April 2, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Rebel threat persists despite Somali government advances

02 Apr – Source: AFP – 225 words

Somalia’s government is celebrating the capture of a string of towns from al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels, but the Islamists say they will retaliate and warn the “war is far from over.” The offensive by African Union forces backing Somali government troops began last month, with al Shabaab fighters largely fleeing in advance, escaping unscathed to strike back in guerrilla attacks.

A UN-mandated AU force, known as AMISOM, has been battling al Shabaab militants in Somalia since 2007, but in early March troops in tanks and armoured vehicles began a fresh push, boosted by recent Ethiopian reinforcements.

Foreign special forces, reportedly including US-operated surveillance drones, are supporting the advance, according to security sources. But al-Shabaab have vowed to retaliate against the troop-contributing nations, with soldiers in the 21,000-strong force coming from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda.

“They will turn in their graves,” top al Shabaab commander Sheikh Hassan Yaqub said, scoffing at the advances hailed by government and AU. “The enemies of Allah are entering towns… but they don’t have the ability to control them,” Yaqub added. “The large territories they have passed through between towns is already back in the hands of the mujahedeen fighters.”

Key Headlines

Parliamentary interior committee warns further conflicts in the country if government fails to work out political tensions in some regions (Radio Goobjoog)
Rebel threat persists despite Somali government advances (AFP)
Two soldiers assassinated in Mahaday town (RBC/Shabelle/Kulmiye)
Eastleigh couple arrested two hand grenades recovered (Standard Media/Daily Nation)
New Ethiopian forces reach Garbaharey town (Radio Goobjoog)
Kenya: Police Patrol Kenyan Port after Muslim Cleric’s Assassination (Star/Kenya)
UNHCR says voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees to proceed (News24/Xinhua)
Humanitarian crisis in Galgaduud (Radio Shabelle)
Puntland president fires regional police commissioner (Radio RBC)
IOM Trains Officials NGOs in Aid to Human Trafficking Victims in Puntland Somalia (IOM)

SOMALI MEDIA

Parliamentary interior committee warns further conflicts in the country if government fails to work out political tensions in some regions

02 Apr – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 125 words

The Parliamentary Committee of Interior and Security stated they will soon form a committee that will supervise the achievements of federalism in all regions of Somalia.

The Vice Chairman of the Interior Committee Amin Jessow while giving exclusive interview to Goobjoog FM through telephone stated that the government has blindly taken federalism without making proper analysis on the outcome.

Mr. Jessow added that the constitution of Somalia has given shallow explanation on the issue of federalism and made no further review to the process as the constitution was approved in a hurry.

He warned of further confrontation and havoc in the country if the federal government of Somalia fails to take proper actions to systematically solve the political upheavals in some regions of the country.

Two soldiers assassinated in Mahaday town

02 Apr – Source: RBC/Shabelle/Kulmiye – 118 words

Two government soldiers were reportedly assassinated in Mahaday town of Middle Shabelle region on Tuesday night, according to residents.

The soldiers were ambushed on their way to their camp outside Mahaday town in the evening. Residents confirmed armed men shot and killed the pair and then confiscated their two guns leaving the bodies of the two men on the scene.

Security forces reached the area but nobody was arrested for the murdering the two soldiers. The al Qaeda linked group of al Shabaab claimed the responsibility of the assassination.

Mahaday town has seen several hit and run attacks by al Shabaab fighters since Somalia government forces backed by the African Union Forces seized the town from al Shabaab.

New Ethiopian forces reach Garbaharey town

02 Apr – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 103 words

New AMISOM Ethiopian forces reached Garbaharey, the headquarters of Gedo region as commander of government forces Ali Matan Ali confirmed to the media. The commander said that the forces will advance to new areas in the region including Bardere, a stronghold city of al Shabaab in Gedo region.

Mr. Matan affirmed that Somali National army and AMISOM will not rest until they will take control of all areas under al Shabaab and maintain fully the security of the region.

Government forces backed by AMISOM troops seize the control of many areas in Gedo region from al Shabaab after offensive military operations the last three months.

Puntland president fires regional police commissioner

02 Apr – Source: Radio RBC – 132 words

Puntland President Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has fired Bari regional police commissioner Col Osman Hassan Awke known as Afdolow who then was taken into police custody, sources tell RBC Radio. A presidential decree which RBC Radio has seen appointed Abdirahman Ali Hussein [better known Muslim] as the region’s new police commissioner.

According to sources, Col Osman Afdolow was taken into police custody after he was sacked, due to interrogations on alleged involvement in the recent assassination against Col Jama Sa’id Afgudud, Puntland’s military officer who was in charge of the Galgala area who was killed in an ambush last month.

The new police commissioner, Abdirahman Ali Hussein, a former immigration officer at Bosasso Airport is supposed to take over the office in this week.

