March 11, 2015 | Morning Headlines.
Government Confirms Arrest of 11 Officials Accused Of facilitating Suicide Attacks In Mogadishu
10 March – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 201 Words – UPDATE
Somali federal government has for the first time commented on the arrested of 11 officials including senior police officers and intelligence officials who are accused of assisting Al-Shabaab during the group’s attack on SYL Hotel in Mogadishu. The Deputy Attorney General Ahmed Ali speaking to the media confirmed that the government apprehended 11 officials for allegedly assisting Al-Shabab fighters and suicide bombers who blew themselves up in SYL Hotel in Mogadishu. “These probes are underway and I expect that they will be prosecuted soon,” Ali told reporters. He added “Among those arrested is Hodan police commander Mohamed Dahir.” The police have been investigating these allegations for over forty days because they should be brought before a court within 48 hours from the arrest date. He said that the reason they held the press conference is to inform the world and Somali people about the allegations and why these officials have been detained. “They are still suspects and are not guilty till court declares,” Ali said.
Key Headlines
- AU Somali Troops Seize District In Southern Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
- Government Confirms Arrest of 11 Officials Accused Of Facilitating Suicide Attacks In Mogadishu (Radio Goobjoog)
- Japan Pledges USD 3 Million To Somalia And Continues Its Support In The Fight Against Explosive Threats (Somali Update)
- PM Sharmarke Praises Ethiopia’s Role In Somalia (Garowe Online)
- Displaced Families In Burdubo Are In Dire Condition (Radio Goobjoog)
- Three Tanzanians Face Terrorism Charges Against Kenya Somalia (East African)
- Somalia Fishermen Combine Experiences To Transform Business (Coastweek.com)
- Drones Strike Shabaab Strongholds In Somalia (World Bulletin)
- The Newspaper Seller Of Mogadishu (Sahan Journal)
- AMISOM Community Outreach (AMISOM)
SOMALI MEDIA
AU, Somali Troops Seize District In Southern Somalia
10 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 191 Words
Somali troops backed by the African Union forces in Somalia have captured a district in southern Somalia after a brief battle with the Al-Shabaab fighters on Tuesday, bringing troops closer to capturing new strategic areas in the region, officials said. The capture of Masjid Ali Gadud in Middle Shabelle region is yet another blow to Al-Shabaab which is trying to expand areas under its control after series of ground losses to the allied forces. Military officials told Hiiraan Online that Al-Shabaab fighters have fled after putting little resistance to the advancing forces. “It’s a much needed relief for the residents of this area who suffered in the hands of this group for so long,” said a senior Somali military official who spoke to local media. The captured area is an important transit hub for vehicles shuttling through central and southern regions. Al-shabaab which still controls large swathes in Somalia have been losing key strongholds to the Somali Army and African Union forces for the past three years, leaving the group militarily weaker as fighters started a deadly guerrilla war against allied forces.
Japan Pledges USD 3 Million To Somalia And Continues Its Support In The Fight Against Explosive Threats
March 10 – Source: Somali Update – 352 Words
The Government of Japan has contributed $3,000,000 to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action to allow UNMAS to deliver continued support to Somalia in its fight against explosive threats. The contribution will fund a pilot project for survey and clearance of explosive hazards on the Somali-Ethiopian border. This is the first time this work has been possible in the context of an ongoing insurgency and widespread insecurity across much of South Central Somalia. In addition to the life-saving benefits of this intervention, it is designed to create employment for hundreds of Somali youth, bringing a much-needed economic injection into communities impacted by conflict. Building on the success of a Japan-funded project in 2014, it will also facilitate the further operational deployment of the Somali Police force (SPF) in destroying the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) that plague Somalia on an almost daily basis, further cementing public understanding and appreciation of the SPF’s role as one of life-saving and instrumental to personal and community security.
