November 11, 2013 | Morning Headlines.
Five killed in car bomb explosion near Hotel Maka Al Mukarama, Police say
09 Nov- Source: RBC/Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Risaala/Radio Kulmiye- 169 words
Somali police officials confirmed that at least five people were killed and more than 20 others were wounded after two explosions one of them used for a car bomb occurred outside a popular hotel in Mogadishu on Friday night. The first explosion occurred inside the Maka Al Mukrama hotel’s cafeteria where a bomb planted inside a laptop exploded, The people inside the hotel managed to capture the man who had the laptop and handed him to the police. According to the police, another explosion occurred outside the hotel where a car loaded with explosives blew off. Gen Mohamed Omar Madaale, Somali Police spokesman said the police arrested one person in connection with the explosion.“The terrorists failed in their attempts to kill masses of innocent people again in Mogadishu. We are investigating the case and we have already arrested one person.” Gen Madale said.
Key Headlines
- Friday’s attack will only make Somalia even stronger declares Prime Minister (OPM)
- President Hassan “Al Shabaab will never stop us making huge progress in Somalia” (OP)
- Public Service Minister congratulates expatriate Somali doctors (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somalia-Somaliland Dialogue Talks Postponed Until December (Somaliland Press)
- Meeting to end recurring clan conflicts held in Jowhar (Radio Bar-kulan)
- Ethiopian soldiers to join AMISOM troops ( Daily Nation)
- Al Shabaab claims attack on Hotel in Mogadishu (Radio Risaala/Mustaqbal)
- Puntland Govt accuses al Shabaab of deadly prison attack (Garowe Online/Raxanreeb)
- Four al Shabaab fighters killed in Bay region (Radio Bar-kulan)
- Shabelle floods cause hundreds to flee homes (Radio Ergo)
- Kenya Somalia sign agreement to repatriate refugees residing in Kenya (Standard)
- Tropical Cyclone Slamming Somalia With Flooding Rain Wind (accuweather/Al Jazeera Weather)
- UN Security Council expresses outrage against car bomb attack in Mogadishu (shanghai daily/ Xinhua)
- Militants attempt prison break-out in northern Somalia; 3 guards killed (Washington post/AP)
PRESS STATEMENT
Friday’s attack will only make Somalia even stronger, declares Prime Minister
10 Nov- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 230 words
Somalia will only be stronger following Friday night’s attack, His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said today after visiting Hotel Makkah Al-Mukarama and Madina Hospital.
The Prime Minister accompanied by the Minister of Human Development and Public Services, Dr. Maryan Qasim, and Minister of Information, Abdullahi Alimoge Hersi, visited Madina Hospital to speak to those injured in Friday night’s terrorist attack and thank the doctors and medical staff for their hard work treating the injured. The Prime Minister and Ministers also visited the scene of Friday night’s bombing, meeting with the owner and staff of Hotel Makkah Al-Mukarama.
Talking after the visits the Prime Minister, said: “I want to thank the medical staff for their hard work treating and caring for the innocent victims of Friday’s terrorist attack.
“I praise the commitment of staff at Hotel Makkah Al-Mukarama to repair and re-open the hotel as soon as possible. Their commitment demonstrates that Somalis will not be beaten by these senseless killers even in adversity.
“The government assure Somalis that this attack will not derail our commitment to consolidate the dramatic improvements we have made in Mogadishu and across Somalia. Somalis know that this foreign inhumane agenda has no place here, these terrorists will not defeat us but make us even stronger. We – the Somali people and the Somali government – will stand shoulder to shoulder to defeat these killers. ”
President Hassan “Al Shabaab will never stop us making huge progress in Somalia”
08 Nov- Source: Office of the President- 250 words
H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia has strongly condemned the acts of terrorists at Hotel Maka Al-Mukurama with the suicide bomb attempt and the car explosion with full explosive items, which caused death and injuries to civilians. A man with laptop and explosive items entered Hotel Maka Al-Mukarama and attempted to detonate explosive items, however, security forces captured him which stopped him to detonate explosive items inside the hotel.
The President said “I strongly condemn this heinous act of terrorism outside Maka Al-Mukurama Hotel by al Shabaab, which caused deaths and injuries to civilians. The aim of the attack was to terrorize people in order to stop the huge progress towards peace ad stability in Somalia. We out loudly say to al Shabaab that you will never stop us making huge progress towards peace and stability and good governance, and we will redouble our efforts to continue the progress that we are already making in the areas of security, stability, and good governance.”
