August 28, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

African Union Troops capture Marka

27 Aug – Source: AMISOM – 340 words
Somalia troops with the assistance of the African Union Mission Troops, have this morning pushed Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists out of Marka, the third-largest port in Southern Somalia. The dawn operation met little resistance as the AMISOM and Somali National Army troops steadily advanced to Shalamboot and established a defensive position there.

Key Headlines

EU foreign police chief visits in Mogadishu (Radio Kulmiye)
Puntland and Galmudug hold security cooperation meeting (Garowe Online)
Kenyan backer of Somalia’s al Shabaab insurgents killed (Daily Nation)
Two injured in a grenade attack at a cafe in Mogadishu (Shabelle)
UPDF to house widows of chopper crash victims (New Vision)

PRESS RELEASE

African Union Troops capture Marka

27 Aug – Source: AMISOM – 340 words

Somalia troops with the assistance of the African Union Mission Troops, have this morning pushed Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists out of Marka, the third-largest port in Southern Somalia. The dawn operation met little resistance as the AMISOM and Somali National Army troops steadily advanced to Shalamboot and established a defensive position there.

Located 90 kilometres south of Mogadishu, Marka has been under the brutal rule of the extremists since November 2008. In recent months, many of the al Shabaab’s top commanders have been fleeing towards the town following a string of defeats by the allied forces. The capture of Marka is also critical for AMISOM future operations to liberate the city of Kismayo, the extremists’ largest source of illicit revenue.

This important achievement comes at a critical time for Somalia as the country’s newly inaugurated Parliament prepares to elect a Speaker and President for the country, and bring to a close 12 years of transitional governments.

AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti, said the capture of Marka would enhance security across Somalia by denying the terrorists a base from which to launch attacks. “AMISOM is committed to supporting the peace process in Somalia and this operation will not only bring relief to the population in Marka, but will also help in the liberation of Kismayo,” he said. “Our aim is to ensure that all the people of Somalia can freely participate in the process of national reconciliation,” he added.

He also urged the population to remain calm and asked for their cooperation as AMISOM continues to consolidate security within the town. This leaves Jowhar, 90 kilometres to the north of Mogadishu, as the last remaining stronghold of the extremists in the regions of Banadir, Lower and Middle Shabelle which comprise Sector 1 of AMISOM area of responsibility.

Since the UN Security Council boosted AMISOM troop numbers to over 17,000, the force has been expanding outside Mogadishu and has helped the Somali government by providing a secure environment and recovering more territory, as well as ensuring law, order and justice.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali, AU forces seize al Shabaab-held towns, surrounded Merca

27 Aug – Source: Mareeg Online/Hiiraan Online/Bar-kulan/Raxanreeb – 102 words

The Somali government forces backed by African Union peacekeeping troops on Monday captured the strategic settlements near the seaside Merca town, 110 Km northwest of Mogadishu from the al Shabaab forces, officials said. “Somali government soldiers and AMISOM peacekeepers who earlier besieged the port city of Merca, have now secured control of the El-wareegow and Kali-cafimad townships, all without a fight,” said a TFG official, who remained under anonymity.

EU foreign police chief visits in Mogadishu

27 Aug – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 93 words

The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Affairs Catherina Ashton met with president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in the capital of Mogadishu. She was talking with the president and prime minister Abdiwali Mohamed Ali Gaas, the president’s office says Ashton had a meeting with the president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to discuss on the current political affairs specially the presidential elections coming next month.

Puntland and Galmudug hold security cooperation meeting

27 Aug – Source: Garowe Online – 107 words

Puntland and Galmudug held a security cooperation meeting at a Galmudug police station on Monday which resulted in the returning of a stolen car. Puntland Governor of Mudug Region Mohamed Yusuf Jama Tigey and Galmudug Deputy Governor Aweys Ali Saeed met in south Galkayo police station on Sunday to discuss how to strengthen security in the region.

