June 14, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report.
50 Al-Shabaab Militants Defected To Somali Government Since President Farmaajo’s Amnesty Offer
14 June – Source : Jowhar.com – 112 Words
Fifty Al-Shabaab militants have surrendered to Somali Federal Government taking advantage of recent President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s amnesty call.Speaking in Laanta Buuro while touring Somali National Army barracks, Minister of Defense, Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed said that 50 Al-Shabaab members defected to the government side since the past two months.
President Farmaajo on April called on Al-Shabaab members to take advantage of a 60-day amnesty and renounce violence.
Somali government runs several rehabilitation centres in Mogadishu that host hundreds of Al-Shabaab defectors for reintegration purpose. Hundreds of Somali National Army have been recently moved from Mogadishu to Laanta Buuro to take part in a planned offensive against Al-Shabaab militants in Lower Shabelle.
Key Headlines
- 50 Al-Shabaab Militants Defected To Somali Government Since President Farmaajo’s Amnesty Offer (Jowhar.com)
- Somali And Ethiopian Prime Ministers Discuss Their Bilateral Ties In Ethiopia (Goobjoog News)
- Al-Shabaab Militants Raid SNA Base Near Beledweyne (Shabelle News)
- MPs And Cabinet Members Instructed To Register Security Guards In Two Weeks (Dhacdo.com)
- Somali Expelled From Quran Competition In UAE (Anadolu Agency)
- Record Hunger In Horn of Africa Pushes Development Banks To Step In (VOA News)
- Al-Shabaab And The Battle For Somalia (Center For Security Policy)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali And Ethiopian Prime Ministers Discuss Their Bilateral Ties In Ethiopia
14 June – Source : Goobjoog News – 258 Words
The Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre met with his Ethiopian counterpart Hailemariam Dessalegn in Addis Ababa during his visit for the IGAD Extra-Ordinary Summit which took place on 12th June 2017. The two leaders discussed among others the efforts of the Somali government undergoing to stabilize the country, bilateral communication, economy and development.
Somali PM Khayre shared with his Ethiopian counterpart the need to increase their support towards Somalia. In regard to this issue, Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Dessalegn pledged that his country is ready to continue on how to strengthen the bilateral ties between them. “We have long in depth ties with the Ethiopian country. We pay our gratitude to them for their commitment to support us always on the stabilization and peacemaking process in Somalia” said Somali PM Kheyre
The two Premiers unanimously agreed upon that their ties will not be confined only to security issue but also strengthening the economy and the inception of a new chapter on bilateral ties beneficial to the states that was not explained and remains a mystery. They also collaboratively suggested on the creation of a commission made of ministers headed by the foreign ministers of the two countries on how to implement the new chapter of bilateral ties. PM Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia has commended Somali federal government on their excellent work with their local regional administrations and strengthening the cooperation between them. Somali PM Khayre was on official duty to attend the Extra-Ordinary Summit of IGAD which mainly focused on the political and humanitarian crisis of South Sudan.
Al-Shabaab Militants Raid SNA Base Near Beledweyne
14 June – Source : Shabelle News – 132 Words
Al-Shabaab fighters were reported to have raided a military base belonging to Somali National Army (SNA) in Dan Subagle village, located south of Beledweyne town. Residents said heavily armed militants launched an ambush against the army outpost in midnight, before engaging in fierce gun battle with soldiers that lasted for several minutes. The SNA forces repulsed Al-Shabaab fighters during the gun battle in Dan Subagle, but it was not immediately clear the exact causalities in the overnight attack.
However, Somali Military officials in Hiiraan region haven’t released any statement in regard to the attacks carried out on its outpost near the regional capital of Beledweyne. The Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab militants have intensified its hit and run attack against security forces and AMISOM troops since the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
MPs And Cabinet Members Instructed To Register Security Guards In Two Weeks
14 June – Source: Dhacdo.com – 86 Words
Somalia’s Ministry of Security has issued a new directive instructing Members of the Parliament and Government Minister to register their security guards. The directive by Minister Mohamed Abukar Islow advises the officials to register their guards in two weeks. This is a follow-up to recent directive by the ministry regarding the reduction of officials’ security guards to four.The officials have been instructed to register at the Criminal Investigation Department. President Farmaajo, Prime Minister Hassan Khayre, parliament speakers, police commissioner and NISA boss were all copied.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Expelled From Quran Competition In UAE
14 June – Source : Anadolu Agency – 253 Words
The United Arab Emirates have expelled a Somali national who was taking part in an annual Quranic competition.Ismail Madar, who was representing Somalia, told journalists in the Gulf state on Tuesday that authorities told him his participation had ended in the recitation contest that began last week.”On Mondayevening the competition committee and Emarati authorities told me that i will not take part the remaining competition,” Madar said. “I was shocked because i hoped that i will be the winner, but unfortunately this happened to me which is really a punishment.”
Mader believes he was singled out because of Somalia’s refusal to server ties with Qatar.Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen abruptly cut diplomatic relations with Qatar on June 5, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. Somalia’s foreign ministry has urged “all brotherly countries involved to settle the differences through dialogue”.Somali resident Abdurahman Ibrahim Hassan, who was in Dubai at the time, told Anadolu Agency that Ismail was told he could not continue in the competition as a representative from Somalia.”Ismail Madar, was taken to the Dubai International Airport and deported back to Somalia by Emirati security personnel” according to Hassan who witnessed the deportation.The Dubai has yet to comment on the incident.The annual Dubai International Holy Quran Award is during Ramadan and sponsored by the Dubai government.A top prize of $68,000 is awarded to the winner, 54,000 for second place and $40,800 for third place, according to local media.