The President sent his condolences to the people and said ” Innaa Lillaahi wa inaa Ileyhu Raajicuun, I send my sincere condolences to the people and in particular families and friends of those died in the attack. At the same time we wish full and speedy recovery for those injured in the attack.”
Finally the President made an appeal to people asking them to work with the security agencies in order to stop the threat posed by al Shabaab.
Prime Minister condemns terrorist attack targeting Hotel Makkah Al-Mukarama
08 Nov- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 116 words
His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon today condemned the terrorist attack targeted at Hotel Makkah Al-Mukarama in Mogadishu and sends his condolences to the civilian casualties.
The Prime Minister, said: “I condemn this attack in the strongest terms and send my condolences to the families and friends of all the innocent victims who were killed and wounded. Once again the enemies of peace show their true colours to the world.
“These cowardly acts of terrorism will not derail the progress made in Mogadishu and across Somalia. We – the Somali people and the Somali government – will stand shoulder to shoulder to defeat these killers. These terrorists will not defeat us but make us stronger.”
SOMALI MEDIA
Public Service Minister congratulates expatriate Somali doctors
10 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu- 160 words
Somalia’s Minister for Public Services, Dr. Maryam Qassim has applauded the efforts of Somali medical practitioners that returned to Somalia in order to serve their fellow Somalis in the country. Dr. Maryam Qassim stated that the doctors have carried out emergency treatments at Medina Hospital following the deadly terrorist attack on Friday outside of Maka Al-Mukarramah hotel in Mogadishu. She said that bringing experienced medical staff back to Somalia is part of the government efforts to bring stability to the war-torn nation. Meanwhile, the minister condemned the terror attack at Makka Al-Mukarramah and vowed that such terror attacks will not stop the government from carrying out development projects in the country. She called on the president and the government institutions to facilitate the return of experienced medical staff to Somalia. Somalia lost a huge number of doctors and medical practitioners to the neighboring and western countries due to the civil war that engulfed the country in more than two decades.
Somalia-Somaliland Dialogue Talks Postponed Until December
10 Nov- Source: Somaliland Press/Garowe Online/BBC Somali Service- 127 words
Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the postponement of the latest round of Somaliland-Somalia Dialogue talks which were due to begin yesterday the 8th of November 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Chief of Protocol and also the official spokesperson in the Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations Mr. Ahmed Yusuf Elmi (Sudi) while speaking to SomalilandPress he said the talks were postponed after the federal government of Somalia requested through the Turkish intermediaries the postponement of the Dialogue talks due to urgent matters regarding the fragile situation in Jubbaland. Mr. Ahmed Yusuf Elmi (Sudi) went on to say the dialogue talks will resume on a later date probably in the first week of December 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Meeting to end recurring clan conflicts held in Jowhar
10 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 128 words
A meeting to end a recurring clan conflicts in Middle Shabelle region was on Saturday held in Jowhar, the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle region. The meeting was attended by regional officials, clan elders, district representatives and elders from the warring factions. They addressed the current situation before calling the warring factions to end the hostilities over an agricultural land disputes. Yusuf Abdi Abdulle, the Deputy Governor of Middle Shabelle region and the Mayor of Jowhar town, Mohamed Amin Osman Haji both urged the sides to completely cease the fire and resolve their differences through negotiations. The recurring clan confrontations in Middle Shabelle region have left many people dead while displacing many others in the past few months.
Five killed in car bomb explosion near Hotel Maka Al Mukarama, Police say
09 Nov- Source: RBC/Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Risaala/Radio Kulmiye- 169 words
Somali police officials confirmed that at least five people were killed and more than 20 others were wounded after two explosions one of them used for a car bomb occurred outside a popular hotel in Mogadishu on Fridaynight. The first explosion occurred inside the Maka Al Mukrama hotel’s cafeteria where a bomb planted inside a laptop exploded, The people inside the hotel managed to capture the man who had the laptop and handed him to the police. According to the police, another explosion occurred outside the hotel where a car loaded with explosives blew off. Gen Mohamed Omar Madaale, Somali Police spokesman said the police arrested one person in connection with the explosion.“The terrorists failed in their attempts to kill masses of innocent people again in Mogadishu. We are investigating the case and we have already arrested one person.” Gen Madale said.
