February 7, 2014 | Morning Headlines.
Kenya: Names of 2 other mall terrorists revealed
06 Feb- Source: AP-292 Words
A senior security official in Kenya on Thursday disclosed for the first time what authorities believe are the names of two previously unidentified gunmen who carried out the attack on a Nairobi mall, killing at least 67 people. The official, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to give the information, told The Associated Press that the two are Ahmed Hassan Abubakar and Yahye Ahmed Osman. No details on the men were made available. Authorities previously revealed the names of two other attackers as Abu Barat Al-Sudani, also known as Mohamed Hassan Dhuhulow, and Mohamed Abdinur Said. Dhuhulow had lived in Norway. The al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the September mall attack, saying it was in revenge for Kenya’s military deployment into Somalia. Police and soldiers responded to the attack, which devolved into a protracted multi-day siege that saw huge explosions and a large part of the mall collapse. All four attackers were believed to be ethnic Somalis.
Key Headlines
- Hormuud halts its mobile internet services in Mogadishu (Radio RBC/Kulmiye/Bar-kulan/Horseed Media)
- Deputy UN Envoy to Somalia visits Kismayo (Bar-kulan)
- Puntland President Juba leader in Mogadishu for state funeral (Radio Mogadishu/Dalsan/Kulmiye/Bar-
kulan/Radio Garowe) - Somaliland interior ministry recruits personnel for registration exercise (Somalilandsun)
- Foreigners among Mombasa mosque chaos suspects (Standard Media)
- Kenya: Names of 2 other mall terrorists revealed (AP)
PRESS RELEASE
AMISOM reiterates Zero Tolerance Policy on Sexual exploitation and Abuse.
06 Feb- Source: AMISOM-392 Words
In line with its mandate, AMISOM Gender Unit continues with its sensitization drive on issues of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to all its personnel in Mogadishu. In the past week the Gender Unit conducted two forums on the prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at the Mission Headquarter in Mogadishu.
The trainings are part of a wide range of activities conducted by AMISOM Gender office. The unit is engaged in strategic gender mainstreaming in all areas of operations and creating awareness among its personnel to ensure the understanding of human rights. In the last week the beneficiaries of this drive included Somali language assistants, AMISOM personnel drawn from military and the civilian component among others working with the mission at the Headquarter.
Speaking during the opening of the forum, AMISOM Chief of Staff from the Civilian component Ambassador Epiphanie Ntamwana Kabushemeye challenged the participants to be ambassadors and ensure prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
“You are all ambassadors of peace. It is in all of us to ensure that we all uphold human rights principles in our course of executing the mission in Somalia.” She said reiterating the resolve of the mission in tackling issues of sexual exploitation and abuse.
AMISOM Gender officer Ms Mane Ahmed on her part appealed to all participants to ensure that the knowledge acquired throughout the training is transferred into their daily operations, especially the AMISOM Zero Tolerance Policy on sexual exploitation.
“The mission has a Zero Tolerance Policy to sexual exploitation and abuse and this is the message I would like to pass on to you and everybody. Sexual abuse has no place in AMISOM and this is something we must all be conscious of,” she said.
Speaking during the closure of the workshop, the Gender officer said the process of awareness creation should be continuous and the knowledge acquired is applied in practice.
The training tackled issues of cultural awareness, all participants were introduced to issues of diversity within the AMISOM mission and discussions held on how to ensure harmonious relations.
The Gender Unit of the African Union Mission in Somalia has also conducted similar trainings of AMISOM uniformed personnel in the various AMISOM sectors in Baidoa, Kismayo and Beletweyne. All AMISOM troops receive extensive pre-deployment training on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse as well as the respect of the Somali culture.
SOMALI MEDIA
Hormuud halts its mobile internet services in Mogadishu
06 Feb- Source: Radio RBC/Kulmiye/Bar-kulan/Horseed Media-130 Words
Hormuud Telecommunication company has suspended its mobile internet services in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu and also resumed its operations in Jubba regions. On mid Thursday, Hormuud internet service was switched off in Mogadishu leaving it’s users in distress since many users of this service depended on daily work. ”We can make phone calls and receive text messages but we can’t access the Internet”, said one of the Residents who relied much more on this service. Al Shabaab has ordered Hormuud and the other telecommunication companies who operate in the regions under their administration to shut down internet services. Last week, al Shabaab militants stormed and closed down Hormuud telephone operation in Jubba regions. The effect of the mobile internet service shut down in the capital is already worrying residents. The federal government of Somalia has so far not commented on the Hormuud’s Internet service shut down in Mogadishu.
