June 5, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Minister Defends Stabilization Operation, Cites Killings In The Capital
04 June – Source : Dhacdo.com – 264 words
Somalia’s Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman has defended his government’s position to continue the ongoing Mogadishu Stabilization Operation which aims to disarm armed militia groups in the capital. The minister alleged assassinations occurred in Mogadishu in the past were not the work of the militant group Al-Shabaab only but there have been other criminal groups with different motives operating in the city. “We have come to a conclusion that armed assassinations and shootings in Mogadishu were not only planned and executed by Al-Shabaab, but there are other groups with different motives.” the minister said during an interview with Somali language Horn Cable TV. “The Stabilization Operation is government plan and will be executed as it is. We will not stop it in favour for special person or groups.” He said.
Asked why some armed former government officials and clan politicians and their militias vacated the capital without surrendering their weapons, the minister said that those weapons will be seized sooner or later. The disarmament operation announced by Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire in early last month, now faces the opposition from some of the militia groups hailing from major dominant clans in Mogadishu due to the timing and the target of the operation pointing out the risk of taking advantage of the operation by Al-Shabaab militant. But residents in the capital are hopeful for a better security as the number of armed militias roaming the streets of the capital and vehicles mounted with machine guns significantly decreased in the past weeks. He further warned those advocating for clan influence to resist the ongoing operation.
Key Headlines
- Minister Defends Stabilization Operation Cites Killings In The Capital (Dhacdo.com )
- District Official Attacked At His Residence In Mogadishu (Garowe Online)
- Government Forces And AMISOM Prepare Offensive Against Al-Shabaab In Lower Shabelle (Jowhar.com )
- Hirshabelle Leaders Appeal To Puntland State (Goobjoog News)
- Turkish Humanitarian Aid Ship Leaves For Somalia (Anadolu Agency)
- Rising Deportations To Somalia Raise Concerns In Minnesota (Star Tribune)
NATIONAL MEDIA
District Official Attacked At His Residence In Mogadishu
04 June – Source : Garowe Online – 153 Words
Suspected Al-Shabaab assailants were reported to have tossed hand grenades into the house of former district commissioner of Hodan in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Security officials said the incident occurred early evening with no causalities, as the attackers targeted the former official Ahmed Salad Ibrahim. The assailants fled the crime scene before the arrival of the Police authorities who cordoned off the area for investigation. Ibrahim was replaced by the new Mayor of Mogadishu last month, who appointed new district officials after assuming the office.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Police authorities are accusing Al-Shabaab group behind the failed attempt against the official. So far no statement was released from the Banadir regional administration regarding the attack.This incident coincides amid major security operations carried out by joint security forces comprise of Police, military and Intelligence agency who are assigned for “Mogadishu Stabilization Mission” during the holy month of Ramadan.
Government Forces And AMISOM Prepare Offensive Against Al-Shabaab In Lower Shabelle
05 June – Source: Jowhar.com – 164 Words
Federal government forces and troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) are in preparation for a military offensive against the militant group Al-Shabaab in Lower Shabelle region. Residents in Awdheegle and Jannale, controlled by Al-Shabaab, have observed an increase of military activities near the said towns and thus expressed fear over eruption of war in the area. A reporter in Afgoye said that government forces along with AMISOM are currently preparing a major offensive against the said towns.
Hundreds of Somalia’s military have been recently deployed to the region to participate in the anticipated offensive. This development comes days after senior military officials announced a major military operation against Al-Shabaab positions in Lower Shabelle. Most parts of the region are under the control of the militant group, which launches frequent raids against government positions in the region. The militant group recently upped its attacks against military positions in the region in what analysts termed as a plan to disrupt the planned offensive.
Hirshabelle Leaders Appeal To Puntland State
05 June – Source : Goobjoog News – 171 Words
Hirshabelle Leaders spoke for the first time on the truck caught in Bossaso town loaded with explosives. The State Minister in the Interior Ministry of Hirshabelle State Abdirashid Warsame and the Governor of Hiran region Ali Jeyte Osman said they expect the Puntland Administration to exercise fairness. The two officials claim that the suspects were duped on the cargo as vegetables.
Governor of Hiran region Ali Jeyte Osman said after conducting an investigation found the operators of the truck were unaware of the explosives. “We inform the Puntland region that the driver and others on the vehicle caught with explosives are innocent according to our own investigation. They were conspired against believing the load to be vegetables” said Governor Jeyte.
