June 20, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Attack will not end Somalia mission: UN
20 Jun – Source: AAP/SBS- 341 words
Ban Ki-moon has condemned a fatal Islamist attack on a UN compound in Somalia, but vows the organisation won’t end its work in the country. UN chief Ban Ki-moon has expressed outrage at a “despicable” Islamist attack on a UN compound in Somalia which left 16 dead but has vowed the organisation won’t end its work in the troubled country.
Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents killed nine people as they shot and blasted their way into the UN compound in Mogadishu on Wednesday, the most serious attack on the UN there in recent years.
The nine were three foreigners, including two South Africans, a Somali UN worker, two Somali security guards and three civilians in the surrounding streets, officials said.
Government officials say seven al Shabaab fighters took part in attack, all of whom either detonated suicide vests or were shot dead, bringing the toll to 16. Ban phoned Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud soon after the attack, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
“The secretary general said the United Nations would not be deterred from delivering its mandate,” said Nesirky, in a statement from Beijing where Ban is on an official visit. He said Ban was “deeply concerned and outraged by the despicable attack”.
Key Headlines
- Infighting between al Shabaab fighters in Barawe District (Radio Shabelle/Mareeg online)
- Mogadishu’s Madina Hospital receives 18 casualties after UN compound attacks (Shabelle)
- Al Shabaab militia vows more attacks in Mogadishu ( Radio Kulmiye)
- Readout of Secretary-General’s telephone conversation with President of Somalia (UN.org)
- Turkey condemns Somalia UN office attack (Anatolia News Agency)
- Attack will not end Somalia mission: UN (AAP/sbs)
- Somaliland president receives official invitation from Ghanaian counterpart (Somaliland Informer)
- More child Polio cases in Mogadishu (Radio Ergo)
- Somali refugees in Kenya reluctant to return (Al Jazeera)
- Bill proposes tough penalties for terrorism financiers (Business Daily Africa)
SOMALI MEDIA
Infighting between al Shabaab fighters in Barawe District
20 Jun- Source: Radio Shabelle/ Mareeg online- 190 words
Residents of Barawe district in the lower Shabelle region of Somalia are living in fear after two al Shabaab militant factions fought each other.
Fighting broke up between fighters loyal to overall leader, Ahmed Godane also known as Sheikh Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr and other loyal to American-born Omar Hamami also known as Abu Mansur Al Amriki.
It is reported that Godane’s men killed a Sudanese national who belonged to Al Amriki’s faction and dragged his body in the streets of Barawe town.
Telecommunication was disabled by Godane’s men after they realized that Almiriki’s men were plotting an attack on his troops.
Heavy fighting occurred Wednesday night which resulted to the death of 6 militants from both sides.
Telecommunication was restored Thursday but residents are worried fearing war might break out any time between the two al Shabaab factions.
It is believed that the division within al Shabaab is not yet settled as previously Ahmed Godane’s men and Al Amriki’s men clashed several times.
Latest news from Barawe town adds that an operation is being conducted by Godane’s men prosecuting the foreign troops led by Al Amriki. Godane’s men outmuscled Al Amriki’s men during the heavy fighting.
Al Shabaab vows more attacks in Mogadishu
20 Jun- Source: Radio Kulmiye/ Radio Risaala/ al Shahid/Jowhar Online-113 words
Al Shabaab militants has vowed that their fighters will carry out more attacks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, after an attack on the United Nations headquarters on Wednesday, killing about 20 people and injuring others.
Spokesman for the al Shabaab Sheikh Ali Mohamud Raghe ‘Ali Dhere’ said in a statement that the attack, which targeted the headquarters of the United Nations in Mogadishu, send a message to what he called the “invading infidels.”
He added that the aim of the attack was to show that the capital Mogadishu is unsafe area. Ali Dhere vowed that the al Shabaab fighters will carry out more attacks in the capital, Mogadishu.
Somaliland president receives official invitation from Ghanaian counterpart
20 Jun- Source: Somaliland Informer – 258 words
A delegation headed by the International entrepreneur Deepak Kuntawala, Founder and Chairman of the global commodity trading and finance boutique Company DVK Group accompanied by the head Africa Development Fund Mr. Hussein Al-ishaqi recently paid working visit to Ghana in order to discuss with the leaders of the possibility o implementing development projects in Ghana.
Hussein Al-ishqi, the head of Africa development Fund conferred with John Dramani, Ghana’s head of state and requested that Dramani should make formal request to the Somaliland counterpart, H. E. Ahmed Silanyo, the president of Somaliland.
