December 5, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Mortar attack in Mogadishu’s Warta Nabadda district
05 Dec – Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Risaala/Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online – 122 words
Al Shabaab fighters on Tuesday night fired several mortars at residential areas near the Somali presidential palace, Villa Somalia. Some of the residents closer to the palace said that the mortars were coming from different sides and seemed to have caused damages to the civilians areas.
At least five mortars landed in Wardhigley and Bondhere districts where one of the mortars hit a refugee camp near the area causing the injury of unknown numbers of people. There are no comments from al Shabaab regarding night mortar attack. The attack comes while the somali government claims that it tightened the security of Mogadishu.
Key Headlines
- Somali president set to meet his Turkish counterpart in Ankara (Radio Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Jowhar Online/Radio Kulmiye)
- Mortar attack in Mogadishu’s Warta Nabadda district (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Risaala/Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online)
- Djibouti to help Somalia improve National Security Service (Shabelle)
- Somali pirates jailed for attack on Italian oil tanker (Reuters)
- Somali Traffic Police Boss injured (Radio Risaala/Radio Dalsan)
- Kenya Police recover grenades near border with Somalia (Coast Week/Xinhua)
- Somali forces to launch massive anti-al Shabaab operation (Radio Galkacyo)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali president set to meet his Turkish counterpart in Ankara
05 Dec – Source: Radio Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Jowhar Online/Radio Kulmiye – 82 words
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia is expected to hold talks with his host Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gül in Ankara on Wednesday, reports say. The two leaders are set to discuss a range of issues including strengthening the ties between their countries, and ways in which Turkey can play a leading role in boosting security, military and economy of Somalia.
President Mohamud is also expected to meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan and several other senior Turkish government officials on Thursday. The president’s trip to Turkey came after he received an official invitation from his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gül, making the first trip outside Africa.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fauzia Yussuf Hajji, Defence Minister Abdikarin Mohamoud Fiqi and Finance and National Planning Minister Mohamoud Hassan Saleban are among the president’s delegation in Turkey. It is the first time the president has travelled to Turkey since he was voted into office early last September.
Mortar attack in Mogadishu’s Warta Nabadda district
05 Dec – Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Risaala/Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online – 122 words
Al Shabaab fighters on Tuesday night fired several mortars at residential areas near the Somali presidential palace, Villa Somalia. Some of the residents closer to the palace said that the mortars were coming from different sides and seemed to have caused damages to the civilians areas.
At least five mortars landed in Wardhigley and Bondhere districts where one of the mortars hit a refugee camp near the area causing the injury of unknown numbers of people.
There are no comments from al Shabaab regarding night mortar attack. The attack comes while the somali government claims that it tightened the security of Mogadishu.
Djibouti to help Somalia improve National Security Service
05 Dec – Source: Shabelle – 135 words
Dayib Dubad Rooble, Djiboutian ambassador to Somalia said Wednesday that his government will help Somalia rebuild and improve the National Security Service(NSA), to bring an end to the current insecurity.
While speaking to Shabelle Media Network, the ambassador called on the people of Somalia tto ake the current opportunity and support the newly formed federal republic government led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in order to restore peace and stability.
“I wish Somalia to get back soon to its glorious days. We see that the country has come from conflict, transition and now goes to a federal government with a constitution and on reconstruction course,” he said. Djibouti has sent hundreds of its soldiers to serve in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) force in the country and help in war on al Shabaab.
Somali Traffic Police Boss injured
05 Dec – Source: Radio Risaala/Radio Dalsan – 82 Words
Somali Traffic Police boss Ali Hersi Barre Ali Gaab was on Wednesday injured by another government officer. Ali Gaab was said to have been injured while wrestling to take possession of a gun from another officer.
As reports indicate, the traffic boss was injured on the right foot and was admitted to Darul Shifaa hospital in Mogadishu where he is receiving treatment. He refused to address a group of journalists who visited him at the hospital.
Somali forces to launch massive anti-al Shabaab operation
04 Dec – Source: Radio Galkacyo – 111 words
Somalia’s National Armed forces in collaboration with AU troops have pledged to flush out remnants of al Shabaab from lower Shabelle Region, southern Somalia.
Speaking to media in Marka town, Governor of Lower Shabelle Region Abidqadir Muhammad Sidii, said that his administration has mobilized troops alongside AMISOM (African Union’s Mission in Somalia) to initiate a massive operation against al Shabaab, particularly along the road connecting Lower Shabelle and Mogadishu.
Somalia’s Interior and National Security Minister survived an al Shabaab attack on 3 December when his convoy was attacked near Marka town, southern Somalia.
Transfer of Somali Prisoners from Seychelles to Somaliland and Puntland
04 Dec – Source: Raxanreeb – 193 words
The first of two transfer flights of Somali prisoners back to Somaliland and Puntland successfully took place, Monday, 3 December 2012. A total of nine prisoners have been repatriated to serve the rest of their sentences back in their homeland.
