March 22, 2016 | Morning Headlines
70 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed In North Somalia – Official
21 March – Source: Xinhua News – 159 Words
At least 70 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed and 30 others captured in heavy fightings by Somalia’s Puntland forces in the past four days, officials said on Monday. Puntland Minister of Information Mohamud Hassan said their forces the fightings took place in Suuj Valley in Nugal region, northern Somalia, and the government forces have overpowered the insurgents.
“We have killed 70 Al-Shabab fighters. We also arrested 30 of them. This is a military victory against terrorist group,” Hassan said. He said more than 500 militants, who stormed the region, have now been surrounded by the Puntland forces, and the forces are also pursuing those who escaped. Al-Shabaab militant group did not comment on the victory by Puntland forces.
Al-Shabaab has been facing a major onslaught from the Somali security forces backed by the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) troops. Kenyan soldiers have killed more than 50 militants in the past week in different shootout incidences in southern Somalia.
Key Headlines
- 70 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed In North Somalia – Official (Xinhua News)
- SRSG Keating Welcomes Rapid Response Of Puntland Forces To Confront Al-Shabaab Incursion (Radio Dalsan)
- Puntland To Display Fighters Captured In Gara’ad Battle (Shabelle News)
- Police Nab Forgery Suspects Seize Hundreds Of Fake Documents In Mogadishu (Goobjoog News)
- KDF Kills 40 Shabaab Captures Commander (The Star)
- AMISOM Hands Over Renovated Police Station To Somali Police (AMISOM)
- In Prison After Offering To Sell Drugs… To Police (Times Of Malta)
- Why Do We Allow The West To Tell Our Story In Its Own Way? (Daily Nation)
NATIONAL MEDIA
SRSG Keating Welcomes Rapid Response Of Puntland Forces To Confront Al-Shabaab Incursion
21 March – Source: Radio Dalsan – 231 Words
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating, has strongly condemned the incursion by Al-Shabaab fighters into Puntland state that began on 14 March, and praised the response by Puntland. The Al-Shabaab attacks started in the seaside village of Garcad in the Mudug region of Puntland and then spread northward into the Nugal region over the ensuing days.
While the incursion signifies an expansion of the extremist group’s activity in Somalia, SRSG Keating welcomed the rapid response of Puntland’s armed forces in confronting the Al-Shabaab fighters: “We applaud the swift actions of Puntland’s forces during the recent fighting,” said Mr. Keating.
The SRSG also welcomed the provision of support from the Federal Government of Somalia to Puntland in this effort: “This underscores the need for all armed forces in Somalia to work together in the ongoing campaign to contain and ultimately defeat these violent extremists”. Puntland forces have reportedly inflicted major losses on al-Shabaab elements near Garcad and the nearby Suuj Valley.
The SRSG also noted with concern reports of fresh Al-Shabaab attacks against two government security installations that occurred in the Afgooye district of Lower Shabelle region early this morning: “This is a year of decision and transition in Somalia. The international community will stand with the people of Somalia and maintain support for the country’s armed forces in their battle against the menace of terrorism.”
Puntland To Display Fighters Captured In Gara’ad Battle
21 March – Source: Shabelle News – 133 Words
The Information Minister of Somalia’s northeastern semi-autonomous Puntland state, Mohamed Hassan So’ade, said on Monday that they will display militants captured in Gara’ad battle. Mr So’ade said dead bodies of Al Shabaab members killed in the latest combat near the coastal town of Gara’ad will be paraded to the media in the coming few hours. He did not disclose the exact number of the Al Shabaab fighters they are currently holding as prisoners of war, or the number of the dead. Hundreds of Al Shabaab fighters took over Gara’ad last week following a seaborne attack that forced many residents to flee their houses in the coastal area. Heavy fighting between Puntland armed forces and Al-Shabaab militants has started again in small areas near Gara’ad coastal town in Mudug region.
Police Nab Forgery Suspects, Seize Hundreds Of Fake Documents In Mogadishu
21 March – Source: Goobjoog News – 186 Words
Intelligence officers on Monday arrested three people alleged to have been involved in a forgery scheme in Mogadishu, carting away hundreds of forged documents. The intelligence officers attached to Hodan district in Mogadishu raided offices where the three suspects were operating from before parading them at the intelligence agency headquarters.
The documents included school certificates, land title deeds, government identification cards, and passports among others. Banaadir governor Yusuf Jima’ale said the forgery was widespread and was a risk to national security since the fake government passes could be handed over to members of Al-Shabaab militant group.
“Al-Shabaab elements could be buying these fake passports to easily gain access to government installations or any other place they want to target for attack,” warned Jima’ale. The governor said his office had been dealing with many cases of double land ownership documents: “You get a case where two people claim ownership of land each producing what they deem as original documents,” added Jima’ale. He said the government will fight forgery with the same vigour its fighting Al-Shabaab.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
KDF Kills 40 Shabaab, Captures Commander
21 – March – Source: The Star – 428 Words
Forty al Shabaab fighters and two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers were over the weekend killed in two separate incidents. This was after a fight between African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops and militants from the Al Qaeda-linked terror group in Somalia.
Five KDF soldiers were also seriously injured when al Shabaab militants ambushed a KDF convoy between Qoqani and Afmadhow in Lower Jubba on Saturday afternoon. KDF spokesman Col David Obonyo said 21 Al Shabaab fighters were killed during the Saturday ambush in which the attackers used improvised explosive devices to blow up a KDF Armoured Personnel Carrier. He said a convoy of KDF enroute to Afmadhow engaged the militants, who had laid an ambush.
