July 19, 2017 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Somali And US Special Forces Carry Out Airstrikes In Al-Shabaab Strongholds

18 July – Source: Horn Observer -95 Words

Somali and US troops have carried out airstrikes against Al-Shabaab militants basis in Lower Jubba region, Somalia’s National News Agency (SONNA) reported. The airstrikes targeted Beer Xaano and Golo Shumbi villages, around 60km outside Kismayo, the capital of Jubbaland administration. Somali officials confirmed the militants suffered huge loss as several of them were killed in the operation which was jointly carried out by Somali and American special forces. Early this year, Trump Administration announced the deployment of dozens of US troops to Somalia to assist the Somali military in the fight against Al Shabaab militants.

Key Headlines

Somali And US Special Forces Carry Out Airstrikes In Al-Shabaab Strongholds (Horn Observer)
Puntland’s President Gaas Vows To Form New Cabinet After No Confidence Vote (Goobjoog News)
Somali Government To Form Special Forces In Charge Of The Security Of Officials And Government Offices (Horn Observer)
AMISOM Plays Multiple Roles In Southwest State (Goobjoog News)
Al-Shabaab Attack GSU Camp In Lamu (The East African)
Review Of Somalia’s Media Law Falls Short (Human Rights Watch)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Puntland’s President Gaas Vows To Form New Cabinet After No Confidence Vote

18 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 194 Words

Puntland President, Abdiweli Gaas has pledged to constitute a new Cabinet following Tuesday’s dismissal of his ministers in a majority no confidence vote by the state assembly. Addressing the media in the region’s capital Garowe after the parliamentary vote, Gaas said he accepted the decision of the state assembly noting it was within their constitutional mandate to act as it did. “Parliament today voted in favour of a no confidence motion to dissolve the Cabinet. I will therefore proceed to form a new Cabinet in line with the constitution of Puntland and in consultation with the deputy president,” said Gaas.

The Puntland leader who is serving his last year in office ahead of presidential polls in 2018 called on security forces to ensure law and order is maintained and also asked the people of Puntland to participate in peace making processes. The Puntland constitution gives the president 21 days to table a new Cabinet for approval in parliament in the event of a no confidence vote on the whole Cabinet.

Somali Government To Form Special Forces In Charge Of The Security Of Officials And Government Offices

18 July – Source: Horn Observer – 123 Words

The Minister of Security Mohamed, Abukar Du’ale said that the government is planning to form special forces in charge of the security of the government installations and officials, state media reported. The new security forces will replace NISA, which guards the government installations and senior government officials, in which the minister emphasized that NISA will be left for the official duties it is responsible for. NISA is the government branch of the Intelligence and security organ.”NISA used to be plain clothed officers, but today they are not.” Mohamed Abukar Du’ale, Minister of Security said “First we plan to establish strong police and other special forces in charge of the security, after that we hope NISA will be transformed into plain clothed officers.”

AMISOM Plays Multiple Roles In Southwest State

18 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 140 Words

The regional administration of Southwest State described the various activities AMISOM troops are involved in the region. The acting President of Southwest State, Mohamed Hassan Fiki described the multiple functions AMISOM performs which were achieved due to cooperation between them. “I want to solely say and state in this juncture AMISOM is not around only to fight with Alshabab but took part in different sectors in the society as stated before among them being drought emergency providing food, medicine and doctors” said Fiki. He also mentioned the provision of the state of the art well digging rig machine for sector 3 which they have received already in the presence of officials from AMISOM.The primary mandate of Amisom is to maintain peace and reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups in the country among others.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Al-Shabaab Attack GSU Camp In Lamu

18 July – Source:The East African- 173 Words

Al-Shabaab militants on Tuesday morning tried to invade a police camp in Mokowe, Lamu County, just hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed rallies in the coastal region and ordered their killing.A police source said two groups were spotted approaching the General Service Unit , the paramilitary wing, camp at 1am but were repulsed.“We asked them to identify themselves but they refused. There was an exchange of fire that lasted about 20 minutes before we overpowered them and they disappeared into the bushes,” said the source, who requested to remain anonymous because he is not authorised to speak to the press.

Another police source, who also spoke to the Nation on the condition of anonymity, said he received a text message from one of his bosses asking him to be alert because the Mokowe GSU camp was under attack. He said no casualties were reported. Locals who spoke to the Nation on Tuesday said gunshots were heard overnight. Resident Mohamed Omar said he did not sleep a wink over fears of being attacked.

OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE

“When the revised media law heads to parliament for review, key committees should direct that the law be sent back to the drawing board to ensure that the final version helps to promote, not stunt, the development of a free and vibrant media in Somalia,”

Review Of Somalia’s Media Law Falls Short

18 July- Source: Human Rights Watch – 415 Words

When Somalia’s new minister of information took office in March, he promised to review the country’s restrictive media law, raising hopes of fostering a better environment for journalists and free expression in the country. Those hopes have largely been dashed. The amended law, approved by the cabinet on July 13, makes some reforms but does little to address the law’s deep flaws. Somalia’s journalists – a grueling and life-threatening profession here – deserve better. Being a journalist in Somalia is dangerous: at least two journalists were murdered in 2016. Authorities have used various tactics to restrict media coverage, including arbitrary arrests and forced closures of media outlets, threats, and occasionally, criminal charges. The Islamist armed group Al-Shabab also targets journalists for reporting deemed unfavorable.

Not surprisingly, journalists often self-censor on key issues of public interest, including security and governance, to stay safe.While amendments to the law have partially addressed some concerns raised by Somali media organizations – including by reducing the heavy fines imposed on journalists for violating the law’s restrictions, and no longer making a journalism degree a requirement to practice journalism – the law still hands authorities a big stick to keep the media under control. The law maintains vague and overbroad restrictions, including prohibiting “propaganda against the dignity of a citizen, individuals or government institutions,” and “dissemination of false information.” This leaves lots of room for interpretation by authorities – in response, journalists unclear of where the lines are drawn are likely to self-censor even more.

International and regional legal standards place a high value upon uninhibited expression concerning public persons and state institutions, and discourage open-ended and ill-defined provisions that risk chilling the media. Similar articles persist in Somalia’s 1963 criminal code, also under review. But journalists continue to be arrested, and on occasion charged, under such outdated provisions. Two weeks ago, the authorities in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland arrested a journalist, Ahmed Ali Kilwe, reportedly for criticizing the president; he has since been released without charge.