August 11, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
AMISOM Confirms Killing 98 Militants In Hiiraan Region Offensive
11 August – Source: Wacaal Media – 128 Words
AMISOM forces in Hiiraan region have reportedly killed up to 98 members of Al-shabaab in an offensive in Hiiraan region, officials have confirmed. Speaking to the local media, head of the missions sector 4 Col. Abdirahman Dhimbil said the militants were killed in aerial raids in Booko settlement. Abdirahman said they recorded success in operations in the region after dislodging the militants from key towns in the region such as Buq-aqable, Halgan and Moqokori located to the West of Baladweyne. He noted that the militants were now regrouping in the rural areas including Galhareeri and Harardheere but the two locations were in the radar of the combined forces as well. His sentiments come a day after the militants targeted the combined forces in suicide attack after losing control of Buq-aqable.
Key Headlines
- AMISOM Confirms Killing 98 Militants In Hiiraan Region Offensive (Wacaal Media)
- President Of South-West State To Meet With Elders Of Newly Captured Diinsoor Town (Goobjoog News)
- Ethiopian War Planes Hit Al-Shabaab Targets Near Diinsoor (Wacaal Media)
- Police Killed A Child And Wounded Five Others In Hargeysa (Somali Update)
- Severe Water Shortages In Areas Under Mudug Threatens Lives Of People
- Militants Attack Prison In Central Somalia 2 Killed (Hiiraan Online)
- Coach Back On Toronto Soccer Fields After Surviving Somalia Militant Attack (CBC News)
- Ijara MP Ahmed Abass Wants Kenya Defense Forces Out Of His Constituency (Standard Digital)
- Somali Immigrant Dies After Three Years In CBSA Custody (CTV Canada)
- Young People Have Never Mattered More Than They Do Today (Wardheer News)
- Spotlight On Somali Youth! (UNSOM)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President Of South-West State To Meet With Elders Of Newly Captured Diinsoor Town
11 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 136 Words
The president of South-West state, Shariif Hassan Sheikh Adan is touring some of the newly captured towns and villages in Bay region to oversee the security progress made so far. President Shariif and his delegation is to due visit Diinsoor town that was seized by Somali National Army backed African Union troops several weeks ago. During his trip, the president is accompanied by top officials in his government and some officers in the Somali military. The leader is expected to take meetings with traditional elders, members of civil society and the interim administration of the town, according to closes sources to the president. President Shariif and his delegates have yesterday reached Bardale by a helicopter where they were warmly received by the district administration of Bardale and hundreds of the local residents.
Ethiopian War Planes Hit Al-Shabaab Targets Near Diinsoor
11 August – Source: Wacaal Media – 112 Words
Reports reaching us from Baay region indicate that Ethiopian war planes hit several Al-Shabaab targets in settlements near Diinsoor district in the region. Local residents told Wacaal Media on condition of anonymity that the early morning aerial raids targeted militant bases in Geedweyne settlement, 13KM to Diinsoor town. Top commanders of the militia were reportedly meeting at one of the targeted bases where they were said to be strategizing for attacks on the Diinsoor, a town they recently lost to the combined forces of government and AMISOM. We could not however establish the extent of the damage in the targeted bases. The raids come as the head of the South West State Sharif Hassan Adan was on his way to Diinsoor on Tuesday.
Police Killed A Child And Wounded Five Others In Hargeysa
11 August – Source: Somali Update – 159 Words
Police in Hargeysa have shot and killed an 11-year old child and wounded five others after the police fired at people during a land dispute on Monday. According to the police commissioner in Hargeysa Abdullahi Fadal, the incident was an unfortunate incident after the police clashed with young men who were building a house on a disputed plot of land. “The police ordered us to halt building, but soon they started shooting us.” Mustaf Mohamed, a wounded man at the hospital said. One of the wounded victims was a 15-year old boy who was cycling on a nearby road. The four others were adults, according to Hargeysa General Hospital nurses. The police now said they were investigating the incident and the police officers who were responsible of the shooting. Police in Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia have had a high record of killing civilians when a protest or violence erupts in the community.
Severe Water Shortages In Areas Under Mudug Threatens Lives Of People
11 August – Source : Goobjoog News – 254 Words
Serious water shortage has hit parts of Mudug region forcing many pastoralists to cross other regions to seek water and pasture for their herds, according officials. Ba’aadweyn chief, Mohamed Sa’eed has told Goobjoog News that his locality has been affected by water shortage which killed many animals and forced residents to move with their livestock. “People started moving away with their livestock in search of water from the neighbouring regions” he said. Despite the water shortage in the areas, the locals are also facing lack of health posts and other social amenities in which played very important role in the displacement of the residents. “The area has no health care, learning institutions and other public amenities. People travel to other towns to seek medical treatment,” said Chief Mohamed Sa’eed.
Ba’adweyn locality and its environs are reported to have been struggling with water and food shortages that lead many to shift to other parts of the region. Residents who talked to Goobjoog News have confirmed that there is no aid agency operating in the areas and called for assistance. The horn of Africa country, Somalia has experienced several recurrent droughts which swept away thousands of livestock and left of hundreds Somali people with nothing to eat or drink. The nation has large portion of semi-desert regions which are suitable for grazing making Somalia well-known for its livestock which is the backbone of the country’s economy. However, in the last two decades, Somalia has been handicapped by reaccurant droughts.
Militants Attack Prison In Central Somalia, 2 Killed
10 August – Source: Hiiraan Online – 184 Words
Fighters from Al-Shabaab in Somalia have launched an attack on a prison in central Somali town on Sundaynight in a bid to free suspected militants in the jail, security sources said Monday. Two assailants were killed before troops repelled the attack in Beledweyne town, Hiiraan region where suspected militants carry out infrequent attacks against government and African Union forces. A military official Mohamed Nur Aday told Hiiraan Online that soldiers guarding the prison fought off the militants who tried to storm the prison, and claimed to have killed ‘scores’ of attackers. “Our troops were vigilant to repel the attack because [we] were tipped off about it in advance.” he said. Al-Shabaab could not be reached for comment on the attack. There were no immediate details of casualties among the prisoners in the jail which is the largest in the town. The attack comes as allied Somali and AU forces continue to advance deep into rebel strongholds in Hiiraan region, seizing towns and villages from militants who are are struggling to withstand attacks from the advancing allied troops.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Coach Back On Toronto Soccer Fields After Surviving Somalia Militant Attack
11 August – Source: CBC News – 396 Words
Amid gunfire, Mohamud Hagi Ibrahim jumped from a fourth-floor hotel window in Mogadishu, Somalia, to escape an attack by the militant group al-Shabaab. Today, still bearing injuries suffered in the fall, he’s back on a Toronto-area soccer field, coaching the sport he believes can change the world. Ibrahim — or Coach Khalif to his players — is both a coach and mentor to a team of Somali players competing in the Metro Toronto Soccer Association that he founded in 1990. His players have praised him for not only teaching them the game, but keeping them in school and out of trouble. But after successfully starting the team, Ibrahim was asked to return to Somalia to coach a team.
Despite the political unrest and deadly presence of al-Shabaab, he agreed. Ibrahim, who was a high-level player in Somalia during his youth before turning to coaching, led Benadir Football Club, a local team in the national capital of Mogadishu. His plan was to inspire young men with sport to keep them from turning to al-Shabaab. On the field, his players won several tournaments, and he also headed the football and arts department for Somalia’s national police force. His program helped to shield some children from the influence of al-Shabaab.
“[Al Shabaab] are recruiting the youngest kids — 12, 10 years old,” he said. Militants attacked hotel On March 27, Ibrahim experienced what he was up against. The hotel he was staying at, Maka Almukarrama, was attacked by militants from al-Shabaab. A reported 15 people died in the attack. Ibrahim escaped by leaping from the window moments before militants broke into his hotel room. He survived the jump and was able to make his way to safety, but broke his femur, hip and foot. He recovered in a hotel room in Nairobi, Kenya, where he received a visit from the Canadian ambassador to Kenya, David Angell. It would take a $20,000 fundraising effort to pay for Ibrahim’s medical care and get him back to Toronto. He arrived at Pearson International Airport in a stretcher earlier this summer. Today, he’s still watching the action from a wheelchair, but Ibrahim said he’s doing everything he can to get back out on the field. “Telling is not enough. You have to show,” he said, with a smile.
