January 19, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somalia Vows To Step Up Fights To Eliminate Al-Shabaab
19 January – Source: China.org – 230 Words
Somalia has vowed to step up efforts to eliminate Islamist group Al-Shabaab following last Friday’s attack on an African Union (AU) army base in its southern Gedo region.Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke on Monday said the attacks by “remnants of Al-Shabaab” would not prevent the government from eradicating the group.
“Evidently the terrorist group is faced with mounting pressure in their small hideaway pockets which is a result of the well planned military operations carried out by the Somali National Army and the AMISOM (AU Mission in Somalia) troops,” Sharmake said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab claims to have killed 100 Kenyan soldiers and captured 12 others in the attack. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed his country lost soldiers but the exact number of casualties is not yet known.Thirty-four Kenyan soldiers injured in the attack have been flown home for treatment.”I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the families of the gallant soldiers who lost their lives, and to the people and government of Kenya,” Sharmake said.
He said the Somali and AU troops have intensified ground and air operations in El-Adde where the attack took place.The attack is described as the worst since Kenya sent its troops to battle Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia in 2011.Al-Shabaab usually exaggerates the death toll of their attacks, while AMISOM rarely gives the exact numbers.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Vows To Step Up Fights To Eliminate Al-Shabaab (China.org)
- Somaliland Arrests Journalist After Interviewing Alleged Cannibal (Hiiraan Online)
- Puntland President Says There Is No Room For Shia Missionary In The State (Villa Puntland)
- International Partners Stress Expectation Of Early Presentation Of Agreed Electoral Model (UNSOM)
- Remains Of Kenya Fallen Soldiers Arrive In Nairobi (SABC News)
- Turkey Building Army Base In Somalia ( Trend News Agency)
- The Muswell Hill Diplomat Who Rebuilt The British Embassy In Somalia (Ham & High)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somaliland Arrests Journalist After Interviewing Alleged Cannibal
19 January – Source: Hiiraan Online – 259 Words
Security forces in the northern Somalia breakaway region of Somaliland have arrested a journalist following an interview with a man allegedly arrested for cannibalism last week. Abdimalik Muse Oldon, an online freelance journalist was arrested in the remote Togdher region Monday as soldiers ransacked his office and confiscated his media equipment. Troops also arrested his cameraman. Ahmed Mohamud, the region’s police chief told Hiiraan Online that the journalist was being questioned for conducting the interview, which the police officer said violated the established protocols.“Investigations are underway to establish whether he breached police protocols or not,” he said.
Mohamud further explained that security forces arrested the reporter after a court in the region issued an arrest warrant against him. In his interview with the alleged cannibalist of Oromo ethnic background, the journalist asked him many questions ranging from the nature of his arrest to his alleged involvement in cannibalism. The Oromo man was arrested by police after residents discovered a severed head of a child in his neighbourhood last week. With no functioning media law to protect journalists, media practitioners in Somaliland remain wary of state harassment. Security officials have earlier arrested journalists and closed down media stations, drawing protests from media practitioners and human rights groups.
Puntland President Says There Is No Room For Shia Missionary In The State
18 January – Source: Villa Puntland – 118 Words
The President of the Puntland State of Somalia, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali(Gaas) has refuted claims that his state is supporting the propagation of Shiite ideology. Speaking after arriving from Kismayo, where he participated in the National Consultative Forum, President Gas vowed that anyone found to be involved in Shia missionary activities will pay a heavy price. Somalia has cut its diplomatic relations with Tehran after it severally accused it of carrying out Shia missionary in Somalia.While Somalia is counted as a one-hundred percent Muslim country, its people are also known to be hundred percent Sunnis.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
International Partners Stress Expectation Of Early Presentation Of Agreed Electoral Model
19 January – Source: UNSOM – 451 Words
In a meeting with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Omar Abdisrashid Ali Sharmaarke, and Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari yesterday morning, the United Nations, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Sweden and Italy underlined their expectation that Somali leaders would present, in the coming days, an agreed model for the electoral process later this year, an implementation plan, and a political roadmap for the period 2016-2020, which they had committed themselves to in the ‘Mogadishu Declaration’ adopted at the conclusion of the National Consultative Forum held in Mogadishu on 16 December 2015.
International partners, including the African Union, welcomed discussions in Kismaayo and the apparent narrowing of the gaps between Somali leaders on the electoral model for 2016. It was positive that Somali leaders had spent several days deliberating on the most appropriate and feasible model for the electoral process to be implemented later this year. International partners, while disappointed that no agreement had been reached yet, welcomed the commitment of Somali leaders to urgently achieve a compromise.
In their talks with federal leaders, international partners underlined their continued strong expectation that there will be no extension of the constitutionally mandated term limits of the legislature and the executive, in accordance with repeated declarations to that effect by the Somali leaders. This reinforced the imperative for talks to continue and for an agreement on a detailed electoral model, an implementation plan and a political roadmap to deliver universal suffrage elections by 2020, to be reached in the coming days.
In the Mogadishu Declaration of 16 December, Somali leaders committed themselves to presenting an agreement by 10 January. They must now put the interests of the nation first, in order to complete the Somali-led and Somali-owned process that began in July last year and has involved large numbers of Somalis from across the country. Time is short, and much remains to be done to ensure an electoral process can be implemented by August without delay. International partners also offered their support to the Somali leaders as they continue their efforts to agree a detailed electoral model. They looked forward to a meeting of the Somali leaders in the coming days to finalise the electoral model and called on all leaders to engage constructively and in a spirit of compromise.
