February 19, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
26 Members Of Al-Shabaab Nabbed In NISA Operation
19 February – Source: Wacaal Media – 131 Words
The National Security and Intelligence Agency – NISA yesterday arrested up to 300 suspects in a successful operation in two Mogadishu neighborhoods. Addressing the media as the operation gained momentum in Heliwa and Yaqshiid districts of Mogadishu, Banadir regional administration’s spokesman Abdifatah Halane said out of the 300 arrested, 26 admitted to being m embers of the terror group Al-shabaab. “The operation has been successful and we can comfortably say we have today dismantled Al-shabaab terror cells in Mogadishu. We will not rest until we clear Banadir region of UGUS and their remnants” said Halane. Mayor of Mogadishu and Banadir regional commissioner Yussuf Hassan Jimale and senior NISA officials were on site to coordinate the operations. Officials thanked members of the public for their collaboration with security agencies during the exercise.
Key Headlines
- 26 Members Of Al-Shabaab Nabbed In NISA Operation (Wacaal Media)
- Somali Premier Lays Foundation Stone For A New Prison In Mogadishu (Goobjoog News)
- EU Puntland Launch Key Livestock Development Project In Garowe (Wacaal Media)
- Somali President Offers Condolences to Turkey’s Erdoğan Following Terrorist Attacks in Ankara (Somali Update)
- KDF Kills 53 Al-Shabaab Terrorists (Daily Nation)
- Kenyan Police Nab Student On Way To Join Islamic State (Xinhua)
- Life At Mogadishu’s Largest Orphanage (TRT World)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Premier Lays Foundation Stone For A New Prison In Mogadishu
19 February – Source: Goobjoog News – 105 Words
Somali prime minister Omar Abdirashid on Thursday laid the first stone for the construction of a new prison complex In Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. The complex, which will be the first new prison to be built in the country since the fall of Somali central government led late Mohamed Siyad Barre, will cost millions US dollars. This is expected to significantly reduce current overcrowding in Mogadishu’s jails. In addition to the prison, the complex will contain training facilities for prisoners. The event took place at the headquarters of Somali custodial corps during the ceremony the 46th anniversary of formation of the custodial corps.
EU, Puntland Launch Key Livestock Development Project In Garowe
19 February – Source: Wacaal Media – 121 Words
A key livestock development project was yesterday evening commissioned in Garowe, headquarters of Puntland government. The project implemented by the Ministry of Livestock and the European Union was launched at a colorful ceremony attended by top ministry officials led by the Minister and the Permanent secretary, EU officials among other guests. In his address, Livestock Minster Abdijamaal Osman Mohamed thanked the EU for funding the project. He pledged his Ministry’s full commitment to seeing the project to its successful conclusion. Vice Chairman of the Puntland Chamber of Commerce Mohamed Ali Waberi said success of the project will enhance livestock trade and economic development in the semi-autonomous State. Later, senior ministry officials toured the upcoming ministry premises that was still under construction.’
Somali President Offers Condolences to Turkey’s Erdoğan Following Terrorist Attacks in Ankara
18 February – Source: Somali Update – 198 Words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has offered his condolences to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after terror attack in Ankara that left at least 28 people dead and 61 injured. “On behalf of the Somali Federal Republic, I convey my deepest personal sympathies for those killed and injured in this barbaric and heinous attack. The Somali people stand in solidarity with the people of Turkey in the fight against terrorism. We are committed to ensuring that our countries are free from extremists, their supporters and their activities,” said the President.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud added that the world must cooperate and become more organized in defeating the extremist groups, which commit hateful attacks against civilization and humanity. “I fiercely condemn this deadly attack against innocent people. This was an attack on global peace and civilization. We stand together and mourn with our Turkish brothers. I believe the perpetrators will face the iron fist of the justice both here and in the world to come.’’ The President wished a quick recovery for those wounded, and, for those who lost their lives, to rest in eternal peace, and for blessings on those families affected.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
KDF Kills 53 Al-Shabaab Terrorists
19 February – Source: Daily Nation – 384 Words
A Kenya Defence Forces airstrike has killed 53 Al-Shabaab terrorists, including a top commander believed to have been behind the January 15 El-Adde attack in Somalia. The military said the terrorists were killed during an attack on the Nadaris camp in the neighbouring country on February 8. Mahad Mohammed Karatey, aka Mahat Kataey, who was the head of Alamnyat, the Al-Shabaab intelligence wing, was killed together with 10 other middle-level commanders and 42 recruits who had just finished their training.
