April 12, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somalia PM says fighters flee north

11 Apr – Source: AP/BBC – 641 words

Militant leaders and foot soldiers from the militant group al Shabaab are fleeing to hideouts in a mountainous region of northeastern Somalia after facing increasing military pressure around Somalia’s capital, the prime minister said in an interview Wednesday.

The northern flight to the Galgala Mountains in the semiautonomous Somali region of Puntland comes after months of increasing pressure on al Shabaab from the militaries of Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Key Headlines

Ahlu Sunna claims victory over al Shabaab in clashes (Source: Bar-kulan)
Details emerge from fighting against militants in southern Somalia (Source: Shabelle)
Somalia PM: we have made progress against al Shabaab ( Source: Radio Risaala)
UN officials visit Garowe (Source: Bar-kulan)
Somalia PM says fighters flee north (Source: AP/BBC)
Sports art streetlights: A new life in Mogadishu ( Source: Washington Times)

SOMALI MEDIA

Details emerge from fighting against militants in southern Somalia

11 Apr – Source: Shabelle – 143 words

Further details are coming out from a heavy battle between Somali soldiers backed by Kenyan military and al Shabaab fighters that took place on Wednesday in Lower Jubba region, southern Somalia.

Lt. Colonel Mohammed Farah Dahir, one of Somali government military officials in region told Shabelle Media that al Shabaab ambushed Kenyan and TFG troops traveling between Qoqani and Kulbiyow towns.

“Both Somali and Kenya military jointly fought back during the ambush and inflicted heavy casualties on al Shabaab fighters. The situation is now quiet and every thing returned to normal,” said Dahir.

Somalia PM: we have made progress against al Shabaab

11 Apr- Source: Radio Risaala- 116 words

Somalia Prime Minister, Abdiwali Mohamed Ali Gaas, while briefing the media, said that his government has made progress against insurgency and that the war against the al Shabaab will be concluded very soon.

The Prime Minister admitted that 6 months ago, he couldn’t imagine that they would have advanced this far adding that the government now controls several regions and cities like Beledweyn and Baidoa.

UN officials visit Garowe

11 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 130 words

A delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Bank and the Interpol on Tuesday held talks with Puntland officials in Garowe. During the meeting in Puntland’s regional headquarters, a range of issues was discussed including how pirates use ransoms money they receive from their captives and hijacked vessels and where such money are taken to, according to Puntland’s Ports sea transport and anti-piracy minister, Eng. Saeed Mohamed Rage.

Ahlu Sunna claims victory over al Shabaab in clashes

11 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 207 words

Ahlu Sunna Wednesday claimed it has killed 18 al Shabaab militant fighters and wounded several others in clashes in south and central Somalia. The group’s commander in central Somalia regions Hussein Hassan Farah said they killed three militant fighters and injured dozen others Tuesday night when armed militants attacked ASWJ and Ethiopian military base in El-bur town, Galgadud region.

He said there were no casualties inflicted on their side, adding that they repelled the militants who wanted to create insecurity in the area.

‘Al Shabaab have infiltrated Golis Mountains’ says President Farole

11 Apr – Source: Garowe Online, BBC Somali Service – 98 words

Puntland President Dr.Abdirahman Mohamed Farole says al Shabaab insurgents have been infiltrating the Golis Mountain range in north eastern Somalia, Garowe reports.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Pirates demand Dh11m to free hostages

11 Apr- Source: the National- 654 words

Residents hope to raise Dh11 million to free 44 hostages held by Somali pirates aboard two ships that set sail from UAE ports.

The bandits have demanded US$2m (Dh7.3m) to release the MT Royal Grace, a Dubai-owned chemical tanker hijacked off the coast of Oman on March 2.

And families in Dubai and Pakistan are struggling to raise more than $1m to free 22 relatives held on the MV Albedo before next week’s April 20 deadline, set by the pirates.

The MV Albedo, a Malaysian-owned cargo ship, was seized 17 months ago in the Gulf of Aden.

Case of British terror suspect starts in city

10 Apr- Source: the Star- 306 words

A group of thugs raided an administration police post in Wajir and freed three prisoners among them a Briton facing terror charges, a court heard yesterday. According to a police Constable Fredrick Otieno who was testifying in a case against British national Jermaine Grant, the thugs ambushed the camp on the same day grant was arrested with a mission of setting free the suspects.

“I saw someone carrying an AK47 rifle. He cocked it and fired. I realized they were many of them. They took my firearm and i was also assaulted,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia PM says fighters flee north

11 Apr – Source: AP/BBC – 641 words

Sports, art, streetlights: A new life in Mogadishu

11 Apr – Source: Washington Times – 415 words

Mogadishu, Somalia – The crowd cheered wildly as two Mogadishu basketball teams entered an old stadium that once bore the bloodstains of war.

During the recent reign of Islamist terrorists, playing basketball in Somalia’s seaside capital was punishable by torture or death.

Today, Somalia’s blue flag has reclaimed its place over the battered Lujino Stadium, replacing the black banner of al-Shabaab, the Islamist group that until a few months ago enforced brutal control over much of Mogadishu.
This seaside capital is full of life for the first time in 20 years. Since African Union and Somali troops pushed Islamist militants out of the city last year, schools, shops and markets have reopened.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“The mission to remove al Shabaab’s black flag from Somalia’s urban centres throughout the south-central region is advancing more rapidly than many thought possible. But ridding a town of one militia is just the beginning. Filling the power vacuum left behind by al Shabaab unearths a new set of problems underscored by one key factor – a willing, capable and legitimate alternative remains elusive.”

Somalia’s ‘Newly Liberated Areas’ – What Comes Next?

11 Apr – Source: African Arguments – 919 Words

Somalia’s Islamist militia, al Shabaab, is on the back foot. Each week brings news of another town seized. The forceful departure of al Shabaab however does not necessarily imply victory for the inhabitants of the ‘newly liberated areas’.

In late 2011 Ethiopian forces together with pro-government Somali militias captured Beledweyne, not far from the Ethiopian border. Eight weeks later Baidoa, a strategically important city in the south, fell to Ethiopian troops and pro-government militias.