Finally, John Dramani has accepted the request of inviting president Silanyo to pay visit to Ghana and meet with their leaders.
Mogadishu’s Madina Hospital receives 18 casualties after UN compound attacks
20 Jun- Source: Shabelle- 100 words
The administration of Madina hospital in Mogadishu informed Shabelle media station that it received 18 patients after Wednesday’s attacks in the UNDP offices in Mogadishu.
The head administrator of Madina hospital Dr. Mohamed Yusuf added that all the 18 patients were civilians and one of them died last night. 14 others are admitted and the other 3 have been discharged for minor injuries.
The hospital is currently conducting surgeries for some of the patients while the others are receiving medical attention from the Doctors in the hospital.
Attacks launched by Alshabaab results in heavy civilian casualties in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
More child Polio cases in Mogadishu
20 Jun- Source: Radio Ergo- 331 words
Doctors in Mogadishu have reported a number of new polio cases in children in the city over the past week. Dr Lul Mahmud Mohamed, the head of Mogadishu’s Banadir hospital, said more than 20 children infected by poliovirus were admitted to the hospital during the past week.
“The hospital has been admitting on average two children every day affected by poliovirus. Some of them have not been vaccinated and some were vaccinated but not in the proper way,” Dr Lul told Radio Ergo.
The first cases of polio in this current outbreak were detected in Hamar Bile neighbourhood of Mogadishu city in May. Since then, the Federal Government’s ministry of health has announced cases of polio in Banadir, Bay, Lower Shabelle, Gedo and other regions.
This current outbreak marks the first time in six years that the virus has emerged. Somalia had been declared polio free in 2008, following a vaccination campaign targeting half a million children.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Somali refugees in Kenya reluctant to return
20 June- Source: Al Jazeera English-2:21min
Kenya and Somalia have tentatively agreed to repatriate more than half a million refugees from Kenya. The two countries’ presidents have been discussing how to get the refugees to go back home. However, most of those in the world’s biggest refugee settlement say they are not ready to leave. Al Jazeera’s Peter Greste reports from Dadaab, North Eastern Kenya.
Bill proposes tough penalties for terrorism financiers
19 Jun- Source: Business Daily Africa- 315 words
Companies and individuals doing business with terrorists will face steep fines and longer jail terms if Parliament passes proposed amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The proposed amendments by the Treasury are contained in the Finance Bill that is now before Parliament.
“Offences under this section shall be deemed to be committed irrespective of any occurrence of a terrorist act … or whether the funds have actually been used to commit such act,” reads part of the amendment.
The Bill proposes that individuals and corporate entities be labelled as terrorists by the Inspector-General of Police if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that they have committed or are planning to carry out a terrorist attack.
It then goes on to define a terror attack as an act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person not actively involved in armed conflict in order to intimidate a population or to compel a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act.
Somalia most ‘unfriendly’ to journalists
19 Jun- Source: Africa Review- 314 words
Somalia leads in Africa as the most hostile country for journalists to operate in, a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says. Ethiopia and Eritrea follow as the other journalists unfriendly countries in Africa, according to the 2012 – 2013 report. According to the annual survey, 55 journalists from 21 countries fled their homes due to violence, imprisonment and death threats in the past year.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Turkey condemns Somalia UN office attack
20 Jun- Source: Anatolia News Agency-87 words
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Wednesday’s a car bomb attack on a UN office in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. MFA statement said the bomb attack on UN Development Program office which killed more than 10 people including UN employees, was “learnt with sadness.”
MFA offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, to the Somali authorities and to the UN community. On Wednesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the car bomb attack as well. al Qaeda-linked group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Attack will not end Somalia mission: UN
20 Jun – Source: AAP/SBS- 341 words
Ban Ki-moon has condemned a fatal Islamist attack on a UN compound in Somalia, but vows the organisation won’t end its work in the country. UN chief Ban Ki-moon has expressed outrage at a “despicable” Islamist attack on a UN compound in Somalia which left 16 dead but has vowed the organisation won’t end its work in the troubled country.
Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents killed nine people as they shot and blasted their way into the UN compound in Mogadishu on Wednesday, the most serious attack on the UN there in recent years.
The nine were three foreigners, including two South Africans, a Somali UN worker, two Somali security guards and three civilians in the surrounding streets, officials said.