Remains Of Kenya Fallen Soldiers Arrive In Nairobi
19 January – Source : SABC News – 275 Words
Remains of four of Kenya’s fallen soldiers were on Monday airlifted to Nairobi from Somalia, as it emerged that al Shabab militants are holding an unknown number of soldiers hostage. Kenya is yet to give casualty figures following Friday’s dawn assault on African Union military bases in Somalia. Kenya’s Defence Secretary Raychelle Omamo says more bodies are expected in Nairobi within the course of the week.
Their arrival is a beginning of a final journey for Kenya’s fallen soldiers.On hand to receive them was their colleagues. The four caskets were draped in the Kenyan flag and interdenominational prayers were held.
The attack that happened dawn Friday has shocked the East African nation. Attackers using vehicles loaded with explosives and suicide bombers attacked military bases belonging to the Somali National Army and the Kenya Defence Forces killing an unknown number of troops.
Al- Shabaab says it killed 63 of them but the militant group is known to cite higher figures of its casualties than official figures.”This is a very sombre moment for the Kenya Defence Forces, search, rescue and recovery operations are on-going and we expect to receive our soldiers in the coming days,” says Kenya Cabinet Secretary Defence, Raychelle Omamo.
Earlier in the day on Monday sixteen soldiers were airlifted back to the country.African Union troops have driven the militants from many of its strongholds; the group however still launches attacks in the capital Mogadishu and areas where the troops control.They have been described as heroes, men who died as they sought to protect their borders. President Uhuru Kenyatta says they will remain put in Somalia until the job is done.
Turkey Building Army Base In Somalia
19 January – Source: Trend News Agency – 235 Words
Turkey is set to open its first military base in Africa in which Turkish military officers will train Somali soldiers and troops from other African countries to fight against Al-Shabaab terrorist organization, military sources said on Monday, Daily Sabah reported.The base in the African Horn, which has been approved by the United Nations, will be Turkey’s second military base abroad and will be set up in capital Mogadishu.
With the agreement between the Turkish and Somali governments, over 1,500 Somali troops will be trained by 200 Turkish military officers.”This military training center will also be an important base to provide military training to all of Africa,” Emil Tekin, an official from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said last week.
The official added that Turkey is also planning to build a military school in the African country to train both formal and non-commissioned officers.Turkey has been providing military assistance to Somalia within the scope of military and financial cooperation deals between the two governments for over five years now.
Turkey also provided the African nation with over 400 million dollars in the biggest aid campaign for the country while it was struggling to fight starvation.In late December, Turkey announced its first military base abroad. The base which will be established in Qatar is being set up as part of a defense agreement aimed at helping both of the countries confront “common enemies.”
http://en.trend.az/world/
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“In the New Year’s Honours list, Ms Stone received an MBE for her excellent work in Somalia.And in spite of the potential dangers, she said that she was not particularly daunted when she arrived.In her short but illustrious six-year career, Ms Stone was previously in a counter-narcotics team in Afghanistan,”
The Muswell Hill Diplomat Who Rebuilt The British Embassy In Somalia
19 January – Source : Ham & High – 321 Words
A coastal city in Somalia might be an unusual destination for any traveller, but for one Muswell Hill diplomat, it was a career-defining two years.Serena Stone was part of the team who rebuilt the British embassy in Somalia in April 2013 – the first since 1991. After two decades of conflict and clan-based fiefdoms, the Federal Government of Somalia was established and Britain was the first embassy to re-open in response.
“It was great to be part of the first wave of people arriving there,” the 32-year-old said.Staying in the Port of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, she felt safe and looked-after by the Somali government.“It’s a really beautiful city, even though it suffered from years and years of war,” she said.“It’s quite sprawling. There were the fish markets, the art on the shop fronts, the stunning old Italian architecture.”“The people were very welcoming and amazingly resilient – really committed to a re-start.”
The British embassy was built in a shipping container, where Ms Stone lived for the next two years.The 32-year-old helped the new Somali government to establish stable civil and legal institutions in the country – which had been ravaged by warlords and militiamen.“It’s a city that’s had its problems and it’s important to be vigilant,” she said. “But a lot of businesses are coming back into Somalia; it’s stabilising, starting to recover.”
TOP TWEETS
@WorldBank:Despite conflict & poverty, #Somalia‘s mobile sector is better than most: http://wrld.bg/X1bk0 #digitaldividends
@LailaInNairobi:#Somalia Deputy PM thanks @WFP for supporting local farmers & general assistance. Launch#HRP2016 happening in Mog now.
@Daudoo:BREAKING: #KDF ground forces just entered El-Adde, troops firing bullets, most of residents already fled the town – Witness. #Somalia #Kenya
@Adesoafrica:Strong advocacy needed to address illegal fishing along #Somalia coastline-Abdi Dahir #Adeso http://bit.ly/1GuGi2t
@HarunMaruf :#Somalia: Reports say majority of residents fled El-Adde, a town of approx 15,000 people, as Kenya troops inch closer. #ElAddeAttack
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Michael Keating, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, is received by the Somalia Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdusalam Hadliye Omer, upon his arrival in Mogadishu.
Photo: UNSOM.