May 21, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Al Shabaab impose order on Heliwaa district
21 May- Source: Jowhar Online/Dhacdo Online/Radio Dalsan-145 words
Al Shabaab have dropped notice papers at Heliwaa area in Mogadishu, they ordered residents to switch off lights. On Tuesday night residents have complied with that order by al Shabaab. Sources say, the al Shabaab militants were monitoring how people would carry the order. Then Somali government troops backed by AMISOM have imposed a curfew in the area Wednesday ordering business people to close their business premises.
The government troops were angered by the resident’s act of compliance with al Shabaab’s order. The deputy district commissioner for social affairs for Heliwaa District Abdihafiid Mohamed Hirsi said residents shouldn’t comply with any order by al Shabaab, and any person complying with such an order is a member of al Shabaab.
The reason as to why most people complied with the order is the fact that they fear both the government and the al Shabaab hence are in dilemma of which one to go for.
Key Headlines
- Puntland president welcomes UAE Ambassador to Somalia in Garowe (Radio Bar-kulan/Halgan Online)
- Ministry of Defence on soldiers becoming more ‘clan-centered’ after transfers to other regions (Radio Shabelle)
- New AMISOM airstrikes target al Shabaab in Somalia (New Vision)
- Al Shabaab impose order on Hiliwaa (Jowhar Online/Radio Dalsan)
- AFRICOM Warns the Threat of al Shabaab attacks (Somali Current)
- Business activities in Matabaan district back to normal after clashes (Radio Goobjoog)
- Egypt and Somalia discuss bilateral ties (Radio Dalsan)
- Blast in eastern Kenya wounds 11: police (Reuters)
- Sheikh Aweys releases new audio message (Radio Shabelle/Radio RBC)
- Badbaado IDPs run out of water (Radio Ergo)
- Kenya: Suspect charged over Thika Road terror attacks (Daily Nation)
- Yaaqshiid DC: Report the al Shabaab in the District (Radio Dalsan)
- Al Shabaab spokesman: “No peace in Kenya so long as KDF remain in Somalia” (Harar24/Somalimemo Online)
- One person killed in Garissa town blast (Standard Media)
- Al Shabaab victims brought home (Daily Nation)
- Kenya tourism in turmoil amid terror warnings (news24/AP)
SOMALI MEDIA
Puntland president welcomes UAE Ambassador to Somalia in Garowe
21 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Halgan Online/Mareeg Online/Somali Current- 147 words
The President of Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has welcomed UAE Ambassador to Somalia, Mohamed Al Osmani in Garowe. Gaas thanked the government of the United Arab Emirates for its unwavering support for the federal government of Somalia and his semi-autonomous state of Puntland. He said that he expects the UAE government to support his administration on various fronts including economic developments, agricultural production as well as peace and stability initiatives.
On the other hand, Ambassador Al Osmani hailed the historic relations between Somalia and his country. He added that his government has very good relations with Puntland administration. The Ambassador stated that his government invited Puntland President to UAE in order to further discuss the cooperation between the two sides. Ambassador Al Osmani arrived in Garowe, the capital of Puntland to attend a meeting between Puntland officials and the international community representatives.
Ministry of Defence on soldiers becoming more ‘clan-centered’ after transfers to other regions
21 May- Source: Radio Shabelle- 294 words
The Minister of Defence of the Somali Federal Government was summoned yesterday by legislators to the National Assembly in Mogadishu. Mohamed Sheikh Hassan (Hamud), the Minister, was asked several questions regarding the consistent complaints made by soldiers of the Somali National Army.
Mr. Hamud affirmed that many soldiers have indeed come forward to the parliamentary defence committee and criticized the Ministry of Defence for ‘unfairly’ firing hundreds of senior military officials and personnel earlier this year in February.
He noted that the Ministry had then decided to cut back on soldiers, starting with the ones they felt were ‘incompetent’, ‘inept’ and ‘unprofessional’.
Furthermore, Mr. Hamud said that a majority of the Somali National Army’s personnel are becoming more ‘clan-centered’ and start taking commands from their seniors of certain tribes when they return to Mogadishu after receiving intensive-training exercises in distant regions.