Al Shabaab claims attack on Hotel in Mogadishu
09 Oct- Source: Radio Risaala/Mustaqbal- 113 words
The militants of al Shabaab claimed the responsibility of the attack on Maka Al-Mukarama Hotel in Mogadishuon Friday night. “In last night’s attack, we targeted the Banadir chief of the NSI, Mohamed Aden Kofi,” said Sheikh Muscab, al Shabab’s spokesmen for military operations on Saturday. He said that the target managed to escape but they killed his bodyguard as well as many soldiers . Sheikh Musab speaking to the Shabaab’s Radio station Al-Andulus Radio in Barawe announced their attacks will increase and target government workers, crowds, hotels, restaurants and many other targets.
Four al Shabaab fighters killed in Bay region
10 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 123 words
At least four al Shabaab fighters were on Saturday killed by government forces in an area between Berdale and Awdinle villages in Bay region, according to a government official. Gen. Ibrahim Yarow, the commander of government forces in Bay, Bakol and Gedo regions, told Bar-kulan that his t forces launched the offensive after they received a tip off from close sources indicating that al Shabaab fighters had set up a checkpoint on the road between the two locations. He claimed that the government troops sustained no casualties during the attack. He added that his forces are determined to take the fight on al Shabaab bases in order to clear their remnants out of the country.
Puntland Govt accuses al Shabaab of deadly prison attack
09 Nov- Source: Garowe Online/Raxanreeb- 233 words
Puntland Government in northern Somalia has accused al Qaeda linked al Shabaab group of carrying out a deadly attack on Bossaso Central Prison on Friday night, Garowe Online reports. Puntland’s Deputy Minister of Security Gen. Abdiasis Saed Gacamey who Saturday held a news conference at the ministry headquarters in Puntland capital of Garowe said that al Shabaab militiamen estimated to be 40 attacked the prison but prison guards successfully repelled the attack. According to a press statement from Puntland government, the security forces seized explosive materials, boxes of food items including dates and a mattress sheet from the fleeing attackers.
Shabelle floods cause hundreds to flee homes
09 Nov- Source: Radio Ergo- 172 words
River floods in Lower Shabelle have forced thousands of residents to flee their houses in more than four districts over the past week. The worst affected districts are Afgoye, Awdhigle, Janaale and Qoryooley, together with several other villages still under water, according to local residents. In Afgoye, more than 700 families were forced to abandon their houses as the flood waters poured in. The residents of more than 21 other villages in Afgoye have also fled, according to the district chairman, Abdullahi Abdi Ahmed. He said the villages where residents have moved from include Bardale, Ballow, Banbalul, Areymog, Galdub, Irdole, Balbaley, Shukulow and others situated on the edges of the river. Most of the residents have taken temporary shelter in the safer parts of their districts, while others moved to relatives or friends’ homes, where the floods have not reached. The local administration’s humanitarian affairs officer, Abdullahi Mohamud Magan, told Radio Ergo’s local reporter that the flood water is as deep as two metres deep on the ground and moving very fast.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Kenya, Somalia sign agreement to repatriate refugees residing in Kenya
10 Nov- Source: Standard- Media/ Capital News- 511 words
Thousands of refugees from Somalia in Kenya may soon begin returning home voluntarily after the government signed an agreement with the Somali government for their repatriation, in a process that may take three years to complete. Deputy President William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia Fawzia Yusuf Adam together with the United Nations body for Refugees signed the agreement Sunday in Nairobi that will establish a roadmap for the return of the refugees that have lived in Kenya for the past two decades. A commission made up of Kenya, Somalia and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR) will now begin working out the exact details of the return including when the actual movement of refugees will begin and how much money each refugee will be awarded to help them reintegrate in their home country. So far, 80,000 refugees have returned home in the past few months.