The continued support of the people of Japan will also further develop the Somali Explosive Management Authority (SEMA), and support the Somali government to continue to provide an accountable and transparent national authority capable of implementing management functions and coordinate and manage mine action at a strategic level. Over two decades of civil war in Somali has resulted in contamination by explosive remnants of war (ERW), as battles left an as-yet undefined quantity of unexploded ordnance and minefields across the country, while ammunition storage across Somalia were destroyed or abandoned during the conflict, scattering ordnance over a wide area and leaving deadly residual hazard. With AMISOM gaining an increasing number of territories across south and central Somalia, main supply routes for humanitarian aid and populated areas along the border with Ethiopia are priority areas of intervention and are also critical for the implementation of the Federal Government of Somalia’s Stabilisation plan. We thank the Government of Japan for its continued support to explosive hazard management in Somalia.
PM Sharmarke Praises Ethiopia’s Role In Somalia
10 March – Source: Garowe Online – 214 Words
Federal Government of Somalia’s Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has praised Ethiopia’s role in the on-going stabilization operations, Garowe Online reports. Prime Minister Sharmarke made the remarks shortly after meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Foreign Affairs Minister Tedros Adhanom in Addis Ababa. Sharmarke said he held talks with Ethiopia leader about areas of mutual interest including security, trade and political front:” My visit is part of a series of trips to neighbouring countries and Somalia friends to speed up bilateral ties and cooperation,” the prime minister said. He also noted that his government is concentrating on stability and installation of capable institutions. He is being accompanied on his trip by Civil Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jama (Jangali), State Minister for Defence Mohamed Ali Hagaa, Somali Ambassador to Iraq Khadija Al-Maqsumi and Presidential officials. Adhanom and Somali envoy to Ethiopia Ahmed Abdisalan received Prime Minister’s delegation at Bole International airport. Ethiopia sent its troops into Somalia to back transitional federal government in 2006. However, as part of massive stabilization operations in south-central regions, Ethiopian forces returned to border regions-Hiran, Galgadud, Gedo and Bay in late 2011.
Displaced Families In Burdubo Are In Dire Condition
10 March – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 125 Words
Over 1,500 war displaced families in the outskirt of Burdubo town face lack of shelter and other basic needs. Their living conditions are in a dire consitions due to shortage of food, healthcare and other basic needs in 14 IDPs camps. Among those mostly affected are women and children who lost their lost ones lost in the skirmishes that broke out in Burdubo town in recent weeks. Bishar Abdilllahi, a committee member of Burdubo displaced people, who spoke to Goobjoog News, said that IDPs living in the camps situated in the outskirt of the town are in poor humanitarian conditions desperate for immediate assistance. Bishar called upon the federal government and and NGOs to offer help and aid to those needy people.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Three Tanzanians Face Terrorism Charges Against Kenya, Somalia
10 March – Source: East African – 332 Words
Three Tanzanian suspects appeared before a Dar es Salaam court Tuesday facing various charges including facilitating terrorism in foreign countries. Nassor Ally, Juma Zuberi and Jihad Swalehe, who were charged at Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court in Dar, before judge Hellen Riwa, are accused of aiding in the planning of attacks in Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. The prosecution led by Senior State Attorney Peter Njike said Mr Swalehe in various places within Dar es Salaam communicated with other persons – Nero of Turkey and Dacosta of Portugal – seeking material, financial and expertise assistance for the purpose of executing a plan to detonate explosives in Kenya. The accused is alleged to have committed the offence between March 21, 2013 and June 2, 2014.
Mr Ally is accused of participating in a military training, in Doble area within Kismayu, aimed at overthrowing the legitimate government of Somalia on diverse dates between October 2000 and January 30, 2001. He is further alleged to have, on diverse dates between May 2013 and August 23, 2014 at Nguu Forest in Gombero area within Muheza District in Tanga, supported communication of a terrorist group, which was offering training to persons, who were not before the court, on the use of weapons with intention to commit terrorist attacks in Tanzania. Mr Zuberi is alleged to have committed the offence on the same date at a mosque in Dar es Salaam.
Somalia Fishermen Combine Experiences To Transform Business
10 March – Source – Coastweek.com – 606 Words
Casting his eyes into the blue calm waters of the Indian Ocean, Aweys Mohamed Nor knows too well that in no time his men will be making way to the shores with another catch, adding another day to his over two decades fishing experience. Hamarweyne is an ancient Arab market dating back hundreds of years and the cultural and architectural designs of Arab traders dot the area, though many were destroyed during the war in Somalia.