Somaliland: Hargeisa Mayor lays Foundation stone for 500 m road

01 Apr – Source: Somaliland Informer – 152 words

The Mayor of Hargeisa Hon. Abdirahman Aidid aka Soltelco has laid the foundation stone of new tarmac roadon Tuesday which is 500 m in length which is expected to be materialized in Gacan Libaax district particularly Daami Village.

The ceremony was attended by the former Health Minister Hon. Mahdi Osman Buuri, Sultan Nasir and members of Hargeisa councilors. Both the former Minister of Health and Sultan Nasir who hail from Daami village extended thanks during the ceremony.

They also thanked the town council for doing their utmost in developing roads in the city. The village is lived by families from outcasts who are on the breadline. They also praised the current president HE. Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud Silnayo and the council for providing support to the poor families be it employment. The mayor has stated that the funds for the construction of the new road will be paid by the City Hall.

Humanitarian crisis in Galgaduud

02 Apr – Source: Radio Shabelle – 77 words

Abdihakin Abdullahi Warsame the deputy governor Galgaduud stated to RadioShabelle in Mogadishu complained of the humanitarian conditions in the region.

Warsame said that urgent humanitarian aid is required for the citizens living in Galgaduud and requested from the Somali Federal Government and humanitarian agencies to provide them immediately.

It is not the first time that an outcry has been made, as recently towns and districts under the region have been noted for the request of emergency aid.

Displaced from Qoryaley settle in makeshift camps

02 Apr – Source: Radio Ergo – 181 words

180 families displaced from Qoryoley, where conflict continues, have settled in a new IDP camp in Sarkusta village on the outskirts of Mogadishu. The IDPs, who are mostly women and children, have fled from more than 10 villages across Qoryoley district, where the Somali national armed forces and African Union peacekeepers have recently captured territory from al Shabaab after three days of fighting.

There are a number of pregnant women among the displaced, and some women who have given birth since arriving in the new camp. Hawo Mohamed Hassan fled with her three small children after a mortar destroyed their home in Qoryolay, a strategic town located about 100 kilometres south of Mogadishu. “My other three older children are with their father back in Qoryoley. We couldn’t all come here,” Hassan told Radio Ergo’s local reporter.

Another mother of six children, Molow Hassan, said it took her four days to reach Sarkusta village on foot, as there was no transport available for the people fleeing. Some of the displaced families, including disabled people, have used donkeys to reach the outskirts of Mogadishu.

Intense clashes erupted last night in Hiiraan

02 Apr – Source: Radio Shabelle – 96 words

A strong battle broke out last night at the Ceeljaale territory east of Baladweyne, between co-allied Somali National Army and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops against al Shabaab.

Witnesses reported to Radio Shabelle in Mogadishu that casualties were sustained on both sides although the precise numbers are unknown. Locals living near Baladweyne mentioned that they heard dozens of gunshots being fired and were panicking.

The deputy governor of the Hiiraan region Ibrahim Ali spoke to Shabelle Media in Mogadishu and highlighted that the fight initiated when African Union troops heard that al Shabaab were nearby Ceeljaale.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Eastleigh couple arrested, two hand grenades recovered

02 Apr – Source: Standard Media/Daily Nation – 146 words

A couple was early Wednesday morning arrested and two hand grenades recovered from them during a police operation in Eastleigh, Nairobi. The two were at home when police who had been tipped off raided their house. Police say the man aged about 60 has been supplying the explosives to youths for attacks in the city and Mombasa.

The raid was conducted at around 1 am and the grenades were recovered in the sitting room stashed in a box. Nairobi police boss Benson Kibue said recovery was made as they arrested more than 400 people in the area in the ongoing operations.

“We are interrogating them to see if they can help us with more information,” said Kibue. No arrest has been made so far in connection with the terror attacks on food kiosks on Monday night that killed six people and injured more than 30 others.

Kenya: Police Patrol Kenyan Port after Muslim Cleric’s Assassination

02 Ap – Source: Star-Kenya – 167 words

Armed police patrolled the streets of Kenya’s port city Mombasa Wednesday after a prominent radical Muslim cleric assassinated overnight was buried as martyr.

But Kenya’s second city — a key transport hub for East Africa and a popular tourist destination — was reported calm in the morning, with the slain cleric’s mosque broadcasting appeals for restraint among his supporters.

The cleric Abubaker Shariff Ahmed, was a vocal supporter of Osama bin Laden, and was on U.N. sanctions lists accused of being a “leading facilitator and recruiter of young Kenyan Muslims for violent militant activity in Somalia”, and of having “strong ties” with Shebab leaders.

Better known as Makaburi or “grave” in Swahili, he had described last year’s attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, which was claimed by Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels, as “100-percent justified”.