Ethiopian soldiers to join AMISOM troops
09 Nov- Source: Daily Nation- 325 words
The war against Somalia’s al Shabaab got a boost yesterday when Ethiopia announced it would send troops to join the Kenya Defence Forces under the African Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). At a meeting with Deputy President William Ruto in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the move was part of renewed efforts to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa region. Mr Desalegn noted that there was a renewed terror threat in Ethiopia, saying there was a need for a joint security operation to eliminate the threat. The Ethiopian premier said his country’s security chiefs were already engaged in strategy talks with their Kenyan counterparts regarding a joint operation. “The threat is real and the war against terror should continue on all fronts,” said Mr Desalegn.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Tropical Cyclone Slamming Somalia With Flooding Rain, Wind
10 Nov- Source: accuweather/Al Jazeera Weather- 268 words
Flooding rain and gusty winds will impact Somalia through Monday due to a tropical cyclone which developed across the western Arabian Sea Friday night, local time. Tropical Cyclone Three (03A) acquired tropical characteristics while spinning in a favorable environment of warm ocean water temperatures and low wind shear. The cyclone, which is the equivalent of a minimal tropical storm, will bring a widespread 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain with locally higher amounts right at the coast and over the higher terrain through Monday. This amount of rain will cause life-threatening flooding and the potential for mudslides in the mountains.
UN Security Council expresses outrage against car bomb attack in Mogadishu
09 Nov- Source: shanghai daily/ Xinhua-344 words
UN Security Council on Saturday voiced its outrage against the car bomb attack on a hotel in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia, which left at least five people dead. “The members of the Security Council are outraged by Friday’ s bomb attack in Mogadishu, for which al Shabaab has claimed responsibility, and which has caused numerous deaths and injuries, ” said a press statement issued here. A car bomb explosion hit the vicinity of Makka Hotel, in Mogadishu, Friday evening, causing more than 30 casualties along the main street in the heart of the capital city of Somalia.
Militants attempt prison break-out in northern Somalia; 3 guards killed
09 Nov- Source: Washington post/AP- 121 words
A government official says that about 20 armed Islamic extremists attacked a prison in northern Somalia in an attempt to free prisoners. An official in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland said on Saturday that prison guards repelled the attack on Friday night in which two guards were wounded. The official said al-Shabab militants were suspected of carrying out the attack in Bossaso. The official insisted on anonymity because he’s not an official spokesman.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Considering the pirates involvement in the growth, distribution and consumption of khat, however, the khat trade may already be an effective indicator of the pirates financial and laundering activities. Monitoring this business can therefore add to the efforts to track the pirates network upwards to their financiers within and outside Somalia.”
Follow the Khat: Tracking Piracy’s Financial Flows
10 Nov- Source: Piracy Law-685 Words
It is high season for reports and studies relating to piracy. The latest World Bank report, Pirate Trails, which follows the recent IMB annual report on the number of piracy incidents as well as the UNSG situation report on piracy in Somalia, is dedicated to the largely unchartered topic of the illicit financial flows of Somali piracy. So far, apart for the disappointing report of the UK sponsored International Piracy Ransom Task Force, little public attention has been paid to tracking and disrupting the financial flows generated by piracy through the payment of ransoms for ships, crew and their cargos. Pirates, defined in the report as hostis humani generi (but wrongly attributing this definition to Cicero) have been capable of modernizing their actives and developing specific business models that adapt to the situation in which they operate. In Somalia, alongside pirates who attack and board ships crossing the Gulf of Aden, a sophisticated network of investors, local and foreign financiers and shareholders, but also negotiators, interpreters, guards, cooks and drivers, flourished and profited from piracy.
“CBC’s “the fifth estate” aired an episode on the Rob Ford scandal, including an interview with Mohamed Farah, a Dixon Rd. community worker and the so-called “broker” of the crack cocaine video. Here, Farah explains the roots of the story, and its impact on his community.”
The Broker: In His Own Words
09 Nov- Source: CBC- 1000 Words
Long before the Toronto Star labeled me the “broker” as part of their story about a video of Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine, I was helping young men in my community negotiate a future that did not involve a life of crime. For more than a decade I’ve been a broker of sorts in a struggle for survival among young and vulnerable Canadian-born Somali men who live in the Dixon community. I am proud of that accomplishment and I hope to continue serving in a similar capacity long after the Rob Ford story disappears from the headlines. Our community, made up of Canadians born in Somalia or to Somali immigrants, has been marginalized both by politicians elected to help them and by the police assigned to protect them. The media are never in our neighbourhood when families celebrate their children’s many accomplishments. Instead, cameras and live satellite trucks are everywhere on the morning of a raid or the day after a tragedy. By then, we are too busy worrying about our safety or grieving for a lost one to offer intelligent commentary on our social condition.