July 31, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Southwest Confirms Death Of Senior Al-Shabaab Commander In Recent Lower Shabelle Air Strike
31 July – Source: Radio Dalsan – 115 Words
The local administration of Barawe town, that falls under the jurisdiction of Southwest State has confirmed that a recent airstrike in the region claimed the life of a senior Al-Shabaab commander. Barawe district commissioner Adan Madobe, speaking to local media, said that recent air strike targeting Al-Shabaab bases in Kunyobarrow town killed a senior Al-Shabaab militant identified as “Dheere’.
He said Dheere, who was killed along with some of his bodyguards was tasked with coordinating Al-Shabaab operations in Galgala in Puntland. He added that during the airstrike fierce clashes took place in the same area that saw the freeing of innocent civilians in Al-Shabaab custody. Al-Shabaab has not commented on the airstrikes in Kunyabarrow.
Key Headlines
- Southwest Confirms Death Of Senior Al-Shabaab Commander In Recent Lower Shabelle Air Strike (Radio Dalsan)
- Former Intelligence Official Accuses Puntland President Of Releasing Al-Shabaab Prisoners (Garowe Online)
- Military Court Rejects Appeal for Minister’s Killer Upholds Death Sentence (Somali Update)
- Conference On Engineering Science And Technology Held In Mogadishu (Jowhar.com)
- Police On High Alert As Al-Shabaab Plans Attacks (The Daily Nation)
- A Young Life Saved In Somali: Farhiya’s Story (Relief Web)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Former Intelligence Official Accuses Puntland President Of Releasing Al-Shabaab Prisoners
30 July – Source: Garowe Online – 243 Words
Former head of Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA) in Somalia’s northeastern region of Puntland, Colonel Abdi Hasan Husain, has accused Puntland President of releasing Al-Shabaab inmates from Puntland prisons. During an interview with VOA, Hussain said about 60 Al-Shabaab inmates were freed from prisons including Abdirazaq Husain Tahlil aka Ina Alool Geel who was recently captured again in Galkayo city. Tahliil who is the commander of operations for the militant group was arrested during a joint operation carried out by U.S. forces along with local forces from both neighboring Puntland and Galmudug administrations.
Previously, the military court has sentenced Tahliil to death but Puntland President pardoned the inmate along with other militants, after one year following his election. Husain later indicated that the reason for releasing Tahliil along with other Al-Shabaab inmates wasn’t related to any exchange of abducted Puntland residents with militias hailing from Galmudug region. “Top Puntland government officials and security officials should be asked for the reasons to free those prisoners,” added Husain. Additionally, Col. Husain commended the success of the operation that led to the capture of Al-Shabaab commander in Galkayo city. In a similar incident, other freed Al-Shabaab members were also reported to be arrested yet again by the authorities, planning to carry out bombings and terrorist attacks in Puntland region. Puntland people have expressed grave concerns to the actions of Puntland President who released dangerous inmates considered to be threats to the stability and security of the region.
Military Court Rejects Appeal for Minister’s Killer, Upholds Death Sentence
31 July – Source: Somali Update – 239 Words
Somali High Military Tribunal on Sunday rejected an appeal case filed by a soldier who killed the country’s youngest minister Abbas Abdullahi Sheikh Siraji who was shot dead on May 3, outside the Presidential compound. The soldier Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi Aidid and another soldier, both the guards of now sacked former Auditor General Nur Farah Jimale were arrested by Presidential security guards at the night of the shooting of the minister. Both soldiers were charged with first degree murder by the Military Court in early June.
On June 19th, the court sentenced Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi (alias Aidid) to death for shooting and killing the minister, and released the second defendant for lack of evidence. The convicted soldier then filed an appeal case. The case was later referred to Higher Military Court for review. During a hearing on Sunday, the High Military Court judge upheld the death sentence. “Following the appeal case by the defendant Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi Aidid, the Higher Court of the Armed Forces reviewed the verdict and found the defendant guilty of murder and therefore the court upheld the death sentence against him”, Higher Military Court Judge Colonel Liban Ali Yarow said. The judge noted that the death penalty against the convicted soldier to be executed soon. The late Minister Abbas, 31, was the highest-ranking official killed by friendly fire. The late Abbas became the country’s youngest MP last November aged 31, when he defeated a former minister.
