July 5, 2013 | Morning Headlines.
WHO: 71 Killed, 300 Wounded in Somalia Fighting
04 July- Source: AP/ABC News-377 Words
At least 71 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded in ongoing fighting between rival militias in the Somali city of Kismayo, the World Health Organization saidThursday.
The clashes in the southern port city have displaced many and “continues to have a profound impact on civilians and humanitarian aid work” in the region, the United Nations health agency said.
Many of the victims suffered fractures, head and chest injuries. Nearly 40 patients had to be operated on, according to WHO.
Kismayo is currently the scene of intense, sporadic battles as rival militias fight for control of the strategic city. Somalia’s central government accuses Kenyan troops stationed in Kismayo of backing one militia against others and wants the African Union —under whose auspices the Kenyans are deployed — to send a neutral force there.
Key Headlines
- Tarsan “ Every district should work on its own security.” (Radio Kulmiye)
- Somalia accuses Kenya over Kismayo clashes (BBC)
- Warlord vows retaliatory attacks on Kismayo (Kismaayo24/Shabelle Radio)
- Somali businesses crippled by South Africa violence ( Radio Ergo)
- Jubaland Reconciliation Committee Named (Radio Garowe)
- Kenya launches polio drive in Dadaab refugee camps (the Star (Kenya)
SOMALI MEDIA
Tarsan “ Every district should work on its own security.”
04 Jul- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 79 words
The chairman of the Benadir regional administration who also the Mayor of Mogadishu Mohamed Ahmed Nor “Tarzan” while addressing a ceremony in Waaberi district announced that every district is supposed to protect its own community. Tarsan said that social places such as hotels should maintain high standard of security in order to avert any eventualities.
Warlord vows retaliatory attacks on Kismayo
04 July- Source: Kismaayo24/Shabelle Radio/Warqaad/Gaafo/Gelinsoor-
A former warlord claims he is planning to retake Somalia’s port city of Kismayo from the Raskamboni forces which is allied to, Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Islam “Madobe”.
Col. Bare Aden Shire Hiraale who is one of the four people who claimed to be president of Jubaland says preparations to launch retaliatory attacks against forces in Kismayo are in their final stages.
In an interview with local media, Col. Hiraale said that he has amassed heavily armed militias who are currently stationed in an area controlled by al Shabaab militants, on the outskirts of Kismayo.
“We are regrouping in an area just 5 kms from Kismayo. We are determined to launch attacks on Kismayo very soon,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that he is now in charge of the other troops of the other self declared presidents who flew to Mogadishu after they surrendered.
Somali businesses crippled by South Africa violence
04 Jul- Source: Radio Ergo- 159 words
Violent attacks against foreigners in South Africa have taken a huge toll on the Somali business community.In the district Wallacedene, in the western suburbs of Cape Town, 170 out of 250 small business premises belonging to Somalis were robbed in the past week. Yasin Ali Qawar, a member of the union of Somali retailers in South Africa, told Radio Ergo that most of the shops were left with only refrigerators, which were apparently too heavy for the robbers to steal. Every other item of merchandise was stolen. Yasin said the 80 Somali that had not been looted remained closed for the second week for fear of another round of attacks. Mohamed Abdi Malin, popularly known as Sanka, who is one of the Somali business people in the area, said that the perpetrators of the attacks were South Africans angered by the lack of adequate housing and basic services provided by the government.
Jubaland Reconciliation Committee Named
04 July- Source: Radio Garowe-309 Words
A reconciliation committee has been appointed in the southern Somali port of Kismayo to reconcile local communities of Lower Jubba, Middle Jubba and Gedo regions, Garowe Online reports.
The region’s traditional elders appointed a 10-member Jubaland reconciliation committee, and the committee consists of elders, politicians, businesspeople and women, the committee’s head Imam Abdirashid Abdi told reporters in Kismayo on Wednesday.
The committee is tasked with reconciling local communities after Kismayo fighting led to over 80 casualties, June 28-30, in a political conflict between the Jubaland administration led by President Ahmed Madobe and the Somali Federal Government’s widely speculated proxy in Kismayo, former warlord Col. Barre Hirale.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Kenya launches polio drive in Dadaab refugee camps
04 Jul- Source: the Star (Kenya)- 57 words
The Kenyan government intends to vaccinate 4.3 million children aged below five in 22 counts in the next few months. The first two rounds were conducted in Garissa county where seven cases of polio were reported between April 30 and June 3 at Dadaab refugee camp”. No Polio cases have been reported since 1984.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
WHO: 71 Killed, 300 Wounded in Somalia Fighting
04 July- Source: AP/ABC News-377 Words
At least 71 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded in ongoing fighting between rival militias in the Somali city of Kismayo, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
The clashes in the southern port city have displaced many and “continues to have a profound impact on civilians and humanitarian aid work” in the region, the United Nations health agency said.
Many of the victims suffered fractures, head and chest injuries. Nearly 40 patients had to be operated on, according to WHO.
Kismayo is currently the scene of intense, sporadic battles as rival militias fight for control of the strategic city. Somalia’s central government accuses Kenyan troops stationed in Kismayo of backing one militia against others and wants the African Union —under whose auspices the Kenyans are deployed — to send a neutral force there.
Somalia accuses Kenya over Kismayo clashes
04 July- Source: BBC-552 Words
The apparently accidental publication of a diplomatic letter has exposed a rift between the Somali government and Kenyan troops – supposedly allies.
The letter, verified as genuine by the BBC, accuses the Kenyan army of causing recent faction fighting that left at least 65 dead in the port of Kismayo.
Kenyan troops are part of the African Union force battling Islamist militants in support of the UN-backed government.
The Kenyan authorities have not yet commented on the letter in detail.
Some regional diplomats say Kenya is trying to create a buffer state, known as Jubaland, inside Somalia run by local politicians it can control.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Following recent infighting, one aspiring leader was killed and Sheikh Aweys was arrested, leaving sole command to Ahmed Abdi Godane, who is regarded as being keenest within al Shabaab on its alliance with al Qaeda.”
Somalia and its Shabaab: Are the Islamists truly on the ropes?
04 July- Source: The Economist-476 Words
AT FIRST glance Somalia’s foreign-backed government seems to be doing well. In the past two years it has benefited from the recovery of the country’s main cities by African Union peacekeepers after two decades of clan warfare and intermittent Islamist rule. And on June 29th the government pulled off something of a coup by locking up the grandfather of militant Islamism in Somalia, Sheikh Hassan Dahir, better known as Aweys. The red-bearded 78-year-old may be the victim of infighting in al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked movement that is steadily losing power but can still cause mayhem with suicide-bombings here and there.