Deputy UN Envoy to Somalia visits Kismayo
06 Feb- Source: Bar-kulan-232 Words
Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Fatiha Serour, paid a visit to Kismayo on 5 February, where she met with the Leader of the Interim Jubba Administration (IJA), Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islan Madobe, and members of his cabinet. “I congratulate you on the milestone of setting up your government,” Ms Serour said, adding that there was a need to incorporate more women in the IJA. She thanked the IJA for providing land for an upcoming centre for disengaged combatants in Kismayo, and expressed a desire to move forward with the Jubba reconciliation process. Sheikh Madobe said his government was ready to work with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), the United Nations, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the wider international community to jump start development projects and continue the reconciliation process in his Gedo, Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle. Also part of the meeting was Ali Abtidon Halane, Director General in the FGS’s Ministry of Interior, and members of the IJA cabinet, including General Mohamed Warsame Farah ‘Darwish’, Minister of Interior and Security, Hassan Dahir Yarow, Minister of Health, and Mohamed Nur Iftin ‘Shamabara’, Minister of Planning and International Relations, among others. During her visit, Ms Serour also met with civil society activists, who voiced their concerns on the shortage of support for humanitarian activities such as healthcare, water & sanitation and education in the region.
Puntland President, Juba leader in Mogadishu for state funeral
06 Feb- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Dalsan/Kulmiye/Bar-
The President of Somalia’s northeastern state of Puntland Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday as Somalia prepares to hold state funeral for former Prime Minister. Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed received President Gaas’ delegation that included former Puntland leader Gen. Mohamud Musse Hirsi (Adde Muse), Puntland cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, traditional leaders, politicians and civil society members at Adan Adde International Airport. President Gaas then visited Villa Somalia where he was received Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Meanwhile, a delegation led by Juba administration interim leader Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islan ‘Madobe’ has also arrived in the capital to attend the burial of the late PM. Late Abdirizak Haji Hussein passed away at the age of 89 in Minneapolis city as a result of pneumonia complications.
Somaliland interior ministry recruits personnel for registration exercise
06 Feb- Source: Somalilandsun-141 Words
The ministry of Interior will employ 45 grad A and B workers according to the director general of the minister of Interior Mr. Mohamed Osman Dube. The director general Mohamed Osman Dube informed the media that the 45 employees will work during the registration of ID card which will soon start throughout the country, adding that selection criteria is solely on set. He said the ministry will employee the 45 workers with their qualifications. He added that the Interior ministry has made much development thence boosting up most of its mandate activities. He also said this will not be the last workers to be employed as the ministry will employ more because the ministry is doing much efforts to create job for the students who have completed their studies in the Universities in the country and this will avoid students to migrate.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Foreigners among Mombasa mosque chaos suspects
06 Feb- Source: Standard Media-550 Words
The Government has released a list of those captured after police stormed the controversial Musa Mosque in Mombasa, as the official death toll from the violence was revised to four. It is believed that foreigners may be among the 129 suspects in detention following reports that some entered Kenya from Uganda and Tanzania through Busia last week. The suspects include three women, Christian converts to Islam, and 21 male youths under 18 years. Officials say 129 suspects are detained at Shimo la Tewa, although Haki Africa, a human rights group alleges that minors have secretly been moved to the Port Police station. The list includes a man police believe was in charge of logistics for the ill-fated convention that ended in blood and tears. On Wednesday youths returning from the burial of a victim of Sunday’s mosque violence attacked police on patrol and descended on motorists in Mombasa’s downtown.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenya: Names of 2 other mall terrorists revealed
06 Feb- Source: AP-292 Words
A senior security official in Kenya on Thursday disclosed for the first time what authorities believe are the names of two previously unidentified gunmen who carried out the attack on a Nairobi mall, killing at least 67 people. The official, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to give the information, told The Associated Press that the two are Ahmed Hassan Abubakar and Yahye Ahmed Osman. No details on the men were made available. Authorities previously revealed the names of two other attackers as Abu Barat Al-Sudani, also known as Mohamed Hassan Dhuhulow, and Mohamed Abdinur Said. Dhuhulow had lived in Norway. The al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the September mall attack, saying it was in revenge for Kenya’s military deployment into Somalia. Police and soldiers responded to the attack, which devolved into a protracted multi-day siege that saw huge explosions and a large part of the mall collapse. All four attackers were believed to be ethnic Somalis.
Somalia Citizens Register for ID’s to Boost Security
06 Feb- Source: CCTV Africa-01:01mins
Somalia has started issuing national IDs for its citizens in a move meant to boost security and protect citizens’ identity. This is the first time since the collapse of it’s central government in 1991 that national identity cards are issued and made compulsory for citizens.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“It remains to be seen whether Somalia’s civil war is drawing to a close—or whether it will simply seep across the country’s borders.”
Somalia’s civil war: Pushing it across the borders
07 Feb- Source: The Economist-496 Words
THIS year was meant to be Somalia’s best for quite a while. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud tapped a new prime minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, on December 12th, who in turn named a new cabinet on January 17th, making a clean break from the disappointing previous government, which had itself emerged with a fresh whiff of hope after more than two decades of civil war. “Somalia has now turned a corner,” said Mr Ahmed. “And there is no going back.” Yet war persists. After liberating the capital, Mogadishu, and a southern port city, Kismayo, from control by the Shabab militia of Islamic extremists in the past three years, troops under the aegis of the African Union (AU) are poised for another offensive. On January 29th they heralded a push into the militants’ heartland in the south-centre of Somalia.