November 18, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Dozen killed in fresh gunbattle in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region

18 Nov- Source: RBC/Radio Garowe/ Radio Mustaqbal/Risaala- 185 words

At least 11 people were killed after government forces and local militias in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region fought at KM50 location, some 50 kms away from the country’s capital Mogadishu.

The fighting broke out on Sunday after armed forces from the Federal Government of Somalia heading to the region encountered heavy gun battle from local militias who were angered by the forces’ movement into the region.

Lower Shabelle region governor Abdukadir Mohamed Nur Siidii said the fighting occurred as there were ongoing efforts to resolve what he termed misunderstanding between the government army and the local people in Lower Shabelle region.

Both the interior and the defense ministry of the Federal Government of Somalia declined to speak out on the fighting but sources said the forces were sent to launch a fresh assault on the towns still under al Shabaab’s control.

The situation is still tense as sporadic gunfire was heard on Monday morning near K50 which local militias took control on Sunday.

Key Headlines

Dozen killed in fresh gunbattle in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region( RBC/Radio Garowe)
1000 Somali soldiers complete military training in Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV)
Mogadishu hosts fundraising event to help Puntland storm survivors(Raxanreeb)
Wadajir district officials pledge $10000 to flood victims (Radio Bar-kulan)
IGAD appeals to donors to help Somalia after cyclone disaster (Xinhua/Shanghai Daily)
Somali Foreign Minister meets Arab League SG in Kuwait (Radio Mogadishu/Raxanreeb)
Al Shabaab burn down vehicles transporting liquor (Radio Dalsan)
Man loses wife six children in storm floods (Radio Ergo)
Lower Shabelle Governor accuses Somali defence ministry of fuelling deadly clashes in southern Somalia (Al Shahid)
Dhusamareb officials to set up rehabilitation centers for al Shabaab defectors (Radio Bar-kulan)
Puntland Confirms Not Ready for Mogadishu Delegates. (Radio Dalsan)
Somali poet sentenced for hailing Kenya’s Westgate attack (Somali Current)
Obstacles facing the implementation of Somali refugee agreement(Daily nation)
Jail term for seven Somali pirates reduced (Star-Kenya)
Somali constitution clear on roles of president prime minister and parliament(Sabahi online)
KDF faces challenges as al Shabaab still control large swathes of southern Somalia (CCTV)

SOMALI MEDIA

Dozen killed in fresh gunbattle in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region

18 Nov- Source: RBC/Radio Garowe/ Radio Mustaqbal/Risaala- 185 words

At least 11 people were killed after government forces and local militias in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region fought at KM50 location, some 50 kms away from the country’s capital Mogadishu.

The situation is still tense as sporadic gunfire was heard on Monday morning near K50 which local militias took control on Sunday.

Somali Foreign Minister meets Arab League SG in Kuwait

18 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu/Raxanreeb-156 Words

The Foreign Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia Fawsiya Yusuf Haji Adan has on Sunday met with the Arab League Secretary General in the Kuwait City during the Arab-African Summit, RBC Radio reports.
Somali Foreign Minister Fawsiya Yusuf who is also the deputy Prime Minister thanked the Arab league for its in the Somalia peace process while she also called for regular support to her country in this crucial period for ending the more than two decades of war in the horn of African nation.

Mrs Aden said in the meeting that Somalia has wrapped up the black history of wars and displacement and that the country has now turned towards peace and development.

On his side, Nabil Al Arab, the Secretary General of the Arab League said that the Arab League will foster its current presence in Somalia and will continue to support the country’s recovery program.

1000 Somali soldiers complete military training in Mogadishu

18 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/al Shahid- 156 words

The Ministry of Defense of Somalia on Sunday has distributed arms and equipment to 1000 of new Somali soldiers, after completing their training in the Jazeera military camp on the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu. Somali Defense Minister Haji Abdihakim Mahmoud Fiqi and his deputy, General Ahmed Mohamed Arab officers in the Somali army, and AMISOM officials attended the occasion.

Chief of the Somali armed forces Gen. Dahir Adam Elmi urged soldiers to keep the oath of the army at heart and work in order to gain the confidence of the people.

For his part, Somali defense minister Abdihakim Haji Mahmoud Fakih encouraged the soldiers to liberate the provinces of Somalia still under the al Shabaab control, stressing that the militant group which he described as a threat to the Somali people can be defeated by Somali armed forces.

