December 3, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Djibouti defense minister visits AMISOM troops in Beledweyne

02 Dec – Source: Garowe Online/Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online – 98 word

The Defense Minister of the Republic of Djibouti Mr. Abdulkadir Mohamed Kamil visited African Union forces (AMISOM) stationed in Beledweyne town in central Somalia on Sunday. Minister Kamil was accompanied by Djiboutian army commander Gen. Zakarie Sheikh Ibrahim and held meetings with AMISOM commanders and Somali local officials in Beledweyne, the provincial capital of Hiiraan region in central Somalia.

Key Headlines

38 killed in Galgadud clashes (Bar-Kulan)
Somalia’s Interior Defense Ministers visit former al Shabaab bastions (Shabelle)
Djibouti defense minister visits AMISOM troops in Beledweyne (Garowe Online)
AU peacekeepers hit by roadside bomb in southern Somalia (Shabelle)
Puntland government bans foreign fishing vessels in Puntland waters (Garowe Online)
EAC defers S.Sudan Somalia admission requests (IPP Media)

SOMALI MEDIA

Another roadblock removed on the outskirt of Mogadishu

02 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan/Shabelle – 75 words

The Somali government has on Sunday overrun a roadblock at Ex-Control Afgoye junction where motorists were allegedly extorted by gunmen manning it. Speaking at a press conference in Mogadishu, area Somali forces commander Ahmed Yare said that n accordance with the directives from the president, they have removed the roadblock at Ex-Control Afgoye junction on the outskirt of Mogadishu.

Somalia’s Interior, Defense Ministers visit former al Shabaab bastions

02 Dec – Source: Shabelle/Mareeg Online/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Bar-kulan – 103 words

A high-level joint delegation headed by Abdihakim, Hajji Fiqi, the Defence Minister and Abdikarim Hussein Guled, the Interior Minister of Somalia have paid a surprise visit to the southern port city of Marka and Bal’ad, former al Shabaab bastions. The Minister of Defense, A/hakim Haji Fiqi visited front lines, in particular near Jowhar district which Somali national forces, together with AMISOM captured last month.

38 killed in Galgadud clashes

02 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan – 93 words
At least 38 people have been killed on Saturday in a fight between pastoralist communities at Tulo-Marer, approximately 100km east of Dusamareb district, Galgadud region, according to Himan and Heb president Mohamed Abdullahi Adan who spoke to Bar-kulan. Adan said they managed to mediate between the rival clan militias ,saying that they have deployed their forces at the scene of the fight to keep law and order. The Himan and Heb president warned against politicizing the fight adding that they have contacted both sides and pursued them to start dialogue.

Djibouti defense minister visits AMISOM troops in Beledweyne

02 Dec – Source: Garowe Online/Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online – 98 word

President Mahamud returns home

30 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Mareeg Online/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mogadishu – 77 words

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud jetted back into the country from Addis Ababa, where he held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.On arrival, the president and his delegation was received by Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and Speaker of the National Assembly Prof. Jawari among other senior Government officials. The president and his delegation left the country last Monday to Djibouti and later proceeded to Ethiopia as part of his tour to neighbouring countries.

AU peacekeepers hit by roadside bomb in southern Somalia

02 Dec – Source: Shabelle – 95 words

A convoy of African Union peacekeepers known as AMISOM has been hit by a roadside bomb as their convoy was moving along a street in the Somalia’s seaside Marko city, witnesses said Sunday. Eyewitnesses told Shabelle Media that the blast had caused serious damage to an AU convoy carrying mainly Ugandan peacekeepers but were not able to say how many had been killed or wounded. Following the blast, the AU forces sealed off the scene and opened fire, causing an unconfirmed number of casualties and injuried. .No group has claimed reponsibilty for the attcak.

Expert arrives in Somalia to finalize stadium carpet installation

02 Dec – Source: Somaliweyn/Bar-kulan/Horseed Media – 121 words

The Dutch technical expert Mr. Lex Vander and Somali Football Federation officials including secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab and executive committee member Ali Abdi Mohamed inaugurated the artificial Turf installation process during a small ceremony at the under construction facility on Saturday. Expert Lex Vander arrived in the Somali capital on Friday where secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab and other leading SFF officials received him at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International airport.

Several people fleeing Galgala Mountains

02 Dec – Source: Bar-kulan – 82 words

The Puntland administration has revealed that people are fleeing mountainous area of Galgala where tension created by al Shabaab-linked armed groups has been on the increase. The area’s House of Representative’s Director of Human Rights, Abdiweli Mohamed Abdi said over 450 families have been forced to flee their homes in areas around the trouble-hit Galgala Mountains. The displaced families are now pitching tents in a camp in El-Dahir area, some 90km south of Bosaso town.

Puntland government bans foreign fishing vessels in Puntland waters

01 Dec – Source: Garowe Online – 114 words

Puntland’s Minister of Fisheries Mohamed Farah Adan stated that fishing vessels from neighboring countries have been banned to fish in Puntland waters. Minister Adan said that the Puntland Ministry of Fisheries has banned all fishing vessels that fish in Puntland waters, after a growing number of vessels without proper registration was found in Puntland waters.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali pirates free S. Korea sailors ‘for ransom’

02 Dec – Source: Capital News – 121 words

Four South Korean sailors held hostage by Somali pirates for nearly 19 months were freed Saturday, Seoul’s foreign ministry said after a ransom was reportedly paid for their release. “The four Korean crew members of the MT Gemini have been released,” the ministry said in a statement, adding the sailors were being taken to safety aboard a South Korean navy ship. The release followed an agreement between Singapore firm Glory Ship Management which owns the MT Gemini and the pirates, it said without elaboration.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

EAC defers S.Sudan, Somalia admission requests

02 Dec – Source: IPP Media – 128 words

The East African Community (EAC) Heads of State summit in Nairobi deferred a decision on South Sudan and Somalia’s application to join the five member economic bloc. South Sudan applied for entry into the EAC only months after its independence, last year while Somalia submitted its application in February 2012. In April this year, regional leaders meeting in Bujumbura deferred their decision on the country’s application to November.

Italy court sentences eight Somali pirates: report

01 Dec – Source: AFP – 120 words
An Italian court on Friday sentenced eight Somali pirates to between 16 and 19 years in prison for attempting to hijack an Italian-flagged cargo ship in 2011 after one of Europe’s biggest piracy trials.
The crew of the Montecristo locked themselves in the engine room after their ship was boarded by gun-toting pirates off the coast of Somalia. They held out for 24 hours before being rescued by British, Italian and US warships. The eight were found guilty of attempted kidnapping for extortion and illegal possession of firearms, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Amin Amir, the iconic Somali artists was not wrong when he predicted the next four years to be “another four years lost”. Time will tell, but it is almost certain that Hassan Sh. stole the dream from millions of Somalis who dreamed for a better, resourceful, unified and peaceful Somalia.”

The dream that never was

30 Nov – Source: Wardheer News – 850 Words
In less than three months after the presidential election in Somalia, the hope for a peaceful, and a better Somalia seem to be dissipating. While it is still too early to judge, yet the direction the country has taken so far has put the mainstream Somalis in a panic mode. Media reports have confirmed that the security in Mogadishu has gotten worse because of the lack of progress in forming a more effective government.