Record Hunger In Horn of Africa Pushes Development Banks To Step In
14 June – Source : VOA News – 394 Words
With a record-breaking 26.5 million people going hungry in the Horn of Africa, development banks are increasing their humanitarian funding to fill a gap left by traditional donors, a high-level mission said on Tuesday. Food rations for 7.8 million Ethiopians are due to run out in July due to funding shortages, while neighboring Somalia is on the verge of its second famine in six years.In an unprecedented move, the World Bank is giving $50 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization to distribute emergency food, water and cash in Somalia.”We are demonstrating not just that we appreciate the kind of pressure that Somalia is facing but the importance of the humanitarian and development actors working together,” said Mahmoud Mohieldin, a senior World Bank official.
Consecutive failed rains have led to widespread crop failures, hurting farmers and livestock herders across the region, many of whom are hungry and on the move in search of grazing, water and work.The African Development Bank (ADB) has also announced $1.1 billion to combat drought in six countries, mostly in the Horn of Africa.Officials from the U.N., World Bank, ADB and African Union held a news conference in Nairobi after meeting displaced people in Ethiopia’s Somali region and Somalia’s Gedo region.
The greatest needs are in Ethiopia, where numbers are predicted to rise due to poor spring rains, and South Sudan, where 5.5 million people are short of food, with some areas already in famine, the U.N. says.”We have both the biggest food insecurity crisis and the biggest displacement crisis this region has ever faced,” said Dirk-Jan Omtzigt, an analyst with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nairobi.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“After the June 8 rampage, recently elected President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared that Somalia’s army is in “hot pursuit” of al-Shabaab and will show the group “no mercy.” On numerous occasions, Mohamed has said he believes Somalia can conquer the Islamist group within two years,”
Al-Shabaab And The Battle For Somalia
13 June – Source : Center For Security Policy – 688 Words
On June 8th, al-Shabaab fighters attacked a military base in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia. The jihadist group claims to have killed 61 in the assault though Somali officials put the death toll at 38. Witnesses say that al-Shabaab beheaded civilians during the attack.The attack comes on the heels of Somali authorities’ recent decision to sentence five al-Shabaab members to death. The men were arrested in April after being caught with explosives in Bosaso, a city in Puntland.
Al-Shabaab is an al-Qaeda-linked group that aims to overthrow the Somali government and impose Sharia Law. Its emir, Ahmad Umar, is the successor to Ahmed Abdi Godane, who was killed in 2014 by a U.S. air strike.Translated to “the Youth” in Arabic, al-Shabaab emerged out of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in 2006 when Ethiopian forces invaded Somalia and drove out the ICU from Mogadishu. Designated as a U.S. foreign terrorist organization in 2008, al-Shabaab has an estimated 7,000-9,000 fighters and dominates numerous rural areas in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab also conducts attacks on neighboring countries including Uganda and Kenya. Its recent May attack in Kenya killed 8 people.Part of the reason for al-Shabaab’s past success in Somalia relates to the country’s underdeveloped and corrupt state. Drought, famine, lack of education, economic decline, and government struggles are just some of the current issues facing the nation.Al-Shabaab’s ability to issue monetary funds to the poor and offer high salaries to potential recruits also help it gain and maintain support.The group raises funds through local and foreign sources. Locally, it imposes business protection fees, sells ivory, and trades commodities that are difficult to trace funds back to. Internationally, it receives funding from like-minded terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and other groups.It has also been known to forcibly recruit children and/or provide clothing and shelter to the underprivileged youth for their loyalty. Somalia’s low school enrollment rates – roughly 40% – leave children further vulnerable to this recruitment.
TOP TWEETS
@USAIDSomalia: Congrats to Fed Gov of #Somalia for making reconciliation a national priority. Conference link http://ow.ly/mczc30czFNq @M_Farmaajo
@AmbAmerico:Extraordinary Somalia, a world of possibilities, they call #Somalia but we call home. Let’s all pray for peace & prosperity for our home.
@mpfsomalia:How real-time tracking of market prices in #Somalia helps us respond to drought http://blogs.worldbank.org/
@katymigiro:Record hunger in Horn of Africa pushes development banks to step in #Kenya #Somalia #Ethiopia
@mpfsomalia:@WorldBank is channelling 40% of its drought & recovery support through @ICRC #Somalia
@CAREGlobal:”It is so difficult to see my babies crying for food, and not be able to feed them. A mother is always worried.” Rahmo, #Somalia
@OCHASom: Thanks to @CERF, thousands of newly displaced people in Kabasa, Doolow can now access clean water, curb diseases and #avertSomaliafamine
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Deputy Prime Minister, Mahdi Mohamed Guleid officially opened the National Reconciliation Consultation conference supported by the minister for Interior Federal Affairs and Reconciliation Abdi Farah( Juxa) in Mogadishu.
Photo : Radio Muqdisho