March 1, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

3 Africa terror groups may collaborate

29 Feb – Source: AP – 123 words

The top U.S. commander for Africa says he is increasingly concerned about the likelihood that terrorist groups in Somalia, North Africa and Nigeria want to coordinate their training, funding and terror activities.

Gen. Carter Ham told Congress Wednesday that terror leaders from al Shabaab, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram in Nigeria want to more closely synchronize their efforts. He says the three groups are the top three threats in that region, and their collaboration would present a real challenge to the U.S.

Key Headlines

Somali government defense minister visits Baidoa (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
Airstrikes hit al Shabaab base in Gedo region (Source: Somalia Report)
Don’t extend TFG term Somalia told (Source: Daily Nation)
France condemns assassination of Somali radio journalist (Source: Kuwait News Agency)
UK takes the lead in Somalia (Source: Foreign policy)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali government defense minister visits Baidoa

29 Feb – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 126 words

A delegation lead by the Defense Minister of the Somali government, Hussein Arab Isse yesterday reached Baidoa for the first time since the withdrawal of Shabaab militias from the town. The minister was accompanied by fellow state ministers, members of parliament and security officers where they received a warm welcome from from the locals.

Fighter jets seen flying over al Shabaab-held Afgoye town

29 Feb – Source: Shabelle, Raxanreeb – 105 words

Low-level flying military aircrafts have been seen flying over parts of al Shabaab-held Afgoye town in Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia. The fighter planes are not reported to have conducted any air-strikes against the militants in those areas so far.

Airstrikes hit al Shabaab base in Gedo region

29 Feb – Source: Somalia Report – 273 words

Reports from Gedo region in southern Somalia indicate that suspected Kenyan fighter planes carried out an airstrike 60 kilometers southwest of Bardhere on Tuesday. TFG officials and officials from the pro-government Sufi militia of Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa (ASWJ) in Gedo told Somalia Report that the airstrike destroyed important al Shabaab targets.

Somaliland reporter arrested in Borama

29 Feb – Source: Garowe Online – 216 words
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns last week’s arrest and brutal assault of Mohamed Abdirahman, a journalist in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland. Police arrested Abdirahman, a reporter for the local news site Subulahanews, on the morning of February 21 in the northwestern town of Borama and accused him of publishing a false story that claimed Ethiopian separatists with the Ogaden National Liberation Front had settled in the northwestern town of Lughaya, local journalists said.

Ethiopian forces, al Shabaab clash in southcentral Somalia; casualties unknown

29 Feb- Source: Radio Shabelle – 50 words

Ethiopian forces and al Shabaab fighters have clashed in Bardaale District, south-central Somalia.

The fighting erupted after al Shabaab ambushed Ethiopian military convoys at Jiiro Madshiiq locality between Baidoa and Bardale. Casualty figures still remain unclear.

Puntland forces seize supplies to Galgala militias

29 Feb – Source: Shabelle – 104 words

Puntland forces have seized on Wednesday supplies to Galgala militias linked with al Shabaab-aligned militants operating in the area of Cal-Madow area north of Bosaso town, security officials said.

Officials of Darwish forces under Puntland state of Somalia said they seized a truck, carrying military equipment and food elements on Wednesday morning near Galgala hideouts.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Don’t extend TFG term, Somalia told

29 Feb – Source: Daily Nation – 206 words

Somalia’s prime minister has insisted that the term of the current transitional government should end in August as scheduled, reiterating the position agreed on at last week’s London conference.

Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said that the transitional period, which was set to end last year before an extension, would end on August 20. “There will be no further extension on the term of the TFG,” he said on Tuesday during a trip to Norway.

France condemns assassination of Somali radio journalist

29 Feb – Source: Kuwait News Agency – 160 words

The French government on Wednesday strongly condemned the assassination Tuesday in Somalia of leading radio journalist Abukar Hassan Kadaf, who was shot by unidentified gunmen. Kadaf, who was Director of “Radio Somaliwayn” was one of the most prominent press professionals in his field and headed one of the independent radios in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

3 Africa terror groups may collaborate

29 Feb – Source: AP – 123 words

UK takes the lead in Somalia

29 Feb – Source: Foreign policy – 1,542 words

The much-ballyhooed conference on Somalia hosted by UK Prime Minister David Cameron on February 23 was long on grandstanding but short on new substance. The meeting was clearly more about crowning a new leader (Britain) and celebrating the limited military successes against Islamist militants than about building a foundation for peace.

Somali journalist killing is latest in violent trend

Feb 29 – Source: VOA – 451 words

A Mogadishu radio-station director has became the third Somali journalist killed in as many months. The death underscores the constant threat against journalists working in the war-torn country.

Abukar Hassan Mohamoud is the latest journalist to be killed in the bullet-ridden Somali capital, Mogadishu. Witnesses say unidentified gunmen assassinated the Somaliweyn radio station director late Tuesday at his home in the Wadajir district.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“With much of Somalia peaceful and Somalis starting to chill out at the beaches, it was important for the West to accept that an African solution to continental conflicts is possible.”

“The West can arrange for the logistics but should leave us to tackle the issues ourselves. The Uganda-Burundian-forced AMISOM solution worked best and finally delivered the peace because African soldiers know how better to deal with an African conflict than a Western solider who needs chewing gum and a hot dog first in order to hit the African terrain.”

Somalia: The London Conference & When I Predicted UPDF Victory

29 Feb – Red Peper Uganda -1322 Words

Last week, leaders from around 50 different countries gathered in London for a conference to discuss the future of Somalia. These leaders included President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, whose country’s troops form the backbone of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
As they deliberated and offered final template solutions for war torn Somalia, a cautious Museveni warned that it was time the world understood that African solutions work best. He’s dead right.

“The conference Communiqué was devoid of any real substance and predominantly highlighted the work already being done to assist Somalia. It did, however, reinforce the UN Security Council’s sentiment that no further extensions would be granted to transitional governance arrangements. The emphasis on security appeared to be minimal with no new initiatives being announced. Conference delegates agreed to focus on efforts already being undertaken to support Somali security and justice sectors, based on principles leading to a ‘staged, Somali-led, internationally coordinated approach building upon existing structures which works towards an appropriate, accountable, adequate, and affordable security and justice sector’.”

London Somalia Conference: ‘A space for peace and stability’

29 Feb – Source: Flagpost Blog – 1175 Words

The London Somalia Conference was held on 23 February 2012 showcasing what might be considered to be an ambitious agenda, given the short program dedicated to discussions on the wide-ranging issues plaguing Somalia. The conference was opened by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and addressed by nine keynote speakers that included United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon. Three separate sessions were subsequently held to deal with Somalia’s political process, security, and stability and recovery. The brevity of proceedings does not detract from the significance of the event and the renewed emphasis now garnered by the international community to support Somalia out of transition and into a more permanently stable State. This post follows on from the Parliamentary Library Background Note, ‘A ray of hope’: London Somalia Conference, 23 February 2012.