Similarly the State Minister in the Interior Ministry of Hirshabelle State Abdirashid Warsame on his side said Al-shabaab does not only inflict the public but also truck operators. He appealed for the suspects to be released saying as Hirshabelle State, they don’t wish for the Puntland residents to be attacked.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Turkish Humanitarian Aid Ship Leaves For Somalia
04 June – Source : Anadolu Agency – 174 Words
Turkey on Sunday sent a ship carrying 13,000 tons of food and humanitarian aid to Somalia from southern Mersin province. Speaking at the farewell ceremony in Tasucu Port of Silifke district, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said the government was not just helping with humanitarian aid. “Hopefully, we will start development projects,” said Kaynak, adding that Turkey is constructing a military education facility in capital Mogadishu. “There will be trained security personnel that will fight terror,” Kaynak added.
The aid was prepared in coordination with Turkish Red Crescent, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). Somalia is one of the several African states facing famine due to drought. Eleven of its 18 regions have been hit by the drought. The drought has led to a lack of clean water and cholera has killed more than 600 people this year, the World Health Organization has said. The UN said at least 615,000 people have been displaced since 2016 and 40,000 children have stopped attending school.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Since taking over, the Trump administration has run into the complexities of forcing countries to take deportees; news reports show that criminals whose home countries won’t accept them continue to be released. But, says Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies, the administration’s willingness to impose visa sanctions on uncooperative countries is having an effect.”
Rising Deportations To Somalia Raise Concerns In Minnesota
05 June – Source: Star Tribute – 1221 words
The pace of deportations to Somalia is picking up fast and setting local natives of the East African country on edge. Eight months into the fiscal year, deportations to Somalia have already outpaced last year’s record-setting numbers. Nationally, more than 260 people were deported to Somalia since October mostly Somalis who sought asylum unsuccessfully, but also some permanent U.S. residents with criminal convictions. Alarmed community members grilled the Somali ambassador on a recent visit to the Twin Cities. Minnesota’s DFL congressional delegation in May wrote the Trump administration questioning the removals to a country grappling with famine and threats by the terror group Al-Shabab. “These realities cause great concern for the decision to deport so many Somalis to a situation where they would face imminent risk and danger,” the letter said.
But some administration supporters have lauded its effort to pressure Somalia and other “recalcitrant” countries to accept more deportees. At the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates limiting immigration, fellow Jessica Vaughan says the U.S. must put its citizens’ safety first. Otherwise, she says, “We are stuck with people who are no longer eligible to remain in this country because conditions in their own countries remain poor.”
Somali deportations began increasing under President Barack Obama, and they have kept up as President Donald Trump took office with promises to step up immigration enforcement. Improved cooperation by Somalia appears to be a key factor. The country was on the Obama administration’s list of nations that didn’t play ball with U.S. immigration authorities, but it vanished from the new administration’s list released in May.
From 30 to 260 in five years: The 260 people deported to Somalia through May 6 compare to 198 for the entire 2016 fiscal year and about 30 five years ago, when the U.S. government began to more readily repatriate Somalis to the war-torn country. The 2017 number includes 80 people deported through the St. Paul office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, which also covers the Dakotas, Nebraska and Iowa. Both nationally and locally, about a quarter of deportees had criminal convictions, according to data from ICE. More than 4,830 Somalis in the United States have pending final orders of deportation, including about 300 in the states covered by the St. Paul ICE office.
The Embassy of Somalia in Washington, D.C., which reopened in 2015, has demanded letters from deportees saying they agree to go back before its staff will issue travel documents. Its home page features a release about the 90 people deported on a January chartered flight; it says they signed statements that affirm “their full consent to be returned to Somalia.”
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Explosion targets Kismayo town central police station, at least one person was killed, several others injured: sources.
@Showqi2013: #Breakingnews #Somalis military court delayed case agaisnt Minister Abas killers.
@AFP @VOANews @voasomali @HarunMaruf @MailOnline
@HassanIstiila: #UPDATE: Rising deportations to #Somalia raise concerns in Minnesota. http://www.startribune.com/
@issafrica: Top read | With 10 years of hard experience in #Somalia, AMISOM can lead peace and development. https://issafrica.org/iss-
@FAOemergencies: #Somalia│$160mln needed to support 3.2mln food insecure ppl. Only 41% of funding received up-to-date #FightingFamine http://www.fao.org/
@AbdulBillowAli:It’s Pres @M_Farmaajo‘s first 100 days at @TheVillaSomalia.Popular & regarded as the people’s choice. But will he make #Somalia great again?
@Daudoo: Suspected #US planes drop leaflets on #AlShabaab-controlled towns of #Jilib & #Jamame, urging AS members to defect from the group. #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo inspect a guard of honor during celebrations to mark 100 days since his election to office.
Photo: Radio Muqdisho