April 18, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Ethiopian troops to soon leave Somalia, PM says

17 Apr – Source AP/News Day/ABC News/Washington Post – 205 words

Ethiopian troops fighting al-Qaida-linked militants in neighboring Somalia will soon return home, Ethiopia’s prime minister said Tuesday. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said regions of Somalia currently controlled by Ethiopian forces will be handed over to troops from Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti and Rwanda. The first three countries have troops in Somalia as part of the African Union peacekeeping force. Rwanda does not currently have troops in Somalia.

Key Headlines

ASWJ claims victory over al Shabaab militants in Galgadud (Source: Bar-kulan)
Foreign airstrikes hit parts of Puntland’s Bari region (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
Somali businessman demands release of sugar seized by KDF (Source: the Star (Nairobi))
Suicide bomber kills one in Baidoa southern Somali town (Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan)
Pirate gang splits after disagreement (Source: Somalia Report)

SOMALI MEDIA

ASWJ claims victory over al Shabaab militants in Galgadud

17 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 147 words

Ahlu Sunna on Tuesday claimed it has inflicted heavy casualties on al Shabaab militant fighters after launching attacks on a militants’ base in parts of El-bur district yesterday. The pro-TFG groups claimed victory over al Shabaab, saying that two militants were killed and a dozen others injured during the fight at El-Shid area of El-bur district.

Suicide bomber kills one in Baidoa, southern Somali town

17 Apr – Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan – 227 words

Two people died and four others were injured on Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the south-west Somali city of Baidoa, reports say. The attacker was stopped by a soldier who recognized him as an al Shabaab element while trying to enter a building housing several Somali legislators before detonating his explosive vest, killing himself and wounding several others including the soldier.

Foreign airstrikes hit parts of Puntland’s Bari region

17 Apr – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 97 words

Reports from Puntland administered Bari region say unknown warplanes have carried out nighttime raids near Gubah settlement along the area coastline. Two low flying warplanes dropped five bombs into an area just five kilometres from Gumbah settlement, according to a local government official in Gumbah, Gure Ali Omar. Omar said the airstrikes caused no casualties or damage but has instilled fear among local residents and fishermen.

Pirate gang splits after disagreement

17 Apr- Source: Somalia Report- 196 words

The pirate gang holding the six hostages from hijacked vessel MV LEOPARD, fought over the weekend following a dispute over the ongoing ransom negotiations. The rift resulted in pirate leader, Ilyagoon, taking the hostages from the Fatxi gang by force from Hobyo and move them to Garacad. Somalia Report spoke with Ali Jareer, a member of the pirate gang, who confirmed the development.

“The issue is that the pirates had not signed a contract, which prompted distrust between the various pirate commanders involved. Fatxi and Xaye Hurde, the gang leaders, were planning to release the hostages for $4 million, but Ilyagoon suspected that the actual ransom amount was higher.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali businessman demands release of sugar seized by KDF

17 Apr- Source: the Star (Nairobi)- – 340 words

A Somali businessman has moved to court seeking the release of 3,500 bags of Sugar allegedly held by Kenya Defence Forces after his lorries strayed into Kenya.

Mohammed Ali Abdirhman filed the case yesterday saying he is bound to suffer irreparable loss if the soldiers continue holding the sugar or destroy it. Through his lawyer Evans Ondieki, Abdirahman says the move to detain the sugar was malicious and in blatant disregard of the law.

Suicide bomber kills soldier in Somalia’s Baidoa

17 Apr- Source: Standard/ Reuters- 398 words

A suicide bomber on Tuesday April 17, killed at least one soldier in Baidoa, a former rebel stronghold captured by Somali and Ethiopian soldiers during an offensive in February, a government official said.

The Al Qaeda-backed militants were forced to surrender the strategic city after columns of Ethiopian troops backed by tanks rolled through their bases in Baidoa, since when the militants have resorted to guerilla strikes.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

War planes strike suspected Somali pirate base: coastguard

17 Apr- Source: AFP- 384 words
War planes fired several missiles at a suspected Somali pirate base in the north of the war-torn country, wounding two civilians, a coastguard official said Tuesday.

“Unknown military jets fired several missiles near the village of Gumah, elders told us at least two civilians were injured,” said Mohamed Abdirahman, a coastguard.

Ethiopian troops to soon leave Somalia, PM says

17 Apr – Source AP/News Day/ABC News – 205 words

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“The arrival of the displaced former pastoralists who had culturally, a sentimental attachment to camel milk, created a huge demand for the commodity. In response to this demand, women in the pastoralist town of Isiolo (about 250 km form Nairobi) seized the opportunity that had presented itself and organized themselves to start supplying camel milk to Eastleigh. Every morning they pack jerry cans of milk on to Nairobi-bound buses which deliver the milk to Eastleigh at midday.”

Why Eastleigh is not short of milk

17 Apr – Source: The (Nairobi) Star – 588 Words

For some time now, especially in the last week, Nairobians have been greeted with empty shelves or, for the lucky ones, notices saying “please do not pick more than three packets” Whenever they go shopping for milk. In a certain area of the capital however milk seems to be in superfluity as women sit around on the streets dispensing it to customers from Mid-day late into the night. Welcome to Eastleigh!