May 20, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Al Shabaab Still a Threat to AMISOM Countries

19 May – Source: VOA – 373 words

AFRICOM, the United States Military command for Africa, believes that al Shabaab will continue to attack nations that contribute troops to the Somalia effort. The commanding general of AFRICOM, David Rodriguez, said despite the fact that al-Shabaab’s area of control has decreased in recent months, the militant group continues to be a threat.“We think that they are going to continue to go after the troop contributing countries to try to disrupt and frustrate the populations of those countries,” Rodriguez said, “so that the support to the AMISOM effort is limited from those nations. So what they want to do is get those nations out of Somalia and they are going to threaten them, they are going to go after their homelands to show and to demonstrate to the populations of those countries that it’s not worth the continued efforts to support AMISOM.”

Key Headlines

Somali President tours several police stations in Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu)
Turkish parliamentarians visit Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu/RBC/SNTV)
AMISOM plans to launch second phase of offensive military against al Shabaab (Radio Goobjoog)
Al Shabaab Still a Threat to AMISOM Countries (VOA)
12 officers killed in ambush by suspected al Shabaab militia in Mandera (Standard Media)
Al Shabaab abducts four people from Jilib town (Radio Bar-kulan)
Two Former district officers survive assassination attempts in Mogadishu (RBC)
Senior al Shabaab official killed in gunfight (Radio Shabelle)
UN Warns of Looming Food Crisis in Somalia (VOA)
Al Shabaab claims “the responsibility for Mandera attack” (Mandera Daily)
Somalis at Jomo Kenyatta detention Centre to be returned home after hunger strike (Hiiraan Online)

PRESS STATEMENT

Information Minister “Somali media advances national agenda on security and Stabilization”

19 May – Source: Ministry of Information – 347 words

Minister of Information H.E. Mustaf Duhulow presented the ministry progress to The Somali Prime Minister H.E. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed as part of the national media development policy that the ministry is been leading.

Minister and team of advisors briefed the Prime Minister on the progress made towards finalizing the media law, government communication coordination progress, developing comprehensive communication strategy and some new initiatives of national public awareness campaign on extremism, stabilization, good-governance and rule of law.

Also, the minister pointed out the importance of re-organizing the National Music Band ‘Waberi’ to play key role in the public awareness campaign. “I am very pleased and honored to welcome you to the ministry, and I am sure you have seen the dedication and the commitment of our staff; without them we would not have made significant progress presented today, covering for last four months.

We are in the final stage of the media law review draft and we will soon forward to the cabinet for approval. We have done series of consultation with all key stakeholders including private media, civil society and its international standard. As part of the media law we are working for the establishment of Somali public broadcasting services,” H.E. Mustaf said.

The minister stressed the importance of public awareness addressing key social and economic issues, which include extremism, piracy, good governance and rule of law as the country is preparing national elections by 2016. The Prime Minister acknowledged the central role of the Ministry of Information and assured H.E. Duhulow and his team for closer working relationship.

“This visit is part of my effort to fashion closer working relationship with all ministries, and I will continue to work with you in advancing the media development and to execute effective national public awareness campaigns.” He also, stressed the key role of the Ministry of Information in dealing with public perception and to further the government policies and programs toward security, stabilization, review of the constitution and the implementation of the federal system, in order to insure 2016 elections are held successfully.

SOMALI MEDIA

Turkish parliamentarians visit Mogadishu

19 May – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio RBC/SNTV/Universal TV – 156 words

A group of Turkish parliamentarians visited on Monday the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu to enhance the inter-parliamentary relations between the two parliaments of Somalia and Turkey. Members of Somali Federal Parliament have received the group of parliamentarians from Turkey in Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport. “We have today welcomed our brothers from Turkish Parliament. They visited Mogadishu and they will hold meetings with their counterparts of Somali Parliament.” MP Abdukadir Mo’alim Nur, who is in charge of Somalia’s Parliament ties with the Turkish said. The Turkish lawmakers will stay in Mogadishu for the coming three days. They will attend sessions of the Federal Parliament of Somalia in Mogadishu where they will meet the Speaker and Deputy Speakers of Somali Parliament.