An extensive prison capacity programme funded through the UNODC Counter Piracy Programme has been progressing well in Somalia, allowing more prisoners to be flown out of the Seychelles in the coming months.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Kenya Police recover grenades near border with Somalia
05 Dec – Source: Coast Week/ Xinhua – 597 words
Kenya’s security officer in northern region’s Mandera town on Tuesday recovered two hand grenade abandoned by Somali militia believed to have crossed from the Somali border town of Bula-Hawa.
The Somali border town which closely neighbors Mandera was on the weekend invaded and briefly taken by members of the insurgent Somali militant group al Shabaab after dislodging the Somali soldiers.
The militants however lost control after confronted by regrouped Somali government forces in the attack which left several people injured. The three assailants who the security intelligent believes were planning to carry out an attack on unknown facilities escaped.
UN: Somali aid crisis ‘critical’ but chance for change
04 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 304 words
The humanitarian crisis in Somalia remains “critical” but there is hope for improvement after major security and political changes in the war-torn country, United Nations officials said Tuesday.
Speaking at the launch of a $1.3 billion appeal to support 3.8 million Somalis in the year ahead — meaning about half the country is in need — officials noted it was the first time such an project was launched in longtime warzone capital.
“The humanitarian situation in Somalia remains critical,” said Stefano Porretti, acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, adding that the situation remains one of the largest crises in the world.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali pirates jailed for attack on Italian oil tanker
05 Dec – Source: Reuters – 129 words
Eleven Somali men who attacked an Italian oil tanker in January were each jailed for three and a half years on Tuesday after a Rome court convicted them of piracy and attempted kidnapping, officials at the hearing said. The group opened fire on the tanker Valdarno from a dhow about 250 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, Italy’s defence ministry said.
The tanker’s crew managed to evade the attack. Soon after, Italian marines working with NATO’s Ocean Shield anti-piracy mission arrived on a helicopter and arrested the Somalis, together with 10 Yemeni crew, the ministry added.
Pirates operating in the Arabian Sea and off the east coast of Africa have preyed on international shippers, raking in millions of dollars in ransom payments. Several Italian ships have been captured.
Shelter ‘key to rebuilding Somalia lives’ says UNHCR
04 Dec – Source: Reliefweb – 341 words
“Shelter is the key to rebuilding the lives and dignity of displaced Somalis,” UNHCR Somalia Representative Bruno Geddo said today as the 2013 Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for Somalia was presented to the Somali Federal Government in Mogadishu.
The UNHCR led Emergency Shelter Cluster needs USD 72 million to provide Somalis displaced by drought and conflict with shelter and emergency assistance packs in 2013. The Shelter Cluster is targeting three quarters of a million internally displaced people (IDPs) who are still living in crisis.
“We aim to give 750,000 people in need Emergency Assistance Packages (EAPs), including transitional shelter kits to over 250,000 people. Without the foundation that shelter provides, the level of protection we can offer is reduced. The ability to cope with ongoing nutrition and health issues is diminished and it is more difficult to improve sanitation at internally displaced people’s settlements,” Geddo said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Through the rough times, Somalia still proves that no matter what hurdle, they will overcome. Today that perspective still shines from a nation that is on its way to totally rebuilding itself.”
Striving for a new Somalia
05 Dec – Source: All Things Mediterranean Blog – 825 Words
Nadra Osman has lived on the North side of Chicago since 1995, and recalls making the journey from the country of Somalia vividly. “I was only 16, and I was so scared yet really excited. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew anything was better than where I was before,” said Osman.
Nadra made the journey with her aunts and sisters, and immigrated from a war torn country. Like most immigrant stories, for a better life. She left her mother, youngest sister and grandfather behind. Being the oldest of four, she understood the reasoning behind the move.
“I was old enough to know that our home wasn’t safe anymore, granted it was all we were accustomed to, but I would over hear my mom talking about how it was time for us to leave. We didn’t know where we were going, but when she said to America, I remember dreaming about it for weeks. We couldn’t wait,” said Osman.
Traditional Dance in Mogadishu
04 Dec – Source: Civil Expression Blog – 60
It was the first in three years that this traditional festival, from middle Shabelle, was held in Bondhere district of Mogadishu. Alshabaab’s strict rules banned such as a festivals and traditional gatherings until they were forced out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeepers last year (photography by Feisal Omar).
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia #Mogadishu Airport; A hive of activity.http://bit.ly/TIQufF
@OCHASom Coverage Somalia CAP 2013-2015http://sfy.co/cBcz #storify.
@Aynte In another sign of things improving in #Somalia,#UN holds annual appeal in #Mogadishu, 1st time in 2 decades http://wapo.st/QEdBKR.
@ActForSomalia #Somalia can become a very fine place to live if we utilise the God gifted resources we have in our land.pic.twitter.com/JqZtRjkk.
@MarkC_Anderson #Somalia: 2012 global #corruptionrankings by @anticorruption list #Mogadishu as world’s most corrupt government http://bit.ly/WIsee9.
@UNOCHA #Somalia: new $1.3 billion appeal aims to help 3.8 million people deal with famine & drought over the next 3 years – http://buzz.mw/-SfL_y.
Image of the day
A Somali woman performing a traditional dance, first time in 3 years, at a street in Mogadishu’s Bondhere district on, December 4 2012. Civil Expression Blog/Feisal Omar.