Al Shabaab burn down vehicles transporting liquor

18 Nov- Source: Radio Dalsan- 93 words

Al Shabaab militias has torched vehicles transporting alcohol in Dinsor district in Bay province and threatened to take stiff action against those engaged in illegal business in their territory.

According to the witnesses, the militia set on fire the vehicles together with bottles of alcohol they were transporting on the orders from administration in Dinsor.

Al Shabaab commanders who witnessed the destruction of the vehicles told the area residents who gathered that the liquor was set for Ethiopian forces in Bay and vowed to destroy any vehicle caught transporting drugs.

Wadajir district officials pledge $10,000 to flood victims

18 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan-110 words

Wadajir district officials in Mogadishu have on Sunday pledged 10 thousand dollars to flood and cyclone victims in Puntland and Middle Shabelle region respectively.

Speaking at a ceremony in the capital, Wadajir district commissioner Ahmed Hassan Adow made the announcement urging other stakeholders and the people of Somalia to take part in relief efforts.

Ordinary Somalis and politicians alike have been making pledges to assist the victims in Puntland and Middle Shabelle ever since torrential rains and overflowing of River Shabelle killed and displaced hundreds of people in Somalia.

The move comes after the Banadir administration officials called on all districts in Banadir region to participate in the relief efforts.

Mogadishu hosts fundraising event to help Puntland storm survivors

18 Nov- Raxanreeb- 204 words

Several Mogadishu district commissioners have hosted an event to fundraise for the people affected by the recent devastating cyclone that hit the northeastern regions of Somalia.

More than two hundred people were feared dead and thousands became homeless after the deadly storm last week making the region’s roads non-accessible. The regional autonomous administration said hundreds of nomads completely lost their livelihood in the flooding.

The announcement came after an event hosted by the Mogadishu Mayor was held in the capital city on Saturday night. The Mayor and several districts heads also donated thousands of dollars to the people who were trapped in the areas hit by the severe cyclone last week.

Puntland government officials have called urgent assistance to the affected people as any of the roads were totally cut off with mud from the floods.

The Federal Government of Somalia appealed to international aid organizations to provide urgent assistance and essential services to the thousands of people in Northern Somalia affected by the devastating cyclone.

Al Shabaab offers condolences to Mullah Omar and Zawahiri over Hakeemullah Mehsud’s death

17 Nov- Source: Harar24 – 181 words

Al Shabaab, al Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia, has issued a statement offering its condolences for the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud, the former emir of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Hakeemullah was killed by the US in a drone strike in North Waziristan on Nov. 1.

In its statement released to jihadist forums on Nov. 14, al Shabaab praised Hakeemullah as “a knight from among the knights of Islam and the lions of Tawhid.” In addition, the group offered its condolences for the loss of Hakeemullah to Mullah Omar as well as Ayman al Zawahiri.

According to al Shabaab, the killing of those like Hakeemullah only strengthens the desire to push forward with their cause. “[T]he moment a leader rises [to Paradise] another comes in his place as if he were him,” al Shabaab said.

In contrast to the statements of condolence from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Jaish al Ummah, al Shabaab did not directly praise Hakeemullah and “the tribes of Waziristan” for fighting the “crusader enemy” in Afghanistan.

Dhusamareb officials to set up rehabilitation centers for al Shabaab defectors

17 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 142 words

New rehabilitation centers to provide support and training to al Shabaab defectors will be set up in central Somali town of Dhusamareb, officials said.

Dhusamareb district commissioner Moallim Abdirahman Ali Mohamed Gedaqorow stated that the decision was made after the region witnessed a vast increase of Al Shabaab defectors in the region.

He said the rehabilitation centers will offer former al Shabaab fighters an opportunity to understand Islam in its correct form and a chance to learn skills before they can be integrated to the community.

Gedaqorow added that the centers will be jointly financed by local community elders and business communities in the town while urging the federal government to support such initiatives.

He made the announcement after attending the release of former al Shabaab member, Mohamed Kafi Abdi Mohamud who announced the end of his allegiance with the militant group.

Puntland Confirms Not Ready for Mogadishu Delegates

17 Nov- Source: Radio Dalsan-100 Words

The Puntland administration has for the first time confirmed that it is not ready to welcome delegates from Mogadishu based government. The statement from the local administration said the officials are now dealing with the aftermath of the typhoon that has strike the eastern and Nugal provinces.

Minister for regional cooperation Aydid Dirir said in a press conference that his government is not in a position to welcome visitors saying it is deeply involved in reaching out and aiding typhoon victims.

