March 29, 2018 | Morning Headlines
At Least 3 Hurt As Bomb Explodes Near Aid Office In Somalia
28 March – Source: Washington Post – 110 Words
Somali police say at least three people are wounded after a bomb attached to their vehicle exploded near the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the capital, Mogadishu. Officer Abdifitah Ahmed confirms that the bomb went off shortly after the three left in the vehicle from a parking lot next to the ICRC office on Wednesday.
The ICRC says it is “shocked and deeply troubled” that one of its staffers was hurt. The police officer says one victim is in critical condition while the other two are lightly wounded. The Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaida, often targets high-profile areas of the capital.
Key Headlines
- At Least 3 Hurt As Bomb Explodes Near Aid Office In Somalia (Washington Post)
- Somali Government Relocates Airspace Personnel To Mogadishu (Halbeeg News)
- EU Leads A Live Fire Exercise For Somali Maritime Police (Hiiraan Online)
- Charcoal Illegal Logging Fund Terrorists Hiding In Boni Forest (The Star Kenya)
- UN Security Council Decides To Extend Mandate Of Assistance Mission In Somalia (Xinhuanet)
- Militarising Mogadishu Will Not Keep It Safe (Umadda Media)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Government Relocates Airspace Personnel To Mogadishu
28 March – Source: Halbeeg News – 184 Words
34 Somali air control personnel have been officially relocated to Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, officials confirmed. Somali Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Abdullahi Salad told the reporters in Mogadishu, that the staff that was at Flight Information Service of Somalia centre in Nairobi were transferred to Mogadishu.
“Today, We have received 34 personnel at airport and they will operate here in Mogadishu,” said Salad. Salad said the government is committed to control its airspace inside Somalia. “The government has today fulfilled its promises to regain and control its airspace. The government built the aviation control centre and equipped it well to the international standard so these personnel will make sure our airspace control is complete,” he boasted.
Somali government took over the control of its airspace late last year for the first time in decades. The International Civil Aviation Organization has been controlling the air traffic over Somalia from Nairobi, the capital city of the neighboring Kenya before it officially handed over to Somali government. The UN’s Aviation Agency started controlling the country’s airspace 1992 when Somalia descended into civil war.
EU Leads A Live Fire Exercise For Somali Maritime Police
28 March – Source: Hiiraan Online – 159 Words
The European Union Training Mission Somalia (EUTM-S), supported the European Union Capacity Building Mission Somalia (EUCAP) in a live fire training exercise to improve the skills and capabilities of the Somali Maritime Police Unit (SMU).
Somali officers were taught in rifle handling and shooting range procedures. The EUTM-S says that the training exercise will be repeated for another group of SMU officers. The EU has said that the training will assist officers in patrolling Somalia’s waters. “This exercise represents another step toward a more secure and stable Somalia. It is the first activity carried out among this two military and civilian European Missions and the Somali Unit devoted to the management and maritime control of territorial waters. ”
The depletion of seafood resources by foreign fishing companies in Somalia’s waters has been a disastrous for fishing communities dependent on the ocean. Analysts have pointed to illegal fishing and waste dumping as one of the key underlying economic issues of piracy.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Charcoal, Illegal Logging Fund Terrorists Hiding In Boni Forest
28 March – Source: The Star, Kenya – 407 Words
Proceeds from illegal logging and charcoal burning inside the Boni Forest are being used to fund terrorists, the authorities say. Al Shabaab are also benefiting from the sale of game meat by the Boni community. A crackdown on on the loggers and charcoal burners has been launched. Speaking during the launch, Lamu police commander Muchangi Kioi said security officers in the Linda Boni operation will work closely with police to end the illegal trade. He said areas where the trade was taking place have had frequent al Shabaab attacks.
Kioi said al Shabaab sympathisers were endangering the lives of innocent Kenyans. He said it was unfortunate that residents were still supporting terrorists.“The fact that people burn charcoal and cut timber to fund such terrorist acts is unimaginable. We can’t have such activities going on here,” Kioi said. Sympathisers were using proceeds from charcoal-burning to buy food, water and other basic needs for militants who reside in the forest. Over 250 bags of charcoal and tones of timber resources were recovered on the first day of the crackdown.