Conference On Engineering, Science And Technology Held In Mogadishu
30 July – Source: Jowhar.com – 452 Words
The 1st Conference on Engineering, Science, and Technology officially commenced on the 25th July at SIMAD main campus ended on the 27th July 2017. The conference was attended by more than 250 members, mostly from local academia, researchers and practitioners with the aim to discuss interdisciplinary research and practices in the fields of Engineering and Technology. Eng. Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed, Deputy Rector of Institution Development at SIMAD University, officially opened the conference and welcomed all participants. He expressed the honor for the university to host the 1st conference on Engineering and Technology, bearing in mind that the University was the first institution in Somalia which offered Information Technology program. Among the honorable guests at the official opening of the conference was the President of Jamhuriya University of Science and Technology, Mr. Mohamed Ali Jimale, who delivered the keynote address.
He thanked the conference organizing team as well as honored SIMAD University for being a role model to other Somali Universities. He also emphasized the conference theme: to promote innovation and creativity through Engineering, Science and Technology. The conference was sponsored by Hormuud Telecom, the leading Telecommunication provider in Somalia. President of Hormuud foundation, Mr. Abdullahi Noor Osman attended the conference. Speaking at the opening, he stated that Hormuud Telecom is proud to support the conference and engage in such educational forums. This was followed by keynote speakers’ including Eng. Mohamud Mohamed Alasso, Deputy Rector Admin & Finance at SIMAD University and Mr. Liban Ali Afrah, Manager of Quality Department at Hormuud Telecom Somalia. Both have briefly spoken about the history of Information Technology in Somalia and its industrial development. The first day of the conference concluded with two parallel conference workshops facilitated by specialists in the Engineering and Technology fields.
The following day the conference presented the papers and manuscripts and, final day of the conference was held at Hotel Afrika. The topics addressed in the panel were: ICT in Teaching and Learning, and the current internet connectivity in Somalia. The panelists shared their personal insights and best practices for organizations and institutions working to strengthen Technology and Innovation. Before the closing remarks, two authors were given ‘Awards’, Mr. Mohamed Abdirahman Adow, Lecturer at SIMAD University – Faculty of Computing and Mohamed Yusuf Hussein, Postgraduate student at Karadeniz Technical University, currently in Turkey who presented his paper through Skype. The Rector of SIMAD University, Prof. Dahir Hassan officially closed the three-day conference and thanked everyone who attended including the sponsors of the conference. SIMAD University stands for generating knowledge through research and development. He shared with the participants the University planning to allocate specific research grants to all interested in research to generate knowledge and promote, Research & Development at SIMAD University in the future.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Police On High Alert As Al-Shabaab Plans Attacks
31 July – Source: Daily Nation – 325 Words
Security agencies have been placed on high alert during this electioneering period following credible intelligence that Al-Shabaab is planning to carry out attacks in seven counties bordering Somalia. According to security agencies, the group is plotting attacks in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
Multiple sources within Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and National Intelligence Service confirmed the plot including presence of members of Al-Shabaab intelligence group, Amniyat, on a mission to carry out the attacks in the seven counties with the objective of causing fear among Kenyans to stop them from taking part in the elections. The sources said the objective ranges from carrying out minor and major attacks and kidnappings of senior security and government officials with a view of causing panic and confusion among voters.
“They are keenly following political happenings in the country. Al-Shabaab sees Kenya’s highly polarised elections as a fertile ground for mayhem,” a security analyst warned. Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Police Spokesman George Kinoti did not comment on the report. However, a senior police officer confirmed on condition of anonymity that there are imminent terror attacks, adding that many have been successfully foiled since mid-June. “We have directed our officers to remain on high alert across the country because the threats are serious.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“When she was first admitted to the stabilization center, Farhiya weighed 9.25 pounds – more than two pounds below the average for a healthy child her height. She looked wasted, her skin stretched over her tiny bones. During the first four days, Farhiya received therapeutic milk to restore her metabolic functions. Two weeks later, the little girl was able to start eating therapeutic foods like Plumpy’Nut in addition to the therapeutic milk, to provide her with essential nutrients.”