“The ones that return from Bakool, Dhuusamareeb and even Marka begin to take instructions from military commanders that they are loyal to, because of spending quite a lot of time in their areas.” He claimed
The Defence Minister informed the legislators that officials from the Ministry and senior commanders of the Somali National Army have the ability to transfer soldiers to other stations, eg. From Baidoa to Kismayo and that their work-ethics are not supposed to ‘change’.
Mr. Hamud also declared that district commissioner or a regional governor has the authority to appoint certain troops that will be loyal to him, and guard him for personal security reasons.
In the last few months, lower-ranking soldiers from the army have constantly disparaged the Ministry of Defence for not paying their salaries at the rightful times designated in their military contract.
Al Shabaab impose order on Heliwaa district
21 May- Source: Jowhar Online/Dhacdo Online/Radio Dalsan-145 words
Al Shabaab have dropped notice papers at Heliwaa area in Mogadishu. They ordered residents to switch off lights. On Tuesday night residents have complied with that order by al Shabaab. Sources say, the al Shabaab militants were monitoring how people would carry the order. Then Somali government troops backed by AMISOM have imposed a curfew in the area Wednesday ordering business people to close their business premises.
The government troops were angered by the resident’s act of compliance with al Shabaab’s order. The deputy district commissioner for social affairs for Heliwaa District Abdihafiid Mohamed Hirsi said residents shouldn’t comply with any order by al Shabaab, and any person complying with such an order is a member of al Shabaab.
The reason as to why most people complied with the order is the fact that they fear both the government and the al Shabaab hence are in dilemma of which one to go for.
AFRICOM Warns the Threat of al Shabaab attacks
21 May- Source: Somali Current- 230 words
The Head of United States Military command for Africa (AFRICOM) David Rodriguez warns that that al Shabaab is still threat to AMISOM Nations and US interests in the region as well as in Europe and the general believes despite al Shabaab’s recent defeats and the decrease of its controlled areas, the group will still actively continue to attack nations that contribute troops to the Somalia effort.
“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.”
General Rodriguez said al Shabaab remains a threat to U.S. interests in the region and in Europe and has stated a wish to attack the U.S. mainland as well. “The challenge is that al Shabaab is now really focusing on asymmetric attacks and they adjusted some of their strategy about a year ago by conducting the sensational terrorist type attacks,” Rodriguez explained. AFRICOM also has a small team at the AMISOM headquarters to support the mission against al Shabaab.
Business activities in Matabaan district back to normal after clashes
21 May- Source: Radio Goobjoog- 100 words
The business activities of Matabaan district in Hiiran region is coming back to normal after two days of clashes between Ahlu suna and government forces in the outskirts of the town. The two-days clash has displaced many people especially businessmen who feared that they will be affected by the tensions in the town.
The markets and a good number of the premises are open after the elders in the region made efforts to solve and end the tensions and hostilities between the sides. Ahlu suna wal Jamaa controls vast areas in Galgadud region and parts of Hiiran an and Mudug regions.
Egypt and Somalia discuss bilateral ties
21 May- Source: Radio Dalsan- 147 words
The State Minister for Foreign Affairs Burci Hamza meets the Egyptian ambassador to Somalia Ambassador Mohamoud Mohamed Ouf in his office. The two leaders have discussed the ties of the two courtiers. The state minister thanked the Egyptian government of the reconciliation conference for Somalia held in Egypt in the past, the scholarships given to the Somali students to learn in universities in Egypt and all the support Egypt gives to Somalia. Hon. Burci acknowledged that Egypt took part in setting up the Somali government institutions and delivering humanitarian aid in some parts of the country.
On his end, the ambassador of Egypt to Somalia pledged that Egypt will revive the educational institutions that it has established in Mogadishu and will extend them to other parts of Somalia. He added that his government will soon implement major projects in Somalia including the construction of schools and hospitals.
Sheikh Aweys releases new audio message
21 May- Source: Radio Shabelle/Radio RBC- 118 words
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys a former al Shabaab militant leader released an audio message, the first since he was placed under house arrest in Mogadishu a few months ago. Sheikh Aweys strained that there is foreign occupation in the country and specified in particular that they include the Ethiopians.
He shared his views on al Shabaab, which he said are still in a fight with the Federal Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). He described the militants’ fight is the same as the enemy.
Sheikh Aweys said “A regional administration cannot be appointed without the interference of Ethiopian government. They (Ethiopians) want each clan to be put in charge of a state”.