The Kenyan military spokesman, Colonel David Obonyo, yesterday said Karatey had gone to the Nadaris camp to preside over the passing out of an estimated 80 Alamnyat recruits who had completed their training and were due for deployment to carry out more terrorist attacks. “It is confirmed that 42 recruits were also killed while many others sustained injuries,” Col Obonyo said in a statement. The military yesterday said the 10-day delay in announcing Karatey’s death was due to efforts by informers to positively identify those killed.
After the attack, informers were sent to the area to carry out battle damage assessment and after days of spying, they confirmed that Karatey was among those killed. Alamnyat comprises suicide bombers, assassins, explosive experts and information gatherers, and the killing of the overall commander is a major blow to the terrorist group.
Kenyan Police Nab Student On Way To Join Islamic State
19 February – Source: Xinhua – 479 Words
Kenya’s security officers said Thursday they are interrogating a university student who was arrested while trying to travel to Libya to join Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group. The anti-terrorism police officers said Hassanein Ahmed Basty, a Kenyan, had just completed his first year studying biochemistry at the University of Nairobi when he was arrested on Tuesday while travelling to join the extremist group in Libya. The anti-terrorist police said they have unearthed a syndicate of extremist online recruiters who have been targeting university students to join armed extremist groups in Libya and the Middle East.
“The recruiters lure these youths with the promise of well-paying jobs in foreign countries only for the hapless youth to find themselves forcefully recruited into these extremist groups,” the police said. Security experts say Kenya has been a soft target for terrorist activities since 1998 and the menace has evolved as radical groups from the Horn of Africa infiltrate the country to kill and maim innocent civilians.
They said what has changed and is noticeable for it is the increase in vigilance by the general public and the fact that if they see something that they consider to be suspicious, they are more likely to report it to the police than they were. The police, on their side, the experts said, are becoming more professional in their assessment of potential incidents.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
Life At Mogadishu’s Largest Orphanage
19 February – Source: TRT World – Video: 1:48 Minutes
In Somalia your clan is your protector, your lineage, your identity, and the basic building bloc of the country’s culture. However, after over thirty years of war and violence countless numbers of Somali children are orphans. It’s a status that carries a lot of stigma in a conservative society with strong clan identities.
But there is a space in the country’s capital, Mogadishu, that’s experimenting with an education model arming them with the skill set that they need to fight the stigma of orphanhood. The Anatolia Educational Centre is a place where orphans and non orphans are educated together to the highest standards. The project is fully funded by the Turkish NGO IHH, and implemented by the Zamzam Foundation, a well respected Somali NGO and a local partner of IHH.
What struck me when my team and I visited the Anatolia Education Centre is the energy there. I was greeted by Mr Abdilkadir Hirabe, the Centre’s director general and a former Zamzam staff member. A jovial man, he was clearly proud of what they’ve achieved. All the children are admitted based on how well they do on tests, he told me. The students are taught in four languages: Somali, Turkish, Arabic and English. Simply commanding these four languages will give the children a head start over others.
TOP TWEETS
@khaddarmania: #Somalia: #AlShabab denies #Kenya has killed its spy chief… http://fb.me/3qunz0Ete
@AU_PSD : AU #PSOD briefs #AU‘s partners group on its operations & situation in #Somalia as well as on #MNJTF & #LRA @ #AUHQ
@HuseeinHosny : Security can only become sustainable in Somalia, if supported by an effective Somali national army. #Somalia
@ThielsChristian : #AlShabaab‘s intel chief killed in airstrike in #Somalia, #Kenya sez, calling it “major blow” 2 terror group @cnnbrk http://cnn.it/1KYOrnt
@Zeina_Awad : Our #Somalia special PT1 Life inside #Mogadishu #Orphanage – raising generation as brothers regardless of #clan http://www.trtworld.com/mea/
@Somaliupdate : #Somalia President Deplores Bombing in #Ankara #Turkey, Offers Condolences http://somaliupdate.com/
@roscatha : #KDF #Kenya gives details on death of #AlShabaab leader in #Somalia. Still a dearth of information on #ElAdde. http://www.nation.co.ke/news/
@fqdayib : @TheVillaSomalia Who is responsible for awarding the Albayrak Group 45% of the national revenue from our Mogadishu port? Why? #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
AMISOM has concluded its 2016 Mission Implementation Plan (MIP).
Photo: AMISOM