A Young Life Saved In Somali: Farhiya’s Story
31 July – Source: Reilefweb – 495 Words
“Our situation felt almost hopeless – I knew I had to do everything I could to save my daughter.” One-and-half-year-old Farhiya sat in her mother’s arms at an International Medical Corps facility. She was unable to move, unable to smile, unable to even cry. Her mother, Duniyo, travelled more than 10 kilometers to bring Farhiya to International Medical Corps’ Intensive Stabilization Centre in Galkacyo town, Somalia. “I was hopeless, but I decided to give her the chance by seeking treatment,” Duniyo explained.
Farhiya is one of 364 children admitted in the last three months to the stabilization center in Galkacyo Hospital who received treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Thousands of children in Mudug region are at-risk of or suffering from severe acute malnutrition as a result of deterioration in food security and economic livelihoods. Their plight is a tragic consequence of the nutrition crisis in the Mudug region, where drought, insecurity, and recurrent disease outbreaks have converged to create a severe humanitarian crisis where millions are on the brink of famine.
It was during the daily community screenings conducted by International Medical Corps’ community health workers that Farhiya’s condition came to light. After a brief consultation, they found out that the little girl was suffering from diarrhea, fever, persistent cough, and poor appetite. The community health workers immediately called for an ambulance and facilitated her referral to Galkacyo South Hospital. When she was first admitted to the stabilization center, Farhiya weighed 9.25 pounds – more than two pounds below the average for a healthy child her height. She looked wasted, her skin stretched over her tiny bones.
During the first four days, Farhiya received therapeutic milk to restore her metabolic functions. Two weeks later, the little girl was able to start eating therapeutic foods like Plumpy’Nut in addition to the therapeutic milk, to provide her with essential nutrients. The results were promising. At the end of the week, Farhiya had gained 2.2 pounds. In the meantime, the girl’s mother was given careful instructions on how to continue her treatment of therapeutic food at home.
Duniyo recalls the relief she felt when her baby daughter was discharged from the stabilization center. “I was overjoyed,” she said. “I never thought my daughter would make it. I already saw her dying. I was hopeless, but I decided to give her a chance by seeking treatment. I followed all the instructions the nurses and doctors gave, and her condition has improved significantly.” Duniyo also appreciates the community mobilisers who initiated the journey to recovery by encouraging her to take Farhiya to the hospital and by facilitating the referral of her daughter.
TOP TWEETS
@AbdusalamHOmer: Terrorism & killing the innocent will not deter the road to peace, stability & recovery @TheVillaSomalia@SomaliPM @GlobSomDiaspora
@joaoscarpelini: World Day against Trafficking in Persons!#DidYouKnow #HumanTrafficking is the 3rd largest crime worldwide? Lets #EndHumanTrafficking!
@alihwarsame: Hon. Ali H. Warsame Retweeted Aw Hirsi Professors and businessmen alike, when are they going to learn the basics of regional politics & governance requirements?
@ADirshe: #Somalia – Minister Hosh has my utmost respect as Minister and he has the skills to serve Somalia. He is such a great human being. #Hosh
@AKoronto: Removing debris and cleaning underway at Maka road after a car explosion that killed a number of civilians.#Mogadishu.
@MogBF: IT’S OffICIAL; the 3rd Annual Mogadishu Book Fair will take place on Sept 13, 14 and 15 of 2017. Official hashtag will be #MBF2017.
@engyarisow: President approved op with intl partners on 30 July near Tortoroow killing key al Shabaab leader behind Mogadishu bombings, assassinations
@engyarisow: #Somalia moves on – the Minister for Transport Mohamed Omaar today declared that Aden Adde Int’l Airport will function night times till 10pm
@HassanIstiila: #UPDATE: Jailed Photographer & Vlogger Mukhtar has been released from prison in Mogadishu.#Somalia‘s security forces not given any details.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Photo: @SomaliPM
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre address members of Mogadishu Stabilization force during his visit to units on the streets of the city.