Ijara MP Ahmed Abass Wants Kenya Defense Forces Out Of His Constituency
10 August – Standard Digital – 284 Words
Ijara MP Ahmed Abass has accused the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) of committing atrocities against civilians in his constituency. Speaking in Hullugho town, Mr Abass linked KDF to the death of four herders in the area this year. The youthful legislator said the KDF officers posted in the border sub-county to protect the locals from external aggression perpetuated by Somali-based terrorists, were turning out to be the biggest enemies of the people. “The KDF soldiers are on a daily basis, rounding up herders before torturing and in some cases killing innocent residents,” he said. He now wants the Government to investigate the kidnapping of two young herders last week whom residents claimed were brutally killed and their bodies burnt. The ODM legislator called for the immediate withdrawal of the officers from his constituency claiming that the officers were of more threat to the people than the Al Shabaab.
“As the area MP, I demand for the immediate relocation of the KDF camp in Hullugho sub-county in my Ijara constituency since they are doing nothing to secure the country from external threats posed by the terrorists,” he said while addressing his constituents who complained of harassment by KDF officers. “The military is treating any person found moving near or inside the Boni Forest as a terrorist,” he said. The MP claimed people in the area are no longer willing to report anything to the security officers for fear of being treated as the first suspects. The lawmaker who donated seven motorbikes to chiefs in his sub-county said the locals had lost confidence in the security personnel, and accused the Government of neglecting chiefs.
Somali Immigrant Dies After Three Years In CBSA Custody
10 August – Source: CTV, Canada – 345 Words
Protesters attempted to deliver a petition to the Ontario government Monday, demanding an inquest into the death of a Somali immigrant. Abdurahman Ibrahim Hassan died on June 11, after three years in the custody of the Canadian Border Services Agency. He had moved to Canada in 1993 with his family but never became a Canadian citizen, due in part to mental health issues. In 2012, he was convicted of assault and sentenced to four months behind bars. He was then transferred to CBSA custody and held in a maximum security prison in Ontario, where he remained for three years until his death.
“We’re here today to demand justice and honour for all the people that have been targeted, criminalized, brutalized and killed by the immigration systems,” Tings Chak, a member of the End Immigration Detention Network, said at Monday’s protest. According to a recent study from the University of Toronto, more than 7,300 migrants were detained in 2013. Roughly 30 per cent are being held in prisons instead of dedicated immigration holding centres. The average national release rate is 15 per cent and detainees in Ontario have the worst chance at getting out, at nine per cent.”Many of these people are people who have simply committed immigration infractions, they do not deserve to be detained in a facility with hardened criminals,” said immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges.
Hassan died at a hospital in Peterborough, Ont. The CBSA initially refused to identify Hassan, saying only that an “adult male detainee” receiving care had “passed away.” Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said Hassan had become “agitated” and died after being restrained by police and medical personnel. By the time of his death, Hassan had been jailed for more than three years. Unlike many Western countries, Canada does not have a limit on how long an immigrant can be detained. The United Nations has demanded Canada adopt a 90-day limit seen in many other countries. Amnesty International has also criticized the indefinite detention limit, calling it “disturbing and alarming.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is ‘youth civic engagement’ – in other words it’s about young people getting involved in politics and social issues – a topic which is close to my heart. I consider myself to be a young person and an active citizen.”
Young People Have Never Mattered More Than They Do Today
10 August – Source: Wardheer News – 786 Words
For me being politically engaged is incredibly important. I come from a country where the majority of the population are below the age of 54, according to the World Bank. With approximately 1.5 million Somalis living abroad – due to the civil war – it is clear that the diaspora play an important role to the country’s survival, with remittances paying for education, healthcare, public infrastructure and much more. As a young Somali woman living in the UK, I have a strong sense of responsibility to give back to a community that has already lost so much. It’s important that young people are involved with social issues, we now make up over half of the world’s population. The role of young people has never been more vital.