“During the fierce engagement, they overpowered al Shabaab militants resulting to use of improvised explosive devices, damaging one of the vehicles. Twenty-one militants were killed, 19 AK 47 rifles, three rocket propelled grenades and a pistol were recovered. Regrettably, KDF suffered two fatalities and five injuries,” Obonyo said. Somalia media said the ambush happened in Hayo, about 25km from Dhobley town. They also claimed four KDF soldiers were killed.
On Sunday, KDF soldiers operating in Ras Kamboni, killed 13 al Shabaab fighters and arrested a middle-level commander in yet another confrontation with the insurgent group. KDF soldiers operating in Sarira in Lacta Belt about 30km North of Ras Kamboni pursued the militants who had been intending to carry out an attack. They recovered eight AK 47 rifles, two PKM machine guns, two rocket propelled grenades and assorted ammunition.
Last Wednesday, KDF soldiers killed nineteen suspected militants, who had attempted to attack their camp in Somalia’s town of Afmadhow shortly after midnight. KDF soldiers also destroyed a machine gun mounted vehicle, popularly referred to as ‘technical’ and seized 10 AK 47 rifles and three rocket propelled grenades from the attackers.
AMISOM Hands Over Renovated Police Station To Somali Police
21 March – Source: AMISOM – 404 Words
AMISOM police yesterday handed over a newly renovated police station in Mahas to help improve the institutional capacity of the Somali Police Force (SPF) and enhance the rule of law in Hiiraan region. The renovation of the station is part of AMISOM’s agenda to equip the SPF with the necessary infrastructure needed to enable it perform its duties efficiently.
The facility, complete with furniture, was handed over to the Hiiraan Police Commissioner, Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle by the Deputy AMISOM Police Commissioner, Christine Alal: “What we are doing here today is part of the stabilization program. When an area is recovered stabilization process begins and one of the programs undertaken is bringing police on the ground to ensure there is rule of law in the area,” Alalo noted.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Hiiraan District Commissioner, Mohamed Macow Halne, and the AMISOM Sector Four Commander of the Ethiopian Defence Forces Col. Tsegay Teklay.As part of the program, 10 police officers from Mogadishu were also deployed to the station to help in the stabilization process.
“Today we are handing over this police station that has been renovated by AMISOM Police. It was a dilapidated police station but it has been renovated to make it a suitable workplace for the officers,” Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo added. Speaking at the same function, the Hiiraan Police Commissioner, Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle, expressed his optimism in the stabilization process, describing the handover of the facility as a good start in securing Somalia.
“The police officers I brought here today are only 10. It is a small number but we will increase the number. We will also bring transport and other equipment. We also hope to improve on the building. Everything has a start and I hope that the police officers will withstand the challenges and discharge their duties,” Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle said.
Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo said the police officers deployed at the station are expected to roll out community policing and recruit volunteers. The police station in Mahas is part of a number of renovated or newly constructed police stations handed over recently to the SPF by AMISOM.
In Prison After Offering To Sell Drugs… To Police
21 March – Source: Times Of Malta – 152 Words
A 21-year-old man from Somalia has been sentenced to a year and two months imprisonment after being caught trafficking drugs when he unwittingly approached patrolling policemen in Paceville and offered to sell them cannabis.
Abdirahman Aden Mohamud admitted before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit to possessing and trafficking two grams of cannabis resin and to committing a crime within 100 metres of a place frequented by young people. It appears that the accused was in Paceville last Saturday when he approached police officers on patrol and offered to sell them drugs. A search on his person yielded two grams cannabis resin.
The court condemned him to a year and two months imprisonment and ordered him to pay €1,000.
The court also ordered that he be kept at Mount Carmel Hospital’s forensic unit so that he could receive the necessary treatment. Police inspector Justine Grech prosecuted while lawyer Patrick Valentino was defence counsel.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Somalia is complicated and so local journalists can be forgiven for getting it wrong some of the time or for focusing on other less complicated stories” — Rasna Warah, Columnist.
Why Do We Allow The West To Tell Our Story In Its Own Way?
21 March – Source: Daily Nation – 696 Words
Recently, my fellow columnist, Charles Onyango-Obbo, wondered why a foreigner, rather than a Kenyan, was making a film about the September 2013 Westgate terrorist attack and concluded that because films are very expensive to make, and because Africans tell their stories in layered ways, filmmaking is not something they venture into easily.
Apart from the fact that the film on the Westgate attack will most likely be told from a Western perspective and will have a plot that clearly separates the good guys from the bad guys (like the propagandist film, American Sniper, based on the Iraq war), without exploring other aspects of these guys’ personalities, my fear is that this film will reinforce every stereotype there is of Somalis, terrorists, and Kenyans.
Sadly, the local media has not done enough either to provide a more nuanced and informed picture of terrorism in the country or in Somalia. During and after the Westgate attack, for example, one TV presenter told viewers that Al-Shabaab was formed after the Somali state collapsed in 1991.
It is generally agreed that Al-Shabaab is a more recent phenomenon. While some historians and analysts believe that Al-Shabaab has existed in inchoate form since 1993, it is generally accepted that this group came to the fore in 2007 after US-backed Ethiopian forces pushed the Islamic Courts Union out of Mogadishu.
While local TV channels did a good job of giving a blow-by-blow account of the four-day siege on the Westgate mall, they fell terribly short on in-depth analysis, investigative reporting, and historical background. The high cost of making films may explain why Kenyans shy away from big-budget movies, but what explains their unwillingness to tell their stories in other types of media, even when these stories are staring them in the face?
For instance, why was a story about the US drone that killed 150 Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia a couple of weeks ago buried in the inside pages of this newspaper instead of displayed prominently? Why was no Kenyan security analyst asked whether this drone strike will have an impact on Kenyan forces on the ground in Somalia or whether Kenya is unwittingly waging a proxy war on behalf of the US?