Good meals, fancy phones, clean uniforms…The new face of UPDF serving under AMISOM

01 Apr – Source: New Vision – 963 words

It is seven years since Uganda sent 7,000 troops to Somalia under the African Union Peacekeeping mission (AMISOM). And for many soldiers, their lives will never be the same again. After two days in Somalia, my worry for our soldiers was not about the possibility that they would lose their lives to the al Shabaab terrorists. Rather, the possibility that our soldiers would return home too obese.

Our soldiers have good meals – a lot better than their counterparts back here. Breakfast includes milk, juice, bread, sausages, eggs and juice, margarine and honey. There is also a variety of flavors for your breakfast – tea leaves, coffee, or chocolate.

Lunch and supper mainly includes posho (good quality) rice, chicken and beef and sometimes fish, beans and greens and mayonnaise. There is also dessert – apples, yoghurt, and oranges. In fact during one meeting with their Commander Brig. Dick Olum one morning, one soldier said he had a complaint.

“How come I ate only five apples this week?” he asked. At another time, one of the chefs asked visiting Ugandan journalists to carry as much yoghurt as they could. “The soldiers are tired of it” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Rebel threat persists despite Somali government advances

02 Apr – Source: AFP – 225 words

“The enemy is facing defeat on multiple frontlines… the aim is to liberate those areas where al-Shabaab generate income, train militants and recruit,” Somali Interior Minister Abdullahi Godah Bare said. A UN-mandated AU force, known as AMISOM, has been battling al Shabaab militants in Somalia since 2007, but in early March troops in tanks and armoured vehicles began a fresh push, boosted by recent Ethiopian reinforcements.

Civil war aftermath: World help sought in rebuilding Somalia

02 Apr – Source: The Express Tribune/DAWN – 437 words

Speakers at a discussion urged international community to help Somalia in rebuilding its infrastructure and economy. They termed the absence of central government, lack of education and economic problems as the root causes of civil war and lawlessness in the east African state.

The discussion titled “Rebuilding Somalia” was organised by the Islamabad-based think-tank, The Muslim Institute here on Tuesday, said a press release. Hundreds of thousands of people have been hit hard by famine and civil war unleashed by warlords to capture resources of the country, they said.

“Before the 1991 civil war, Somalia was a peaceful country. However, after the dissolution of the central government the entire situation changed,” said Ali Sheikh Abdullai Charge d’Affaires of the Somalian embassy.

“UN peacekeeping forces and international community came in to help our people who were facing civil war and drought. But attacks by armed groups forced them to leave the country. After that no one looked back,” he added.

UNHCR says voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees to proceed

02 Apr – Source: News24/Xinhua – 154 words

The UN refugee agency said Tuesday the planned voluntary repatriation of Somali refuges living in Dadaab refugee camp will go ahead.

Head of Operations at the UNHCR sub-office in Dadaab, Ahmed Warsame stressed that repatriation will be “voluntary” with those who chose to remain behind continuing to receive assistance from the agency and other humanitarian agencies based at the camp.

“The laws regards refugees are very clear and like anybody else their rights must be protected,” Warsameh said in Garissa when handing over vehicles to the Garissa County.

“Only refugees who are willing to go back home voluntarily are the ones who will be taken back. Nobody will be forced to go back home,” the UNHCR official added.

In late November, Secretary of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government Joseph Ole Lenku ordered the closure of all refugee camps in the country, increasing the pressure on Somali refugees to depart for their home country.

IOM Trains Officials, NGOs in Aid to Human Trafficking Victims in Puntland, Somalia

01 Apr – Source: IOM – 313 words

IOM, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Women’s Development and Family Affairs (MoWDFA), has organized a training in Puntland, Somalia on assistance to and referral of victims of human trafficking.

The training targeted 53 participants from international and local NGOs, Puntland ministries and UN agencies involved in protection issues, including gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection. “Human trafficking is a social problem that needs to be urgently addressed in Puntland.

MoWDFA supports and will continue to collaborate with partners to implement referral mechanisms and standard operating procedures (developed by IOM) to help victims,” said Ms. Amina Mohamoud Noor, Director of Child Protection at MoWDFA.

“The government of Puntland and MoWDFA will make sure that strong coordination among different actors is observed in the process of using this referral instrument established (to help) victims of trafficking,” said MoWDFA Minister Mr. Anisa Haji.

Puntland is a transit route for migrants from the Horn of Africa and the studies conducted by IOM indicate that trafficking of migrants is a major concern.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Kenya-Somalia cooperation should be guided by a common post-al Shabaab vision. The group’s capacity has been significantly degraded, but they are not yet done. A combination of African troops under AMISOM and the Somali National Army has pushed the group from most of their territories. This combined momentum against the group could potentially turn the tide and presents an opportunity for peace and stability in Somalia.”

