June 8, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Al-Shabaab Fighters Attack Puntland Military Base In Af Urur Near Bosaso
08 June – Source: VOA Somali – 113 words
Al-Shabaab militants have attacked Puntland military base in Af Urur, 100 km west of the commercial city of Bosaso at dawn. Confirming the incident, Puntland commander of Darawish forces in Sanaag region, Colonel Abdullahi Omar Anshur, said a group of heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters launched a major raid on the military camp, prompting a full-scale confrontation between the Puntland Darawish forces and the militants. Colonel Anshur said that gunfire could still be heard. Details of the incident are scanty due to the telecommunication line that has been cut off. Al-Shabaab had previously attacked the same base earlier January this year, killing four soldiers. Nine of its fighters were also killed in that attack.
Key Headlines
- Al-Shabaab Fighters Attack Puntland Military Base In Af Urur Near Bosaso (VOA Somali)
- Mayor Of Mogadishu Chairs First Banadir Security Board Meetings (Jowhar.com)
- The Youth Are The Backbone Of The Nation Says PM Kheyre (Goobjoog News)
- Delegate Shot Dead In Mogadishu’s Bakara Market (Dhacdo.com)
- Al-Shabaab Fighters Storm Military Base In Somalia (BBC News)
- Strengthened Efforts To Serve The Somali Girl Child (UNFPA Somalia)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Mayor Of Mogadishu Chairs First Banadir Security Board Meetings
08 June – Source: Jowhar.com – 146 words
Governor of Banadir and Mayor of Mogadishu, Thabit Abdi Mohamed has chaired a security meeting attended by senior security officials to review ongoing security operation in the capital. The meeting took place at the Mayor’s office and was first of its kind since the inception of the Banadir security council. The meeting discussed ongoing security operation in the capital and ensuring the security and safety of Mogadishu residents.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mayor Thabit emphasized his commitment to working closely with security agencies to secure the capital, citing that their responsibility is to secure Mogadishu, adding that the security meeting will be held once a week.
The Youth Are The Backbone Of The Nation Says PM Kheyre
08 June – Source : Goobjoog News – 251 Words
The security and development of Somalia depends on the strength of the youth and without their contribution no progress can be realized. This was said by Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre while speaking in an event titled “The Benefits of Educated Youths”. He also touched on the strength of the youth that if they fully participate in the government can lead to prosperity in terms of economic boom and good governance. “If you believe that this country is solely made up of unpaved streets, bullets and tribalism then you must refer to history. Our county used to be the pride of Africa. It was the first country to hold democratic election. Remember youths are the backbone of the state.” said the PM Kheyre.
The Governor of Banadir who is also the Mayor of Mogadishu Thabit Abdi spoke of his positive feeling that the challenges faced including the economy and insecurity can be overcome by the youth working with the government and to be ready to serve in the national service and contributing to prosperity. “As the Administration of Banadir region, we are ready to play our role to benefit the youth. Besides, our vision that is to be realized soon as a region among them is job creation that has the first priority in our vision to encourage the Somali business community and foreigners to investment hugely (in the country)” said Governor Tabib. The Federal government of President Farmajo normally stresses on the need to create jobs for the Somali youth.
Delegate Shot Dead In Mogadishu’s Bakara Market
08 June – Source: Dhacdo.com – 130 words
A man said to be one of the delegates who participated in the 2016/2017 parliamentary elections was on Wednesday evening shot dead at Mogadishu’s Bakara Market. Mohamed Sheikh Hussein (Mohamed Dheere) was shot dead by men armed with pistols, who managed to escape from the scene. Mohamed Dheere was one of the delegates who elected MPs from Hirshabelle. He was as well a businessman who ran drugs store at Bakara market.