Mr. Dirir called upon anybody who is ready to help in the typhoon victims to be highly welcomed.

Somali poet sentenced for hailing Kenya’s Westgate attack

17 Nov- Source: Somali Current- 228 words

Somaliland court in Hargeisa has sentenced a Somali poet to one year in prison and fine of $180 dollars, after he was found cheering for Nairobi’s Westgate Mall attack that left at least 60 people dead.

Abdiwahid Ali Gama’did showed how he was pleased about the attack in Nairobi by Somalia’s al Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliated terror group in Somalia in a poem he wrote in September. The court also said he was found having unlicensed pistol in his home.

Gama’did, 31, was in custody for a month during his court trial, his lawyer rejected the court ruling, saying it is injustice to the defendant.

Hussein Shabel Abdillahi, Gama’did’s legal representative said that the Somaliland constitution allows every citizen the right to express his or her idea and the verdict is against the freedom of expression.

Man loses wife, six children in storm floods

16 Nov- Source: Radio Ergo- 237 words

Ahmed Hassan Ismail lost his wife and six children in the storms that hit the coastal areas of Puntland. His family members were killed in their house at Elmadobe village, about 50 km north of Eyl. Radio Ergo’s local reporter, Halima Abdullahi Ali in Garowe, asked him by phone to explain what happened.

Ismail: I have been busy burying my children and other victims who were trapped and killed by the floods since yesterday. I can’t find my wife’s body and I am still searching. There are no vehicles and no help is reaching to us.

Radio Ergo: What happened to your children and their mother?

Ismail: They were inside their house which is situated at a point of high ground in the village. We thought the floods wouldn’t be able to reach all the way there, but the floods poured through the house and then washed them all away.

I have now found and buried the bodies of my six children including our nine-month-old baby. I am still searching for my wife’s body. I don’t know where the floods have taken her. My one daughter and I survived everything – we weren’t at home at that time.

Radio Ergo: What other problem have befallen you?

Ismail: I had 300 goats and a small number of camels. The floods have washed away 200 goats and seven of my camels. I am now left with only 100 goats.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Lower Shabelle Governor accuses Somali defence ministry of fuelling deadly clashes in southern Somalia

18 Nov- Source: Al Shahid 242 Words

Abdulqdir Mohamed Nur, Lower Shabelle region governor on Sunday has said that the fighting occurred after misunderstanding and lack of information from Somali defense ministry and the commander of military.

“I have to be informed while there is operation. Both the defense ministry and the commander of military have not told us anything about their operation. The deadly clashes started because of them. The defense ministry and the commander of military will take the responsibility”, Abdulqdir Mohamed Nur, Lower Shabelle region governor said.

At least 11 people were killed after government forces and local militias in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region fought at KM50 location, some 50 kilo meters away from the country’s capital Mogadishu.

Suspected al Shabaab follower arrested in Nyeri

18 Nov- Source: Standard- 321 words

Police in Nyeri have arrested a man suspected to be an al Shabaab adherent, believed to be recruiting youths from the area into the terror group. The suspect is said to have undergone training in Somalia alongside his three brothers.

A source close to investigations told The Standard Sunday evening the suspect was picked at around 11am, and was locked at Nyeri Central police station before he was transferred to another undisclosed station.

“The suspect was arrested at Ruring’u and is in police custody. He is being investigated on claims he is a member of the al Shabaab terorrist group and that he threatened an Imam who opposed the construction of a new mosque,” said the source.

Police sources said intelligence reports indicated that the suspect went for al Shabaab training in Somalia before coming back early this year.

Obstacles facing the implementation of Somali refugee agreement

17 Nov- Source: Daily Nation- 748 words

Kenyan technocrats who negotiated the recent refugee agreement between Kenya, Somalia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) appeared to have cleverly relieved Kenya of a great burdern.

The agreement is expected to last three years with a possibility of extension or even another possibility of a party pulling out. But a lot will depend on Somalia and charity organisations committing to it.

The deal, known as the Tripartite Agreement, calls for Kenya to continue protecting Somali refugees on its soil, but also asks for Somalia to put in place administrative, security and judicial measures that would ensure the safety of all Somalis returning home.

Jail term for seven Somali pirates reduced

16 Nov- Source: the Star (Kenya)- 271 words

A Mombasa High Court has reduced the jail term of seven Somalis from 20 to six years in prison. The seven had been sentenced for engaging in piracy activities.