Government officials say seven al Shabaab fighters took part in attack, all of whom either detonated suicide vests or were shot dead, bringing the toll to 16. Ban phoned Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud soon after the attack, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
“The secretary general said the United Nations would not be deterred from delivering its mandate,” said Nesirky, in a statement from Beijing where Ban is on an official visit. He said Ban was “deeply concerned and outraged by the despicable attack”.
Readout of Secretary-General’s telephone conversation with President of Somalia
19 Jun – Source: UN.org – 134 words
The Secretary-General spoke by telephone today with the President of Somalia, H.E. Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The Secretary-General thanked the President for expressing his concern and condolences for the attack on the UN compound in Mogadishu. He added his own personal condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Secretary-General said he was deeply concerned and outraged by the despicable attack against the United Nations.
He urged the President to ensure UN staff are protected and to coordinate closely with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and his Special Representative in Mogadishu. The Secretary-General said the United Nations would not be deterred from delivering its mandate.
Four foreign security staff among 15 dead in Somalia U.N. attack
19 Jun- Source: Reuters- 79 words
Fifteen people were killed in the first major assault on the United Nations by Somali Islamist militants in years, including four foreign security staff, local guards and insurgent fighters, the Somali government said on Wednesday.
Providing details on the death toll, Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled told reporters: “So far we have confirmed four UNDP foreign staff who were responsible for security, four Somali guards and seven militants.”
UK Foreign Secretary condemns attack on UN compound in Mogadishu
19 Jun- Source: gov.uk-194 words
Foreign Secretary William Hague has condemned today’s attack on UN compound & applauded the efforts of Somalia’s national security forces.
The Foreign Secretary William Hague said:
“I deplore this attack against the heart of the UN’s operations in Somalia, in which a number of people have been killed. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, friends and colleagues. As the Prime Minister of Somalia has said, the UN are friends and partners of Somalia. They are leading efforts to provide political and practical support to Somalia and the Somali people, including life-saving humanitarian assistance. To murder staff working for the UN is utterly indefensible.
“I applaud the efforts of Somalia’s national security forces with the support of AMISOM in bringing the incident under control so quickly and with such professionalism. This is a major achievement. We all owe a huge debt to the bravery of AMISOM and Somalia’s armed forces who are working side by side to defend Somalia against al Shabaab’s wanton violence. We remain resolved to continue supporting the progress we have witnessed in Somalia over the last two years. This kind of attack does nothing to shake that resolve”.
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on al Shabaab’s Attack on United Nations in Somalia
19 Jun- Source: somalia.usvpp.gov -225 words
The United States condemns in the strongest terms al Shabaab’s despicable attack on the United Nations in Somalia today. The attack targeted people and organizations working in partnership with the Somali Government to provide health services, clean water, sanitation, education, and economic opportunity – people striving to build a better future for the Somali people. We commend the brave and swift response by the Somali security forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia, and send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of this heinous act.
Today’s attack highlights the repugnant terrorist tactics al Shabaab continues to use to stand in the way of efforts to ease the suffering of the Somali people. Whether by denying food and medical aid during one of the region’s worst droughts, or by repeated attacks against fellow Somalis and soldiers helping to build a lasting peace, al Shabaab has shown again and again that it stands on the side of death and destruction.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“…the U.N. should not be intimidated by this attack. Any retreat would further embolden al Shabaab. It was encouraging to hear Ambassador Kay say: “the U.N. is committed to its mission…We’re here to help and we’re here to stay.”
Al Shabaab’s Bloody Attack in Mogadishu
19 June- Source: Foreign Policy Blog/Hiiraan Online-363 Words
The gruesome attack on the U.N. compound in Mogadishu that killed 18 people has shocked the world. Once the “Breaking News” hit the social media, condemnations, condolences, and blame started pouring.
This latest bloody attack couldn’t come at a worst time — when security in Mogadishu was rapidly improving, when the country (especially Mogadishu) was being showcased as an emerging market, and when the newly appointed U.N. Secretary General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Ambassador Nicholas Kay, UNSOM and other U.N. agencies were getting situated in the city.
Al Shabaab’s objective is clear: Seize the vacuum created by the prevalent false sense of security and total preoccupation with internal political bickering. (Remember, al Shabaab was not defeated on the battleground, they just tactically immersed into the society.) Expose the government’s incapacity to provide sustainable security even in Mogadishu. Break the security gains momentum in the capital, and severely disrupt the sense of normalcy with such high profile operation. Hit the heart of the U.N. operation and its private security groups to pressure it to reconsider total transfer of its operations into Mogadishu.