Kenya and Somalia must work together on post al Shabaab security

02 Apr – Source: African Arguments – 903 words

Last week’s attack on a Likoni church in the coastal city of Mombasa, and the subsequent Eastleigh blast in Nairobi, are grim reminders of the precarious state of Kenya’s security. If the current situation is not judiciously handled, it could easily be exploited and then morph into a sectarian conflict.

Kenya’s handling of the war on terror and, broadly, its fight against al Shabaab provide clues for a better understanding of the Likoni church attack and the recent escalation of violence in Kenya.

For al Shabaab – the alleged perpetrator of the Likoni attack – just like al Qaeda, there is a logic to targeting places of worship. They intend to drive a wage between faiths and ignite a conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims. Al Qaeda did it in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt and Mali.

At the national level, however, Kenya is playing into al-Shabaab’s hands. In 2012, a year after the intervention in Somalia, a draconian anti-terrorism bill was passed. Kenyan law enforcement has used the bill as a blank check against any communities that it does not entirely trust – especially Kenyan Somalis. While marginalization of Somalis is nothing new, the new law provides a degree of legitimacy for it.

“Despite the military gains against al Shabaab inside Somalia, which are expected to continue, and the internal security measures taken in neighbouring countries, a more permanent solution to the al Shabaab threat is likely to remain elusive for some years. This is because the return of peace and stability to Somalia is intimately linked to its economic and political rehabilitation, which will take many years to achieve. In the meantime, we continue to believe that al Shabaab will remain a significant threat to stability within Somalia, and that there is a continuing likelihood of further attacks in neighbouring countries in the region.”

Growing risk of an al Shabaab backlash

01 Apr – Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit – 704 words

The UN special representative for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has warned of an increased regional threat of attacks from Somalia’s main Islamist insurgent group, al Shabaab. This threat of a backlash comes as Somali government forces and troops deployed under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have made significant progress in their offensive against the militant group.

In Kenya and Uganda security has been tightened, but further terrorist attacks on international targets remain likely. Mr Kay’s comments were made on March 24th in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, after a briefing of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) on the continuing joint military operation in central and southern Somalia.

The AU meeting was told that alâ€‘Shabab ceded control of eight strategic towns in March to government forces and their Amisom allies in the regions of Bay, Bakool, Gedo, Shabeellaha Dhexe and Shabeellaha Hoose, a military advance described by Mr Kay as the “most significant and geographically extensive” since Amisom was created in 2007.

Although in many places al Shabaab fighters retreated without a fight, fierce clashes between Islamist militia and Ethiopian Amisom forces left ten men dead from the opposing sides in a village in the Galguduud region on March 25th.

With British, Japanese, US, EU, Qatari and Turkish support Somalia is already doing well, but in order for Somalia to achieve its overall goals it must diversify even further and seek alliances and friendships wherever else it can.

Somali Foreign Policy: Here, there and everywhere

1 Apr – Source: Hiiraan Online – 2277 words

What made him think he was an Arab some asked? Another, a Nigerian teacher in London, hastily put down the Somali leader and his entourage, including the Foreign Minister’s presence at a Pan Arab gathering to the belief that Somalis have always felt “superior” to their brothers in the continent and have aligned themselves with Arab interests over African ones.

Been one of two Somalis at the event and alone in my respect and admiration for the nation, any rational argument I put forward would have been to no avail. So I found many polite reasons to quietly leave. The idea that Somalis feel more Arab than African is open to debate.

What is not though is the fact that Somalis are of mixed heritage and many of them have strong links to the Arab peninsula and Arab nations as a whole. One of the primary reasons why Somalia first sought an alliance with the Muslim Arabic states was the way it’s so called African brothers, ironically hell bent on promoting pan Africanism, treated it after independence.

Top tweets

@amisomsomalia Somalis can now enjoy social pastimes and sports which had been banned under the Shabaab’s draconian rule #Somalia pic.twitter.com/I9RhjtYgEZ.

@AFPAfrica #Somalia government and @amisomsomaliamake gains but Shebab defiant: the “war is far from over”http://news.yahoo.com/somalia-government-makes-gains-shebab-defiant-055201557.html …

@SolheimDAC #Puntland – the mother of #Somalia federalism! Good meeting with minister of Planning Ali Ahmed Fatah. Focus on better national dialogue.

@UNDPSomalia RT from our friends at @WFP – A green#Somalia! Images like this get us excited! #Somalia pic.twitter.com/4NLAREnptW.

@PedroAtState THese are some amazing pics of Somali fishermen and #Mogadishu. Big catches for fishermen in Somalia http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2014/04/big-catches-for-fishermen-in-somalia/ … #Somalia.

Follow the conversation →

Image of the day

Image of the day Forensic teams search for evidence Tuesday (April 1st) at the scene of a bomb blast in Eastleigh, Nairobi. Photo: Sabahi Online.