The recovery was made in the Ziwa la Kengo, Ziwa la Taa and Maisha Masha areas, all of which fall within the Boni Forest Enclave. Four suspects were also arrested. They will be charged with illegal logging and funding terrorism. Kioi said the crackdown will continue until the trade is eradicated. “The public should understand that we will not entertain logging or any other activity which is against the laws of this country,” Kioi said.
Witu Forest manager John Mbori warned residents of dire consequences should they disregard the ban on logging. “The logging ban will succeed only if we move in one direction. We need to conserve our environment. We’ll take serious action against the loggers,” Mbori said. The crackdown comes days after the Kenya Forest Service recovered eight tonnes of Bambaru wood valued at Sh800,000 at Maisha Masha. Last year, the government said it would bomb the forest to drive out al Shabaab militants. The Boni Forest, which borders Tana River and Garissa counties, has been an al Shabaab hideout for a long time.
UN Security Council Decides To Extend Mandate Of Assistance Mission In Somalia
28 March – Source: Xinhuanet – 172 Words
The UN Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted Resolution 2408 extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until March 31, 2019. The Security Council underscores the importance of UNSOM’s support to the government-led inclusive political process, including the provision of UN good offices functions to support the Federal Government of Somalia’s peace and reconciliation process, according to the resolution, which was drafted by the United Kingdom.
It reaffirms its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and unity of Somalia, and underscores the importance of working to prevent destabilizing effects of regional crises and disputes from spilling over into Somalia, It also commends the role of UNSOM in supporting peace and reconciliation, conflict resolution, the state formation process, the electoral process, the National Security Architecture implementation, a realistic conditions-based transition plan with clear target dates. UNSOM was established on June 3, 2013 by Security Council Resolution 2102, following a comprehensive assessment of the United Nations in support of the establishment of the Federal Government of Somalia. The current mandate of UNSOM is valid until March 31, 2018.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Erecting checkpoints against terrorist attacks is a futile exercise because a car full of explosives driven by a murderous criminal will just break through it and kill innocent people anyway. However, CCTV, effective communication, intelligence sharing, trust and inter-security agency coordination will be more effective in keeping Mogadishu, its residents and their property safe.”
Militarising Mogadishu Will Not Keep It Safe
28 March – Source: Umadda Media – 571 Words
The last week, two explosions took place in the space of under one kilometre on the Maka-Al-Mukarama road. The violent attacks killed around 20 people according to government officials and left many more wounded and traumatised. In this time of political instability and public fear, a robust security response is needed. So far, all the Somali people got was more dangerous and economically crippling road blocks.
After interviewing with many Mogadishu residents this week, UM published a story today highlighting their concerns about the growing insecurity and irregular public services because of the Motion of No Confidence against the Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawaari. Despite these concerns about the current political instability and its negative impact, security in the capital should not be so bad that it strangles the entire city, its residents and their daily activities.
Today, the Maka-Al-Mukarama road, has more security checkpoints than it ever did since 2012. Only those with a government Identification card can drive through the newly installed checkpoint outside the Ministry of Interior and come from the main road connecting the Bakara market to the Maka-Al-Mukarama road. This is not effective security but a ticking security and economic time bomb.
Security is this government number one priority. Both the central government and the Mayor of Mogadishu have pledged to protect their backyard from further insecurity. However, both have been unsuccessful against the asymmetric attacks of Al-Shabaab on their front door. Moreover, rather than planning for and executing a better security plan, both the central government and local government are busy erecting walls and barriers to keep themselves safe while stifling public activity, including, going to work for those lucky few who are employed.
The Somali people are sick of road blocks, they want better security to rebuild their lives after 25 years of violence and destruction. Mogadishu, as the capital, has arguably the highest concentration of Somali security forces and AMISOM. The former is well paid and armed while the latter know the landscape and the people. Combined, these two forces can and must secure not just Mogadishu but the whole country. Perhaps, as they claim, they both are trying their best but with every explosion their credibility dwindles. Better partnership, proactive strategies and intelligence sharing, can go a long way in dealing with these attacks. The Minister of Internal Security and Mayor of Mogadishu must spend more time thinking about Mogadishu’s security and less on what suit they wear to visit the attacked sites after the event.