AMISOM plans to launch second phase of offensive military against al Shabaab

19 May – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 166 words

African Union peacekeeping mission stated that they will start the second phase of offensive military against al Shabaab in South and Central Somalia. AMISOM spokesman Ali Adan Humud while giving exclusive interview to Goobjoog FM said that Somali national army and African union peacekeeping troops will launch offensive military to seize the control of the remaining areas under the control of al Shabaab fighters . He added that the military operations came to standstill due to Gu rains that started in some regions of the country that makes difficult for the military vehicles to use the roads. Mr. Humud also noted the recent airstrike in the outskirts of Jilib district where al Shabaab officials were aimed at was an order from AMISOM and the target was reached.

Al Shabaab abducts four people from Jilib town

19 May – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 128 words

Reports from Jilib district in Middle Jubba region say that militants loyal to the al Shabaab rebel group have today abducted several people from the area. Eyewitnesses in Jilib who talked to Bar-kulan said that the militant group has on Monday abducted four youths from the area; some of them from their own homes. The youths were accused of assisting Kenyan fighter jets hit their targets on Sunday’s aerial offensive which targeted two al Shabaab military bases in the outskirts of Jilib town. The whereabouts of the four abducted youths are however unknown. Kenyan fighter jets have on Sunday fired missiles at two Al Shabaab military bases in Maanyo village, 15 KM north of Jilib town in Middle Jubba region.

Two Former district officers survive assassination attempts in Mogadishu

19 May – Source: Radio RBC/Risaala/Kulmiye/Goobjoog – 217 words

Two Former Deputy Commissioners of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia survived two separate attacks aimed to assassinate them in Mogadishu, police said on Monday. The former deputy commissioner of Hamarjajab district, Farah Dahir Jimale survived after a bomb planted inside his vehicle blew off just minutes after he drove from Hamarweyne neighborhood. “The blast occurred between Hamarjajab and Hamarweyne districts. The car was heavily damaged by the blast, a man was bleeding and crying for help.” Yusuf Barrre, a witness told RBC. The police reached the scene shortly after the blast sound was heard providing assistance to the victim. Initial reports that Mr Jimale was rushed to the hospital after he was critically injured by the blast.

Senior al Shabaab official killed in gunfight

19 May – Source: Radio Shabelle – 108 words

African Union peacekeepers of AMISOM and the Somali National Army fought against al Shabaab terrorist insurgents in Qoryole district of Lower Shabelle region Monday afternoon. The battle took place at a small town name ‘Xero-2-aad’ and is approximately 3km from Qoryoley. The terrorist insurgents attacked the government troops and peacekeepers. Witnesses reported that the fight went on for at least a few hours. The government soldiers seized the town after the lengthy confrontation near Qoryoley. Ganey Abdi Barre, a government official in Lower Shabelle region said to Shabelle that during Monday’s battle, a senior official of al Shabaab named Sheikh Abdirashid Baka was killed.

Somalis at Jomo Kenyatta detention Centre to be returned home after hunger strike

19 May – Source: Hiiraan Online – 214 words

The Somali ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ali Nur (Ameeriko) said that nearly one hundred Somali nationals who have been on hunger strike for the past several days will be flown back to their homeland this week from Kenya. Mr. Nur made the speech during a visit to detention centres at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta airport on Sunday evening where he witnessed the terrible living conditions of the Somali nationals including women, children and the elderly. These detainees were amongst thousands of Somali nationals who were arrested by the Kenyan security forces since the anti-Somali crackdown began in Kenya nearly two months ago.

Somali President tours several police stations in Mogadishu

19 May – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan – 96 words

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has on the late hours of Sunday night toured several police stations in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The president toured police stations in Karan, Abdiaziz and Waberi districts of Banadir region and assessed the current working conditions of the three police stations. Police commanders in charge of the three stations briefed the president about the current states of the police stations as well as their daily activities.The president was guarded by special guards from the Somali security forces and African Union troops in Somalia during his tour to the police stations.

