January 25, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Blast hits at TFG military truck near Kenyan border

25 Jan – Source: Hiiraan Online – 137 words

Huge explosion struck a Somali government military truck in Beled Hawo town of Gedo region in south Western Somalia, the latest in a spate of attacks on TFG security forces operating in the regions along the border with Kenya. Reports said, at least five people, among them soldiers and civilians, were hurt in the attack and fatalities have been reported so far.

Key Headlines

TFG: on the repossession of all the illegally occupied State Property (Source: TFG)
UN forces not necessarily needed in Mogadishu Mahiga says (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
US urges Kenya not to send back Somali refugees (Source: Daily Nation))
SNSA display al Shabaab defectors in Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu)
Pro-TFG militia group “destroys rebel bases” in Beledweyne town ( Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
Somali speaker meets with UN AU officials in Mogadishu (Radio Shabelle)
Timeline of the Navy SEAL raid in Somalia (Washington Post)

PRESS RELEASE

TFG: on the repossession of all the illegally occupied State Property

25 Jan – Source: TFG – 215 words

In a meeting at villa Somalia chaired by the president of the Republic, H.E. Sh. Sharif Sh. the issue of the state property illegally occupied by individuals was discussed.

This was a follow up meeting to an earlier one in which the Participants ( see below ) were tasked to propose recommendations in tackling this thorny issue.

This, long overdue, issue was precipitated by the requirement to build and/or renovate 94 schools being funded by our Turkish brothers. After long discussions the meeting decided on the following.

1.That a final NOTICE should be given to all those who occupied any government property, since 1991, to vacate them within 12 days starting from today the 25th of Jan. 2012 – 5th of Feb. 2012.

2.That those who vacate them within the specified period should be given AMNESTY and not prosecuted for their illegal occupation of State property.

3.That any one who does not vacate and continues to occupy state property after the above date will be forcibly evicted and then prosecuted for illegal occupation of state property and forced to full rent for the whole period they occupied the property.

Participants:

1.The President of Transitional Federal Government
2.The Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government
3.The Speaker of the Parliament
4.The commissioners of the 16 districts of the capital
5.The heads of the Armed Services
6.The Mayor of Mogadishu

SOMALI MEDIA

SNSA display al Shabaab defectors in Mogadishu

25 Jan- Source: Radio Mogadishu, SONNA- 165 words

Somalia’s National Security Agency (SNSA) has displayed several youths who surrendered to Somali government forces in Mogadishu after escaping from al Shabaab. The Somali security agency confirmed the young men surrendered to the government and will be taken to a rehabilitation center run by the Somali government where the youths will have an opportunity to undertake quality training to better their lives.

UN forces not necessarily needed in Mogadishu, Mahiga says

25 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 383 words

Just a day after relocating to Mogadishu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Ambassador Augustine P. Mahiga on Wednesday ruled out the need to have the blue-helmeted UN troops in Somalia. Mahiga said the stage for peace is coming closer in Somalia, adding that there is a need for peacemaking through military and political dialogue before the actual peacekeeping in Somalia.

Somali official hails US forces for freeing hostages held by pirates

25 Jan- Source: Radio Shabelle- 177 words

The president of Galmudug regional administration [central Somalia] has welcomed the operation by US forces in which they freed foreign hostages from the hands of Somali pirates.

Speaking to the press in Hoobyo locality, Muhammad Ahmad Alin, the president of Galmugug, talked about the US operation to free hostages at a village 24 kilometres from Galinsoor town in Galguduud Region, central Somalia.

Somali speaker meets with UN, AU officials in Mogadishu

25 Jan – Source: Shabelle – 129 words

The Speaker of the Somalia’s Transitional Federal Parliament TFP, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden has on Wednesday met with officials from the United Nations and African Union in his office in Mogadishu .

Blast hits at TFG military truck near Kenyan border

25 Jan – Source: Hiiraan Online – 137 words

Pro-TFG militia group “destroys rebel bases” in Beledweyne town

25 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 144 words

Pro-government militia leaders in Beledweyne town have claimed that they destroyed rebel bases where militants allegedly plotted the recent suicide bombing in a government compound in the town.

Col Issack Ali Abdulle, one of the militia leaders told Bar-kulan they completely destroyed rebel bases and captured six rebel fighters believed to have organised the suicide attack. He also claimed that their militia killed five rebel fighters during the operation.

REGIONAL MEDIA

100 days after Kenya military entered Somalia

25 Jan – Source: The Standard – 500 words

Today is the 10th day since Kenya Defence Forces entered Somalia in pursuit of al Shabaab, but the exit is still closed and scorecard reportedly in favor of KDF. The military top brass won’t call it an invasion, but an operation because the wear is being fought alongside the TFG forces. Nonetheless there is every sign both sides are in foe the long haul.

Kibaki drums up regional peace

25 Jan- Source: Capital News- 830 words

The success of the East African Community is directly related to peace and stability of the region, President Mwai Kibaki has said.

Addressing a special sitting of the East African Legislative Assembly in Kampala on Wednesday, the Head of State expressed satisfaction that the desire of East African partner states is to ensure regional peace, stability and development.

US urges Kenya not to send back Somali refugees

25 Jan- Source: Daily Nation- 267 words

Kenya has been urged to continue providing refuge to Somalis fleeing violence and hunger in their homeland, a US State Department official said on Tuesday.

“We continue to rely on and advocate strongly for the protection of Somalis inside Kenya, that they should not be sent back into Somalia in order to create some sort of a buffer zone,” declared David Robinson, acting assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia raid shows extent of U.S. reach

25 Jan – Source: LA Times News – 701 words
The rescue of a U.S. aid worker and a Danish colleague held hostage since October was carried out by Navy SEALs from the unit that killed Osama bin Laden. The Navy SEALs parachuted into the darkness, landing more than a mile from their objective: a small bush camp in north-central Somalia where an American aid worker and a Danish colleague were being held captive.

Timeline of the Navy SEAL raid in Somalia

25 Jan – Source: Washington Post – 530 words

The first clue something was afoot was a mysterious comment from US President Barack Obama to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as he strode into Congress to deliver his State of the Union address.

The words “good job tonight” were picked up by cameras and microphones, but the millions tuned in for the president’s speech were unaware of their significance, and of the major event that had just transpired a world away.

Kenyan Somali Islamist radicalisation

25 Jan- Source: International Crises Group ICG 481 words

Kenya’s proximity to and troubled relationship with Somalia and the militant al Shabaab movement threaten its security and stability, necessitating sound strategies to combat Islamist radicalisation that go beyond counter-terrorism.

Kenyan Somali Islamist Radicalisation, the latest Crisis Group briefing, examines the spillover of Somalia’s growing Islamism and radicalisation into the neighbouring country.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

Op Ed: Somalis still waiting for action

25 Jan- Source: Radio Daljir- 857

The winter of 2008 was a sad time for the Canadian Somali community in Edmonton. Its members were reeling from the loss of so many young men to gun violence and they needed to articulate the pain associated with this sad development.
I was invited to a community event held during this time that featured the Edmonton Police Service, government officials and members of the community. Little did I know that this meeting would mark the moment and venue when Edmonton Somalis decided to fully co-operate with the Edmonton Police Service and take ownership of the efforts to stem the deaths of young men in our community.

Somalia rescue – on the timing and FBI

25 Jan- Source: CNN Blog- 449

The president authorized the operation on Monday, according to Pentagon spokesman George Little and “the military commanders decided to move ahead with this yesterday.”

“We’re confident that there was enough of a sense of urgency and there was enough actionable intelligence to take the action that we did for the President to make the decision that he did,” said Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby.