June 1, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Suspected U.S. Troops Attack Al-Shabaab In Somalia
01 June – Source: Shabelle News – 81 Words
Suspected U.S. military soldiers have conducted an operation in southern Somalia, targeting Al-Shabaab bases in the outskirts of Kismayo city, 500 kilometers south of the capital city of Somalia.
The special forces riding fighter jets swept into Farwamo and Bulo-Gadud villages, and engaged in a fierce gunfire with Al-Shabaab militants, according to residents. Al-Shabaab pulled out its fighters from hideouts in the area, following the foreign forces attack. Farwamo and Bulo-Gadud villages are located 30 kilometers north of Kismayo city, the headquarters of Lower Jubba region.
Key Headlines
- Suspected U.S. Troops Attack Al-Shabaab In Somalia (Shabelle News)
- Security Operation In Qoryooley Nets Several People (Goobjoog News)
- Somali President Wants Total Ban On Miraa In The Country (Shabelle News)
- Erdogan Expected In Mogadishu For Embassy Opening (Radio Dalsan)
- AMISOM Opens New Training Facility For The Somali National Army (AMISOM)
- Kenya Announces Dadaab Refugee Camp Will Close By November (BBC)
- Breakaway Somaliland Dreams Port Will Boost Independence (AFP)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Security Operation In Qoryooley Nets Several People
01 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 193 Words
A joint security operation by Somali security forces and the African Union peacekeepers in Qoryooley led to the arrest of several people on Tuesday.The security officers conducted house to house search in different suburbs of the town following a bomb attack that claimed lives of two people and left two people with injuries.
A security officer, who declined to be named, told the media that the operation was meant to hunt down Al-Shabaab suspects with a view to enhancing safety in the town.“ All the individuals arrested will be questioned and whoever is found guilty will face justice,’’ said the officer. He added that the operations will continue until the security situation in the district is relatively safer. Security officials believe armed groups use residential areas as bases to prepare attacks and then mingle with residents in urban areas to confuse the law enforcement officers who are pursuing them.
Qoryooley, an agricultural town, is 120 km (72 miles) northwest of Mogadishu and was a major stronghold of the Al-Shabaab fighters until 2014 when government and African Union forces secured it.
Somali President Wants Total Ban On Miraa In The Country
31 May – Source: Shabelle News – 285 Words
Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud wants miraa banned in his country. The move is expected to deal a heavy blow to the already struggling miraa trade in Kenya.
Speaking in Mogadishu on Monday, Mohamud observed that the trade and consumption of the stimulant plant has a “devastating” impact on Somalis and must be banned. “Miraa has a devastating impact on society. We have had a series of discussions and consultations and agreed to end the trade of the narcotic leaf,” he said. “We will first act by reducing its trade and finally put an end to it altogether.”
His action is viewed as hitting back at Kenya’s plan to shut the Dadaab camp and the repatriation of Somali refugees. Somalia has termed the shutting of the camp “irregular”. Kenya and Somalia also have a strained diplomatic relationship following a long-standing border dispute at the International Court of Justice. The hearing starts on September 19-23. Kenya has unsuccessfully attempted to convince Somalia to withdraw the case in favour of an out of court settlement.
Before President Mohamud’s announcement, Somalia had already imposed a 100 per cent tax on miraa. Somalia is Kenya’s main trading partner in miraa accounting for 90 per cent of exports. An average of 16 flights depart to and from Mogadishu everyday carrying miraa, which is sold mainly in Mogadishu.
Erdogan Expected In Mogadishu For Embassy Opening
31 May – Source: Radio Dalsan – 167 Words
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to arrive in Somali capital Mogadishu later this week. According to sources within the government, Villa Somalia is organizing to welcome the Turkish leader’s third visit to the country.
During his visit in Somali capital, Recep Tayyip Erdogan will oversee the opening of Turkish sponsored projects including health facilities and the Turkish embassy in Somalia..Already delegates from Ankara arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday as part of preparation team ahead of the Turkish President’s arrival. It will be President Erdogan third visit to Somalia. He first toured the country in August 2011 and in January last year to inaugurate the refurbished Mogadishu International airport as well as Erdogan hospital, which was constructed with his government’s help.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM Opens New Training Facility For The Somali National Army
01 June – Source:AMISOM- 369 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) yesterday opened a new military training facility for the Somali National Army (SNA).Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, commissioned the facility, which will be used to train soldiers on urban warfare, at the Jazeera Training Centre in Mogadishu.
The facility, whose construction began in December last year, consists of a collection of buildings that mimic an urban or a built-up fighting area.Explaining the purpose of the facility, AMISOM Acting Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Mohammedesha Zeyinu, said fighting in built-up areas is peculiar and requires specialised training.“Such kind of training facility is very important to train and build our soldiers physically, mentally, and psychologically in order to enable them overcome different manmade and natural obstacles that they may find in built-up areas,” said Maj. Gen. Zeyinu.
The opening of the facility was witnessed by officials from AMISOM, the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) in Somalia and high-ranking officers from the Somali National Army.Ambassador Madeira who toured the training centre said he was impressed by the ongoing progress of construction works, aimed at expanding the centre.
Kenya Announces Dadaab Refugee Camp Will Close By November
31 May – Source: BBC – 165 Words
The world’s largest refugee camp will close in November, Kenya’s Interior Minister Joseph Nkaisserry has announced.The Dadaab camp in Kenya is home to more than 300,000 Somalis. Mr Nkaisserry said Kenya would work closely with the UN and the Somali government to repatriate the refugees.
Dadaab was set up in 1991 to house families fleeing conflict in Somalia, and some people have been living there for more than 20 years.Kenya says it wants to close the camp over security concerns, saying attacks on its soil have been planned there. Mr Nkaisserry said the decision was final.
Kenya did not follow through on a previous threat to close down the camp, made last April following the deadly attack by Somali militant group al-Shabab on a university 100km (62 miles) away.The al-Qaeda linked group has staged several attacks on Kenya in recent years.Kenya has set aside $10m (£6.8m) for repatriation, which Mr Nkaisserry insisted would carried out in a humane manner.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“On the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, Berbera offers an African base sitting at the entrance to the Red Sea and the gateway to the Suez canal, at the crossroads for cargo traffic between the Arabian Peninsula, Asia and Europe,”
Breakaway Somaliland Dreams Port Will Boost Independence
01 June – Source: AFP/Daily Nation – 585 Words
Creaking wooden fishing dhows bob alongside each other in the sparkling blue waters of the port of Berbera, a key trade point along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.But big changes could be coming. While container ships are rare here in the main transport hub of the self-declared republic of Somaliland in northern Somalia, a contract just signed with Dubai’s giant global port company DP World will see the port developed.
For Somaliland, unrecognised as a country despite 25 years of de facto independence from the war-torn rest of the Horn of Africa nation, the planned port development symbolises hopes of being taken more seriously as a nation.For now, the port mainly exports sheep and camels to Gulf nations, and the some 40,000 containers it handles each years are but a tiny fraction of the 900,000 containers shipped through the far larger neighbouring port of Djibouti.
The Dubai port investment is not only a financial windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars, but is also seen as a vote of confidence in the stability of this small self-proclaimed state.”We’re going to make Berbera one of the world’s busiest ports, and become a gateway for the Horn of Africa,” said port director Ali Mohamed.
While exact details of the agreement with DP World have yet to be finalised, Somaliland says it will include a doubling of the port’s capacity.”In a year, we will be able to process 200,000 containers,” Mohamed said.”Berbera is as strategic as Djibouti.”
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf :#Somalia: 61-yr-old man sits for high school exam this wk, says he’s not “too old” to become a doctor.@DalsanFM_SOM
@Fatumaabdulahi:#Turkey is an important ally and helped us counter narrative that #Somalia was a no go country. Still, let’s watch this Erdoğan guy closely.
@amisomsomalia:AMISOM opens new training facility for the Somali National Army. http://goo.gl/bX5dBG #Somalia
@SalahOsman0:Good Morning from #Mogadishu It is a very Sunny day. Everynone is busy here #Somaliahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?
@DalsanFM_SOM :Very interesting clip watch it , 61 years old student sitting for his final secondary school exams in #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
SRCC, Ambassador Francisco Madeira opens a new training facility for SNA in Mogadishu.
Photo: AMISOM