But one thing stands out in Hamarweyne market, just two kilometres away from Mogadishu-fishing. Nor has been in this trade for over two decades and still going perhaps driven by his father’s determination which saw him spend much of his life taking into the waters for fish. Nor said fishing is his only lifeline and he has not known any other trade but fishing. “For over 20 years now, I have been making trips into the water every day. “I learned the skill from my father who was an equally good fisherman. “When I came of age, I joined him as he went fishing at night,” Nor recalls as he helps his men pull the boat offshore. “I have six men who work for me and I have given them two boats.
“They start their work in the evening and come back in the morning. We don’t fish during the day, because the fish go dip into the ocean. “But at night they come up,” Nor told Xinhua on Sunday. But Nor does not go fishing anymore. He said age is catching up with him and has thus handed the button to his sons and some other men. His work now is to get the fish from the boat and with other men carry to the market which is just within the shores. About the returns, Nor sounds a happy man. He said the cost of fish has gone up, thanks to the increasing demand as result of upcoming restaurants in the city. “A kilogram of fish went for five dollars last year but it has now shot up to seven. “I hope this trend is maintained and even higher,” noted Nor.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Drones strike Shabaab strongholds in Somalia
10 March – Source: World Bulletin – 138 Words
Two strongholds of the Al-Shabaab armed group in southern Somalia have been struck by unidentified aerial drones, eyewitnesses have said. The drone strikes targeted Al-Shabaab camps in the towns of Torato and Ambereso in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, witnesses told. According to witnesses, Al-Shabaab members cordoned off the two sites following the strikes. Lower Shabelle Governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur confirmed the strikes, noting that they had dealt the armed group “human and material losses.” He added, however, that it was still too early to determine the total losses sustained by the group. Al-Shabaab, for its part, has yet to comment on the reported airstrikes. Several group members have also recently been killed in U.S. drone strikes. Nevertheless, the group has continued to stage frequent attacks on government officials and security personnel.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Young Abdirahman is the future of Somalia. He is the generation of tomorrow and he is living a difficult life. He did not choose his fate, for his family to be one of the Somali people who are suffering within Somalia.”
The Newspaper Seller Of Mogadishu
06 March – Source: Sahan Journal – 932 Words
Editor’s Note: The author of this article, Abdishakur Mire, was a Somali journalist and writer. He died in the Feb. 20 suicide attacks on Central Hotel, Mogadishu. His last tweet, sent approximately eight hours before he met his death, prophetically painted an idyllic pastoral imagery of “a migration to a place of greenery and the lightning [that signals] rain and [that is] easy on the eyes.” Mire was the chairman of Daljir Party and former minister in Puntland. Mire posted the original Somali version of this article on his Facebook page on Nov. 19, 2014. Sahan Journal has translated it into English for meaning and not necessarily word for word.
Every person has a different hobby. Mine is buying newspapers whenever I see them. A young boy who is among the young newspaper sellers in Mogadishu came towards us one day carrying newspapers for sale. I could sense that he had gone through a great deal of trouble to get to where we were. We furtively glanced at one another. The men I was sitting with were not happy that I called the boy so as to buy the newspaper from him. Some admonished me not to call him. Why are you calling him. Several words were said on the matter one after another. The young newspaper seller was glared at and generally made to feel unwelcome. I ignored the men, selected 10 different newspapers and bought them from the boy.
The men then rushed towards me and each one of them wanted me to give them a newspaper. I refused and gave the boy twice the money he quoted by sending it through EVC Plus (an electronic money service). I spoke to the boy privately and asked him which drink he would like. “No uncle, this place is expensive and I will not drink from here,” he said. I told him I would pay and asked him his name. He sat at an empty seat, a little further from me, and ordered a cup of tea. I stood and stepped away from the men I was sitting with and sat next to him.
AMISOM Community Outreach
10 March – Source: AMISOM – Video – 3:16 Minutes
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Police unit continues to engage communities using sports to reach out to the youth, in a bid to check crime.
Additional Somalia news will appear in the Afternoon Report