Badbaado IDPs run out of water
21 May- Source: Radio Ergo- 197 words
Around 5,000 displaced families living in Badbaado camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu are facing a severe water shortage now in its fourth day. The camp, which is the largest IDP camp in Mogadishu, used to get water from tanks supplied by local organization, Hijra.
Sheikh Isaq Hassan, 80, said they had been informed that there were no more funds to continue supplying water in the camp. Most of the displaced families survived the drought and famine of 2011-12. Hijra was not immediately available for comment.
The displaced families are now forced to buy water from nearby wells at the cost of 1,000 Somali shilling per 40 litres. Most cannot afford this, according to Hassan, whose family consists of about 30 people. “We can’t afford more but 40 litres for that money is not enough for drinking, cooking and washing clothes,” he told Radio Ergo.
Some of the IDPs cannot even get the 1,000 shillings, and have to beg for water from the neighbourhoods. Fadumo Hassan, a mother of eight children, was in despair. “Where will I get the money to buy water for these children?” she asked. “I was already struggling to get food for them.”
Yaaqshiid DC: Report the al Shabaab in the District
21 May- Source: Radio Dalsan- 82 words
The district commissioner of Yaaqshiid District Ismaan Mohamud Adaawe said in his district there are groups he termed as ‘peace spoilers’, referring to al Shabaab. He said, in some parts of the district there are men who are against the security but who are disguising themselves. He requested from the residents to work with the administration and to report the hideouts of those men. Mr. Adaawe was speaking at the launching ceremony of Juungal area administration branch, after renovations were done to it.
Al Shabaab spokesman: “No peace in Kenya, so long as KDF remain in Somalia”
21 May- Source: Harar24/Somalimemo Online/Al Furqaan/Radio Mustaqbal – 178 words
In a news conference with the local media, the official spokesman for the al Shabaab group, Sheikh Ali “Dhere” Mahamud Rage, spoke regarding last attack in Mandera and predicted more attacks against Kenya.
Ali Dhere said that his group had killed more than a dozen of Kenyan soldiers, while destroying three vehicles and seizing two others. The spokesman also directed a message towards the Kenyan public blaming their government for their current situation. “The only ones who should be blamed for your insecurity are none but your government, which has invaded Somalia in an attempt to fight war on behalf of the West. Now that both your situation & theirs has deteriorated they have abandoned you to bear the burden of this war,” said Ali Dheere.
The group’s spokesman further threatened that the Kenyan public, “We tell the Kenyan people to not even dream of peace, as long as your sons are in Somalia. So convince your government to withdraw their troops from Somalia.”
REGIONAL MEDIA
One person killed in Garissa town blast
21 May – Source: Standard Media – 138 words
One man was killed and his colleague injured as they attempted to plant a powerful explosive at a mosque in Garissa town on Tuesday night. Confirming the incident, the North-Eastern CID boss Musa Yego said the deceased, a middle aged man, was killed after timed explosive exploded on him.
“The criminals, who we suspect to be sympathisers or members of the the al Qaeda inspired Somali Islamist group, al Shabaab were seemingly targeting a mosque in Garissa Ndogo village,” he said. He added “We are lucky that the device exploded before the assailants reached the mosque otherwise we could have talked of a lot of deaths or casualties”.
The regional detective boss said the police on patrol who responded swiftly to the sound of the blast managed to apprehend accomplice who was seriously wounded in the mission that went wrong.
New AMISOM airstrikes target al Shabaab in Somalia
21 May – Source: New Vision – 179 words
The African Union force battling Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels said Tuesday it had conducted new air strikes against a rebel base in the south of the country, the second attack in three days.
A statement from Amisom said its planes were after “senior leadership and foreign Al-Shabaab fighters” at a base near the town of Jilib in Somalia’s Middle Juba region. It also claimed 50 insurgents were killed in the attack, which “further debilitated al Shabaab’s capacity to wreak havoc and terrorise innocent Somali civilians.”
An al Shabaab spokesman, however, told AFP that only farmland was hit and five civilians wounded. “The claim of Amisom is baseless and pure propaganda,” said the spokesman, Abdulaziz Abu Musab.
Witnesses in the area contacted by AFP said there were several civilians hurt, but had no information on any al Shabaab casualties.
“We heard very big explosions as military jets flew over the town. Two of the bombs landed near Faragurow village leaving four civilians wounded but we don’t know about other casualties they may have caused,” said a local resident, Moalim Hassan.