His killing came barely a day after another delegate, Hussein Hassan Mohamud was killed in Mogadishu’s Yaaqshiid district. The latest murder came at a time when security has been beefed up in the capital. Killings against delegates have been on the increase in recent past, and no arrests have been made so far for any of the assassinations.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Al-Shabaab Fighters Storm Military Base In Somalia
08 June – Source : BBC News – 206 Words
Somalia’s militant Islamist group al-Shabab says it has carried out a major assault on a military base in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Its fighters killed 61 government troops and seized 16 vehicles in the dawn raid, the group said. A Puntland government minister has denied the high death toll, but did not give separate casualty figures. The Al-Qaeda-linked group has carried out several big attacks on military bases in Somalia.
In the the latest attack, the militants withdrew after more than three hours of fighting with government forces, residents told the BBC. The attack took place on the base near the remote Galgala Mountains, about 70 km (43 miles) from the port city of Bosaso. Confirming the attack, Puntland Security Minister Abdiaziz Hirsi said that an investigation was under way and details would be given later. The Galgala Mountains are a stronghold of Al-Shabaab, but a faction of militants broke away in 2015 to affiliate themselves with the Islamic State group.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The Somali girl child lacks sexuality education with cultural barriers hampering comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, is faced with teenage pregnancies in and out of marriage together with its health and economic development implications. An estimated 18 percent among the adolescent girls have ever married.”
Strengthened Efforts To Serve The Somali Girl Child
07 June – Source : UNFPA Somalia – 559 Words
The girl child was the center of discussions and debate at a joint initiative organized by UNFPA in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden on 26 May 2017. The event was attended by close to 40 participants including donors, local NGOs and UN agencies. The discussion was co-led by the chairperson of the Human Rights, Gender Equality and Humanitarian Committee in the Parliament of the Federal Government of Somalia Honourable Member of Parliament Saga Bihi and Swedish Ambassador to Somalia Mr. Mikael Lindvall. It was facilitated by Dr. Barni Nor from the Embassy of Sweden.
Honourable Bihi told the gathering that the Somali girl child continues to face major challenges with sexual reproductive health, Gender Based Violence (GBV) particularly sexual violence, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriages. “Girls in Somalia don’t have many options and therefore opt for marriage as an alternative. We must give girls a positive incentive to enable them make choices and bold decisions,” said Honourable Bihi.
Speaking at the beginning of the discussions Mr. Lindvall said that the joint efforts by government, donors, civil society organisations and UN agencies, in protecting and promoting the Somali girl child, have to be strengthened if a difference is to be made. “We have to work together more strategically and more coordinated towards this common agenda,” said Mr. Lindvall.
Participants at the Brown Bag event spoke of the importance of creating more choices and opportunities for girls, seeking strong partnerships and alliances with men and religious groups and the importance of local-level and Somali-led advocacy campaigns on the girl child in order to change the negative narrative. The participants also discussed that male ambassadors for gender equality in Somalia are critical in protecting and serving the Somali girl child. They agreed to come up with a concrete and realistic action plan to ensure that a real difference is made in the life of the girl child and that core to this work is the National Development Plan and the Ministry of Women and Human Rights.
TOP TWEETS
@vincentlelei: Humanitarians’ joint efforts againist malnutrition bear fruit in #Somalia. >84k children treated for acute malnutrition since start of 2017
@amisomsomalia: #Ramadan
@Daudoo: Bomb blast targets a #Somalia military vehicle in #Jowhar town, 3 soldiers killed, 3 others wounded. via @DalsanFM
@Daudoo: BREAKING: Massive #AlShabaab attack against #Puntland military base is underway near #Somalia‘s coastal town of #Bosaso – Residents.
@HarunMaruf: Govt, AU troops repelled Al-Shabab attack on Mahaday town M/Shabelle overnight, officials say they’ve received a tip of an impending attack.
@SomaliPM: It is repeatedly stated you are the Leaders of 2morrow let me clarify that for you ‘You are the Leaders of today ‘, remarks to the youth.
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: Chief of Puntland security forces General Said Mohamed Hersi and reinforcement troops in Af-Urur, assessing casualties: source
IMAGE OF THE DAY
His Excellency President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo receives newly appointed Canadian Ambassador to Somalia, Sara Hradecky
Photo: @abdirizakdhore