Somali troops open fire on IDPs seeking food in Mogadishu,3 killed

27 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 250 words

At least three women were killed when Somali government troops opened fire on Sunday afternoon on hungry civilians at a distribution site in the capital of the famine-stricken country, witnesses said.

“It was carnage. They ruthlessly soldiers opened fire on the people as they were lining for the food dsitribution site in Hodon district in mogadishu, and three women, including elderly, were killed on the spot. Then soldiers took the food and people fled from the camp,” a witness said.

Two injured in a grenade attack at a cafe in Mogadishu

27 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 150 words

Two people seriously injured in a grenade attack at a packed coffee bar in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu on Saturday night.

Most of the victims were said to be civilian people from nearby villages in Hodon district, who came to the place for entertainment. The injured people were taken to Madina hospital in Mogadishu for treatment.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan backer of Somalia’s al Shabaab insurgents killed

27 Aug – Source: New Vision/Daily Nation/The Star – 162 words

Radical Kenyan Muslim cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed, who was on US and UN sanction lists for allegedly supporting al Shabaab was shot dead on Monday, his wife said. “A car behind us aimed at my husband, they shot him on the right side,” said his widow Haniya Said, screaming in grief after the shooting in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Witnesses said the car was riddled with bullets. A photograph released by his supporters showed his bloody corpse slumped behind the wheel of a car.

UPDF to house widows of chopper crash victims

27 Aug – Source: New Vision – 300 words

President Yoweri Museveni has directed that the widows and orphans of the helicopters crash victims should continue staying in the UPDF quarters until arrangements are made to relocate them.
Museveni issued the directive on Saturday when he met the widows and orphans at the State House, Entebbe.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia’s al Shabaab lose control of Merca port to army

27 Aug – Source: BBC/AP – 105 words

Somali pro-government forces say they have taken control of the port of Merca from al Shabaab militants. The port is some 70km (45 miles) south of Mogadishu, which the Islamists were forced to leave last year. “There was some fighting, but not so heavy,” said a spokesman for the African Union mission in Somalia, adding that most al Shabaab fighters had already left the port.

Horn Petroleum’s Somali wells come up dry

27 Aug – Source: Reuters – 153 words

Canadian oil and gas exploration company Horn Petroleum said on Monday it had encountered only water in a well it drilled in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region earlier this year, the first to be sunk in the country since civil war erupted two decades ago. The well, Shabeel North-1, reached a total depth of 3,945 metres and is now being plugged, Horn said.

Kenyan banks target Ethiopia and Somalia expansion

27 Aug – Source: Ventures News – 149 words

Ethiopia and Somalia offer the best opportunities for Kenyan banks seeking acquisition and partnership deals, made possible by high capital reserves and a desire to expand across the five-member East Africa Community (EAC). Several commercial Kenyan banks are keenly eyeing opportunities in these new growth markets, according to the Kenya Bankers Association chief executive officer Habil Olaka.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“…the 30% is a devaluation of her toilsomely earned position inside and outside the country. This is not to say that 30% quota is the end of the road for Somali women. While this is a fair start, enormous tasks await: of demystifying her role by rewriting Somali history from a female perspective; identifying the political and social challenges around gender imbalances most importantly clan and armed conflicts; addressing popular culture and literature in order to create a new vocabulary necessary to reconstruct female identity. This will help boost Somali young women’s sense of self- esteem enabling the new generation and hence Somalia a confident start.”

The remaking of Somalia’s history: a way forward with women and justice

27 Aug – Source: Wardheer News -1587 Words

Somalia has come to a cross road; so far encouraging news has come out of the country that became synonymous with death and destructions for as far as our memories stretch. However, it seems that the fragile security would continue to overshadow political developments. New parliamentarians who were meant to be sworn in (Halene – formerly known as Bootiko) were taken instead to the airport, reminding us of the delicate peace in Somalia and the need to be inventive in problem solving.