The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is ‘youth civic engagement’ – in other words it’s about young people getting involved in politics and social issues – a topic which is close to my heart. I consider myself to be a young person and an active citizen (I’m 23 years old) because I have gone to Africa as a volunteer and I have become involved in a Somali Women’s Network here in the UK. Two summers ago I volunteered for three months in Ghana as part of the International Citizen Service (ICS) scheme, a UK Government funded scheme led by VSO. I worked on the LIFE Project (Local Integration for Empowerment), which encourages people living with disabilities to be involved in their community.
Somali women are the backbone of Somalia as they are involved in every aspect of our community: economy, family life, healthcare, education and much more. It is so important for Somali women to be united, as they are a symbol of hope in a country torn apart by over 24 years of war. I got involved with the Somali Women’s Network here in the UK through my friend and fellow ICS volunteer Ladan Takow. Following her volunteering stint in India she set up the Somali Women’s Network to engage young women in a discussion about education, career choices, politics, justice and other important issues. I got involved with the project by talking to the women about the power of active citizenship and encouraging them to be active in their communities.
“The Federal Government, together with the United Nations and local partners, commit to work for and with young people on new policies and strategies, putting them into leadership roles while empowering them to play active role in shaping their own futures. The nation-wide process uses innovative multidisciplinary approaches to provide youth with vocational skills and decent jobs, offer psychological support and rehabilitation to youth in conflict with law and provide them with quality education and health services.”
SPOTLIGHT ON SOMALI YOUTH!
11 August – Source: UNSOM – 657 Words
12 August marks the International Youth Day, a day reserved to celebrate the role of young people in development and peacebuilding. The engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve sustainable human development, yet often the opportunities for youth to engage politically, economically and socially are low or non-existent. This is why the theme of this year’s edition is “Youth Civic Engagement”. The civic engagement of youth is particularly important in a country like Somalia, with unique political, social, economic and cultural elements and with the majority of population aged under 35 (approximately 81,5% of the population according to the population Estimation Survey 2014, UNFPA Somalia).
Decades of unrest, conflicts and instability left many in the current generation with deep psychological wounds, making them continuously miss out on education, employment and knowing what a stable life without fear is. Participation of young people in decision-making has been challenging due to prominence of elders in the political system. Such conditions force many young people to embark on an often dangerous journey across borders searching for better lives. Those that stay behind are endangered by crime and drugs and are subject to recruitment for radicalism, piracy and armed groups. Young women are particularly disadvantaged, having even less opportunities due to cultural biases and social stigma. Focusing on improving lives of the Somali youth is thus crucial for peace and stability.
Although the situation may sound bleak, Somali youth is not idle, and a lot of positive changes are already undergoing throughout the country. The Somali youth is aware of their right to be educated and right to decent work and show a great level of optimism and drive to get more education and jobs. They want to actively participate in politics and help to rebuild the nation. All they need is a chance to become drivers for peace and stability. The need for change in policies and attitudes, especially in regards to young people, is thus clear. Sustainable and innovative solutions are required in order to include youth in all spheres of the country’s recovery and reconstruction. The Federal Government of Somalia, through its Ministry of Youth and Sports, is at the forefront of various efforts being undertaken to dramatically improve the lives of the Somali Youth. Creating a comprehensive multisector response in the form of a National Youth Policy will guide youth-focused interventions and help young men and women contribute to peace and stability in the country.
TOP TWEETS
@MinisterMOFA: Discussing upcoming economic & investment conference between #Somalia & #UAE with H.E. Dr. Anwar Gargash.
@SomaliaNewsroom:Traditional elders will pick the Southwest admin’s regional assembly members in the next monthhttp://www.mareeg.com/
@Abdi_AlSheikh:Survivor of Somalia hostage-taking helps girl who survived brutal attack – The Globe and Mailhttp://dlvr.it/BpfzvG #Somalia
@Abdikarim_Abdi3:Later this month, #Mogadishu will be hosting its first ever literary festival – the Mogadishu International Book Fair @MogBF #Somalia
@NajmaYalahow:Check it out their website for more information on keynote speakers & authors .http://www.mogadishubookfair.
@SalahOsman0 :Coach back on Toronto soccer fields after surviving #Somalia militant attack in#Mogadishu http://www.hiiraan.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
DSRCC Lydia Wanyoto Mutende takes part in a ceremony at the of a one week induction course for 140 strong contingent of the Ugandan police under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).