Kenya: Suspect charged over Thika Road terror attacks
21 May- Source: Daily Nation- 203 words
A suspect held over the Thika Road explosions has been charged with three counts of terrorism. Mr Warque Dejene Sar initially pleaded guilty of planting the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that went off in two commuter buses, killing three people and injuring 62 others on May 4 along the Thika Superhighway. But after the prosecution read out the facts, he changed his plea.
He had been charged with placing an IED in vehicle registration number KBT 090F Isuzu minibus that killed two passengers, Mr Anthony Mugo Nganga and Mr Anthony Mbaabu Miriti. He was also charged with being a member of al Shabaab having confessed the same at the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit offices after his arrest.
Al Shabaab victims brought home
20 May – Source: Daily Nation – 125 words
Mandera Town was plunged into mourning on Tuesday when the bodies of eight people killed in a shoot-out with al Shabaab were brought home.
The victims were six security officers and two civilians, who were part of a joint Kenya Defence Forces and the General Service Unit team pursuing al Shabaab fighters, according to County Commissioner Michael Tialal.
The terrorists had hijacked four pick-ups transporting miraa (khat) from Meru to Mandera.
Mr Tialal said the security team pursued them towards Khadijo–Haj Village in Somalia, where they were ambushed by the gunmen, leading to the shoot-out.
Two officers identified as Sergeant Kennedy Sulubu and Constable Nick Malipe were shot dead. The other victims were Kenya Police Reservists Bishar Bariare, Aftin Gurale, Hussein Daudi, Hussein Dubow and Ali Farah.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenya tourism in turmoil amid terror warnings
21 May- Source: news24/AP- 580 words
Mombasa and its sandy white coastline beckon vacationers, but on a recent day Harald Kampa watched helplessly as more than 100 guests checked out of his hotel, heeding a British government warning that the coastal region should be avoided because of fears that a terrorist attack might be imminent.
The alert from Britain and similar warnings from the U.S., France and Australia are impacting Kenya’s tourism industry, with the possibility of layoffs looming. Tourism creates about 10 percent of the country’s jobs, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
More than 900 tourists have cut short their vacations since the warning was issued on May 14 by Britain, according to the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers. TUI Travel, a major British leisure travel group, even took the step of cancelling all its flights to Mombasa until October.
Adding to the security concerns is the reach of al Shabaab — Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked insurgent group. Last September, it launched an attack on a mall in the inland capital, Nairobi, that killed at least 67 people. The Islamic extremist group said it was in reprisal for Kenya’s military presence in Somalia. Kenya sent troops into neighboring Somalia in 2011 to fight al Shabaab after its members had carried out some kidnappings in Kenya, including along the coast.
Blast in eastern Kenya wounds 11: police
20 May- Source: Reuters- 349 words
A suspected grenade blast near a mosque wounded 11 people in the eastern Kenyan town of Garissa on Tuesday, close to the border with Somalia, police and disaster officials said.
The attack happened a day after suspected Somalia al Shabaab militants killed at least 12 people in northern Kenya’s Mandera County in an ambush.
Kenyan warplanes have been targeting al Shabaab positions in Somalia over the past days, as the country pursues the militants who have carried out a series of gun, bomb and grenade attacks on its territory. It sent in troops in 2011.
Police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi said one of the 11 wounded was in a serious condition but the rest were out of danger. A second grenade failed to detonate, he said.
The government-run National Disaster Operations Centre said on its Twitter feed the blast occurred near a mosque and that three suspects had been arrested.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Hopes are reviving, farmers are starting to cultivate their fields, the business is flourishing, and al Shabaab the country’s major security obstacle is failing. But putting personal and clan interests ahead of those for the people and the nation are common drama on Somalia’s political theater and that always hurts the hopes on the horizon.”
As Hope Looms, Self-interest in Somalia’s Policy Always Hurts
21 May- Source: Geeska Afrika Online-1116 Words
Over the past two years, Somalia achieved significant recovering from decades of conflict, humanitarian disasters and lack of permanent governance. In 1990, following the fall of the Siad Barre military regime, the country failed to form a viable government and devolved into a civil war which lasted over 23 years.
Devastated in those decades of civil war and anarchy Somalia, once strong nation in the Horn of Africa, is witnessing a sudden influx of entrepreneurs and technocrats, who want to take their share of the Nation’s rebuilding from ashes.