REGIONAL MEDIA

12 officers killed in ambush by suspected al Shabaab militia in Mandera

19 May – Source: Standard Media – 244 words

Twelve security personnel in Mandera County were killed in an ambush by suspected al Shabaab militia on Monday afternoon, a senior county police chief has confirmed. The officers who were pursuing three vehicles carjacked by the militia early this morning, while on transit from Maua to Mandera were waylaid by heavily armed militia along the Kenya/Somali border. Four other KPR officers were also injured and they were been treated at Mandera county hospital for gun wounds. Mandera county police Commander Noah Mwivanda said those killed were officers drawn from the regular police unit, Kenya police reservists (KPR) and were among a contingent of security personnel in a convoy of three vehicles and civilians. The officers were killed near Khadija Hajji Village less than a kilometer from the war ravaged Somali border town of Bulla-Xawa.

Al Shabaab claims “the responsibility for Mandera attack”

19 May – Source: Mandera Daily – 190 words

Reports from Mandera County indicates that an attack has occurred Monday morning along the Mandera-Omar jiliow highway where armed men ambushed and attacked a land-cruiser known as“kaber” that was transporting miraa from Maua. Kenya police reserved (KPR) and the regular police responded instantly and reached the scene as they exchanged gunfire in the process. The gunmen abducted two vehicles ferrying Miraa from Maua to Mandera and burnt another one. Now it is confirmed that 10 security officers have been killed and 4 others injured in the attack and have been admitted to Mandera general hospital for medication. Confidential sources suggest that gunmen also attacked county commissioner’s convoy that was heading to the scene. Al Qaeda linked group fighters al Shabaab has claimed the responsibility of the attack. “We have attacked military convoy that was heading to Mandera and we have killed 10 kenya security forces” , al Shabaab commander told nuxur.com ,a website affiliated.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Al Shabaab Still a Threat to AMISOM Countries

19 May – Source: VOA – 373 words

UN Warns of Looming Food Crisis in Somalia

19 May – Source: VOA – 419 words

The United Nations warns that Somalia is at risk of another famine due to drought, rising food prices and the lingering threat posed by al-Shabab militants. The U.N. says a funding shortfall is forcing agencies to scale down humanitarian work when it is needed most. At a news conference in Nairobi Monday, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Phillippe Lazzarini said the current situation in Somalia has “troubling similarities” with the conditions seen in the country before the famine declared in 2011. “There is an ongoing conflict, we have the drought, we have access problems, the funding has completely shrunk and the private business does not have the access it should have,” he said.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

Operation Eagle, the latest attempt by Somalia and the African Union to drive out al Shabaab Islamic militants, has enjoyed early success. But will there be anyone to fill the vacuum once the militants have gone?

In photos: Tracking al Shabaab in Somalia

19 May – Source: France 24 – 743 words

The enemy is nowhere to be seen, but their presence is everywhere. The soldiers I’m with are vigilant, either gazing fixedly ahead or peering uneasily into buildings. Most shops here in Qoryooley, a town seized in late March from al Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliate, are closed, except for along the main dirt road where locals sit in the shade of the buildings. The occasional donkey cart carrying water weaves in and out between the African Union soldiers that line both sides of the narrow streets during a morning foot patrol. Some civilians stand on tiptoe, reaching out to receive green apples, which are passed from the armoured personnel carriers. Shopkeepers lean uneasily in their doorways, barely registering the clanking tanks rolling through their town. The capture of Qoryooley, in Lower Shabelle, is being trumpeted as a key victory for Operation Eagle, in this, the most recent offensive against the Islamic insurgents. The town is an access point to the port city of Baraawe, which is 70 kilometres away and one of al Shabaab’s few remaining sources of revenue. The African Union force, known as AMISOM, is bankrolled mainly by Western powers. Ahead of this offensive, which began in February, there was a ‘troop surge’ – with soldier numbers bolstered to over 22,000, from around 18,000 previously. Operation Eagle is the first major joint military operation between the African Union and the Somali National Army (SNA). The aim is to seize control of al Shabaab’s few remaining urban centres and consolidate the authority of the federal government.