“Al Shabaab, which took responsibility for the attack, broadcast on Twitter what it claimed was a real-time account of the attack. “We’ve just contacted the Mujahideen inside the #UNDP and they are still fighting some western mercenaries inside the compound,” one tweet stated.”
Somali Militants Live-Tweet Their Deadly Attack on U.N. Compound
19 June- Source: Foreign Policy Blog-605 Words
The Somali militant movement al Shabaab today launched a deadly strike against a U.N. humanitarian compound in Mogadishu that killed one international staffer, three contractors, four Somali security guards, and an unknown number of Somali civilians.
Then the group gloated about it in a creepy series of Twitter posts. The tweets seemed calculated to taunt the new U.N. representative, Nicholas Kay, who opened a political office in Mogadishu this month. “So Nicholas Kay, are you still planning to settle down in Mogadishu by the end of the month?” read one tweet.
U.N. officials dismissed al Shabaab’s taunts, saying that they would not be deterred by the latest attack, though U.N. security measures are all but certain to be heightened. They also pointed out that Kay is already in Mogadishu and would remain. The attack, they noted, was not directed at Kay’s office.
The attack — which targeted a U.N. humanitarian compound in Mogadishu — was intended as a show of force in the nation’s capital for a movement that had been largely driven out of the city 18 months ago.
“Once again the Cloud of a balkanized Somalia grows darker. One can reasonably conclude that Somalis are engaged in a process of self-implosion. The simple irony is that the vast majority of Somalis are desirous of maintaining their SOMALI identity as distinct from being Kenyan or Ethiopian. All Somalis are bound by a common language, a common religion and culture.”
A House Divided Cannot Stand
19 June- Source: Hiiraan Online-866 Words
It is indeed a sad day when one discovers that brothers from the same household indulge in suspicious behavior that, unless checked, can lead to the destabilization of the home.
I refer to the visit of brothers from Puntland who made a visit to Kenya recently. They were afforded the opportunity to meet with the Foreign Secretary of Kenya Ms. Amina Mohamed. They were also granted an audience with the newly elected President of Kenya.
It is known that the leadership in Puntland fully supports the developments currently taking place in Jubaland in direct opposition to the Federal Government. This visit has caused many Somalis to wonder about the nature of this visit. It is perceived that there are several forces that are in play.
First, it is generally accepted that the political forces within Puntland do not support the position of the Federal Government with regards to Jubbaland. Their support serves the purpose of undermining the position of the Federal Government and provides moral and other support to the self-proclaimed government in Jubaland.
Davidson Prof. Menkhaus sees Somalia violence up close
19 June- Source: Davidson News Blog-195 Words
Davidson College political science professor Ken Menkhaus is getting uncomfortably close to the violence in Somalia this summer.
Menkhaus is working with international agencies in the northern Somalia region of Somaliland this summer. When news broke Wednesday that a suicide bombing and attack at UN compound in Mogadishu had killed at least 12 people, Menkhaus quickly emailed colleagues back in Davidson to let them know he was safe.
“In case you see breaking news about a suicide bombing and armed attack of the UN compound in Mogadishu, please know that I was not there – I’m in a different part of Somalia now. I was, however, in Mogadishu just three days ago and was supposed to hold meetings at the UN compound but ended up at another location. Plans to go back to Mogadishu have now officially been iced.”
The UN compound is close to the African Union-controlled international airport. The attack was likely perpetrated by al Shabaab, a militant group active in Somalia.
Top tweets
@TheStar_news can confirm that the 2 South Africans killed in#Somalia were Alan Simpson and Morné Lotter. Families have been informed.
@BlackMessiah_ Attack on #Somalia and UN forces only make the call of unity more urgent for #SomaliaRepublic. Strong military. Vigilant citizens. #Awake
@USAforSOMALIA The U.S. condemns yesterday’s criminal attack against the #UN in #Somalia. Statement by White House @ http://tinyurl.com/lekcp5v
@ferigom69 Possibilities of application of private security organizations off the coast of Somalia @scoopithttp://sco.lt/59PNSr #somalia #piracy
@trendinaliaKE Did you know that #somalia was Trending Topic on Wednesday 19 for 5 hours in Kenya?http://www.trendinalia.com/
Image of the day
A soldier fires a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) after al Shabaab gunmen attacked the United Nations compound in the Somali capital Mogadishu, June 19, 2013. Photo: Reuters