years, the people of Mogadishu can walk the streets at night and relax on the beaches with a measure of safety. As many who had fled the chaos and anarchy return, homes are being repaired and rebuilt and shops and businesses reopening. Barely a month after the terrorists were defeated, political leaders from across the country gathered in Mogadishu and agreed on a roadmap to the eventual return of permanent government in August 2012. The improved security situation has enabled the delivery of emergency food aid to hundreds of thousands who came to the capital seeking refuge from the famine in Al Shabaab controlled regions in the south, where access for aid agencies is severely limited.
http://www.theeastafrican.co.