Repeated deadly attacks by al Qaeda linked terrorist group al-shabab, lack of good governance, clan based politics and poverty have made this nation remain into the world’s 10 most dangerous countries over the years , but the hope is not as dead as it was just several years back.
Foreigners, who recently visited the city, say “The long-suffering Mogadishu is now on the path of recovery”. Somalis living abroad are the frontrunners of an unprecedented upheaval currently being witnessed in Somalia, Mainly, the sea-side capital, Mogadishu.
“The audio message demonstrates that Aweys has not changed his principles. He still supports the formation of a Islamic state in Somalia and is calling on the youth to take up arms against foreign intervention in Somalia. If anything, this radio message supports the government’s fears that releasing Aweys could make things worse.”
Aweys Speaks But is Anyone Listening
21 May- Source: East Africa Watch-347 Words
On 20 May, an audio message from Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys was released to the public. The 80 year old Aweys is one of Somalia’s most well known Islamic clerics and has strong ties to Salafist groups like al Shabaab. His notoriety peaked when he became chair of the Shura Council under the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in 2006. However since the Ethiopian invasion against the CIC in 2007, Aweys has struggled to reestablish himself as a preeminent leader among the Islamic militants, especially al-Shabaab. When CIC fell, Aweys fled the country. When Aweys returned to Somalia after the Ethiopians left he had lost much of his credibility.
Awey’s radio message today was addressed to the youth of Somalia. The timing of the audio message seems to coincide with Youth Day (15 May), which is meant to commemorate the Somali Youth League; the SYL had a significant role in the Somali independence movement. Aweys in his message praises the SYL but also blames them for failing to implement Sharia in 1960.
In addition Awey’s stated any attempts to establish Sahria in Somalia were foiled by the west. Awey’s also mentioned the authorities in Somaliland, Puntland, Jubaland, and Mogadishu are all subservient to Ethiopia. Furthermore he said, Somalia is occupied by Ethiopia and al Shabaab is right in fighting them. He believes many Islamic scholars lost the ambition of building an Islamic state, but there are still those who fight for this, may God aid them.
“Police officers are sitting ducks in an area as dangerous as Mandera where al Shabaab militia, who seem to have fairly sophisticated weapons, strike at will. It is sad that the officers went after the insurgents in an open-top truck. Needless to say, Mandera qualifies for a combat zone, which calls for the immediate provision of armoured patrol vehicles to accord some safety to our security officers.”
Lack of equipment made Mandera attack possible
21 May- Source: Standard Media-325 Words
An ambush in Mandera left at least 14 people dead; two civilians, two regular police and ten police reservists. Needless to say, the country has lost dedicated officers in their line of duty. While endeavouring to rescue abducted Kenyans, the gallant officers were waylaid and killed by the al Shabaab insurgents.
To add salt to injury, the militia took away the bodies of those killed and burned a vehicle they could not take with them. The inference one gets from this incident (other than the callousness of the assailants) is that the officers were overpowered because they were few and had rudimentary equipment.
Mandera, which is a preferred gateway into Kenya from Somalia by the insurgents, is a volatile area that needs proper attention not just in terms of staffing, but the facilitation of movement of the officers when need arises. Security chiefs have continued to decry the lack of adequate funding for the police.
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia A member of the #Somali National Army stands guard on a beach near the ancient port city of Merca.pic.twitter.com/FXqcDLnRNY
@OCHASom “Hunger in #Somalia: Familiar menace could return” latest @AP report from @jstraziuso @Abdi_Guled –http://bit.ly/TsUO9h via @amsroy
@MohamedAAfrica In this audio, Hasan Aweys reiterate tht Somalia is under occupation but admits Shabab has lost its way. http://youtu.be/zVNfUoYEsQw via @YouTube
@alykhansatchu Since #Westgate at least 54 people have died “terrorist attacks” Kenya excluding May 16 according@MaplecroftRisk http://www.bloomberg.com/news/
@UNSomalia #UN Envoy to #Somalia Nick Kay @Somalia111welcomes progress towards a political deal in south west Somalia: http://bit.ly/1o3197T
Image of the day
Group photo of CIMIC sector officers during the first AMISOM Military run CIMIC Workshop held on 20th May 2014 in Mogadishu. Photo: AMISOM Facebook