February 14, 2018 | Morning Headlines
One Killed In Inter-Government Forces Fight In Mogadishu
13 February – Source: Radio Shabelle – 145 Words
A fight has erupted between Somalia’s security forces established for disarming within the city of Mogadishu and armed military officers in Dharkenley district on Tuesday. The confrontation broke out after the newly formed Mogadishu Stabilization unit forces tried to disarm military soldiers in an area near Ex-control Afgoye checkpoint. The military personnel resisted the order and it has led to the fight between the two sides, according to the eyewitnesses who spoke to reporters by phone. At least soldier lost his life in the clash while six others from both sides have sustained wounds in the gunfight.
Residents said the fighting was terrifying. Somali security officials are yet to comment on the battle between the troops within Somali armed forces. The weak UN-backed government is now battling the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but many members of its security forces are badly trained and coordination is poor.
Key Headlines
- One Killed In Inter-Government Forces Fight In Mogadishu (Radio Shabelle)
- Government Sends Team To Evacuate Somalis From Libya (Radio Dalsan)
- The Mayor of Mogadishu Launched An Adult Education Campaign For Women In The Capital City Of Mogadishu (Jowhar.com)
- AU Peace Support Operations Division Delegation Visits Somalia (AMISOM)
- This Women’s Somali Basketball Team Is Winning By Breaking The Rules (Kulturehub)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Government Sends Team To Evacuate Somalis From Libya
13 February – Source: Radio Dalsan – 150 Words
A Somali government delegation has been sent to the Libyan capital Tripoli, to secure a safe return of Somalis trapped in the North African country told reporters. The delegation led by the Somali Ambassador to the European Union Dr. Ali Said Faqi. Also, part of the delegation which is housed at the Somali Embassy in Libya is the Commissioner of Refugees and IDPs Mr. Ahmed Nur. Two months ago President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo personally ordered the then Foreign Affairs minister Yusuf Garad to facilitate the repatriation of hundreds of Somali migrants allegedly enslaved in Libya following shocking reports of slavery in the country.
Ambassador Faqi had two weeks to submit a report on the Somalis in Libya and recommendations on the way forward. Graphic photos and videos of Somalis tortured in smugglers camps outraged the public back in Somalia. Other African countries including Nigeria have successfully returned their nationals back.
The Mayor of Mogadishu Launched An Adult Education Campaign For Women In The Capital City Of Mogadishu
13 February – Source: Jowhar.com – 244 Words
The Mayor of Mogadishu & Governor of Benadir Regional Administration (BRA), Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng. Yarisow), launched this evening an Adult Education Program to fight illiteracy and ignorance in the capital city of Mogadishu. The launching ceremony took place in the Bondhere District of the capital city of Mogadishu.
The Adult Education literacy program is planned to run until all residents of the capital city of Mogadishu, are able to read and write, and it will be implemented in all districts of Benadir Region. Mayor Yarisow emphasized, the importance of improving the literacy and writing skills of adults, in particular women who had no opportunity or the time to attend formal education.
Mayor Yarisow stated that: “This program is part of my administration’s plan to eradicate ignorance, and to uplift the standard of our people by improving their reading and writing skills, and this is really important for our society. We believe that education is the foundation for developing the country, and we also believe that education is the foundation for attain permanent development”.
The Mayor of Mogadishu, Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng. Yarisow) noted that the country is going through different stages of progress, especially in politics, and since in the next elections one person and one vote will be implemented, it is therefore vital to have people that are able to read and write which is why we have initiated this campaign early to improve the knowledge of the people and their social skills.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AU Peace Support Operations Division Delegation Visits Somalia
13 February 2018 – Source: AMISOM – 539 Words
A delegation from the African Union Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD) is in Somalia to assess peacekeeping activities as the transfer of responsibilities from AMISOM to Somali national security forces begin to take shape. During its four-day stay in Somalia, the 10-man delegation will hold discussions with top officials from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the Federal Government of Somalia and Ambassadors of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs).
The discussions will focus on a wide range of issues among them peacekeeping activities, achievements made and challenges being experienced in securing Somalia and transfer of responsibilities to Somali national security forces among others. Today, the delegation led by Maj. Gen Francis Okello, the Chief of Plans and Operations in the PSOD, held discussions with representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia, led by Abdisaid Ali, the National Security Advisor to the President.
The meeting held at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu was also attended by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira. Speaking after the closed-door meeting Ambassador Madeira explained that the delegation is in the country on a routine assessment mission. “They have very specific objectives to see how we are working, what our challenges are; what are our relations with our hosts and how we plan for the transition,” the SRCC said.
He noted that the delegation had frank discussions with the Federal Government of Somalia officials on issues focusing on peace and stability. “We had the opportunity to speak frankly about the challenges we are facing; coordination activities; how to enhance interaction and unity, and particularly the political atmosphere and movement between us,” Ambassador Madeira observed.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Suad’s project has been received quite positively, with an increase in the number of young girls between the ages 8-18 expressing interest in the sport.”
This Women’s Somali Basketball Team Is Winning By Breaking The Rules
13 February – Source: Kulturehub – 395 Words
“Ball is life” isn’t only applicable to hoop heads of America, it’s a lifestyle reaching basketball fans who’ve made the same commitment until the final buzzer of every game across the entire world. Women In the World recently featured Suad Glow, founder of the Somali Women Foundation. Suad has been openly addressing the unjust treatment of countries like UAE and Somalia where women are prevented from participating sports by extremist militant groups, like
Al-Shabaab, who have taken the country into their own reigns and forced it to play by their rules. Growing up in Mogadishu, Somalia, Suad found her love for basketball at a young age. During the 1980s, she was captain of the Somali Women’s National Basketball Team. This granted her a scholarship (which would later turn out to be a one way ticket) to the University of the District of Columbia in Washington D.C.
She would not return to Somalia for 20 years. In 1991, the Somali Civil war broke, leading to the collapse of the central government. Needless to say, very few women were willing to risk their lives over a sport. But Suad wasn’t having it. Visiting her home country two decades later, she began working on developing the first “Somali Federal Women’s Basketball Tournament,” bringing together different team members from different Somali cities and states, as well as the United States and Canada. The project involved 192 employed girls and young women to come on board.
A year later, Suad wanted to bump it up a notch recruiting Somali natives for the All Arab Games. But religious fanatics decided that it wasn’t feasible for women to compete, regardless of whether or not they were wearing the hijab. But, as we discussed, ball is life. This wasn’t enough to stop some athletes from fulfilling their heart’s desires. Suad’s project has been received quite positively, with an increase in the number of young girls between the ages 8-18 expressing interest in the sport.
Now, Suad is aiming to get the Somali Women’s National Basketball Team into the international league by winning the “4th Arab Women’s Sports Tournament in Dubai.” The simple act of competing is a gain for the Somali Women National Basketball Team, but their wins will keep coming as long as they let their passion guide them and their love of the sport. We’re rooting for these brave ladies!