The seven Barre Farah, Abdi Mohamed, Ali Hassan, Abdikarim Shire, Bashir Elmi, Abdulrazak Ali and Abdifaruk Hussein are accused of attacking the fishing trawler in the Gulf of Aden on October 27, 2009.

Judge Martin Muya said the seven will serve two more years, as they have been in custody for four years since they were first arrested. The 20-year jail term had then been delivered by the trial court on November 8 last year.

Tanzania dismantles al Shabaab child indoctrination camp in Tanga region

15 Nov- Source: Sabahi Online-758 Words

Tanzanian police broke up an al Shabaab training operation in Tanga region, arresting 69 suspects and freeing dozens of recruits ranging from 4 to 13 years old in a security sweep carried out October 28th to November 5th.

“This has shocked us, we have increased security in Kilindi district and we have deployed enough community police who know the place properly, and through joint operations with our police we are getting encouraging results,” Tanga Regional Police Commander Constantine Massawe told Sabahi, confirming the number of arrests.

On the first day of the operation, police rescued 54 children and 32 women who were found at a training facility in Lwande and reunited them with their families the first week of November, according to Kilindi District Commissioner Selemani Liwowa.

Another 20 children, aged between 4 and 13 and who “had been completely brainwashed” by al-Shabaab at a local mosque, were placed in a rehabilitation programme, Liwowa told Sabahi.

Somali constitution clear on roles of president, prime minister and parliament

15 Nov- Source: Sabahi Online-744 Words

As differences between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon appear to remain unresolved, the Somali constitution is clear about the delineation of powers between the two public offices and the role of parliament in such disputes.

Article 100 of the Somali constitution grants the prime minister the power to “appoint and dismiss members of the Council of Ministers” and “present the Council of Ministers and government programme before the House of the People of the Federal Parliament to seek their endorsement”.

Article 90 gives the president the power to “appoint the prime minister” but not dismiss him. However, the president is granted the power “to dissolve the federal government [comprised of the prime minister and the Council of Ministers] if it does not get the required vote of confidence”. Article 90 also gives the president the power to “dismiss ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers on the recommendation of the prime minister”.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

IGAD appeals to donors to help Somalia after cyclone disaster

18 Nov – Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily – 241 words

The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Sunday called on aid agencies and the international community to help Somalia recover from torrential rains and cyclone floods induced disasters.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, IGAD Executive Secretary Engineer Mahboub Maalim said the capacity of the Horn of Africa nation is limited given the effects of the flood.

“I, therefore, on behalf of IGAD, appeal to the donor governments, IGAD member states, humanitarian agencies, international and regional organizations to respond positively and expeditiously to the appeal made by the Government of Somalia,” Maalim said.

Torrential rains combined with severe storms and flooding hit northern Somalia’s Puntland region causing enormous damage to the population.
Flash floods inundated remote rural areas and coastal towns were severely impacted.

Security at the Kenya/Somalia border

17 Nov – Source: CNN Video – 47 words

Concerns about security in and around Kenya remain, undocumented people are finding ways in and out of Kenya.

KDF faces challenges as al Shabaab still control large swathes of southern Somalia

17 Nov- Source: CCTV- 2:08 min

One year after Kenyan troops’ integration into the broader African Mission in Somalia, the Kenyan force has liberated the coveted coastal city of Kismayo and a total of 19 other towns and routes but al Shabaab have since changed tact, and the KDF have now to deal with a guerrilla force that is still able to recruit and attack. Mohamed Hirmoge reports.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“There is no constitutional court in the country that can solve differences between the top leaders of the country and it seems the parliament will vote if they do not resolve their dispute.”

Where can the friction between Somalia leaders end

17 Nov- Source: Somali Current-635 Words

Dispute between leaders of Somalia has been normal for the past ten years and it is not the first time Somali president asks his prime minister to resign. Somalia’s current president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud asked his Prime Minister Mr. Abdi Farah Shirdon to leave the office last week and no solution has been reached yet.

It was 2001 when Somali Transitional National Government’s president Abdikasim Salad Hassan sacked his prime minister Ali Khalif Galaydh and since then it became routine for the all presidents of the transitional governments of Somalia. Since that time three presidents nominated nine prime ministers and they left the office for political wrangling.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the first permanent president since the collapse of the central government in 1991. He selected Abdi Farah Shirdon as prime minister in October 2012. Shirdon built cabinet consisting of only 10 ministers and he worked with president Hassan for one complete year without dispute.

“When compared to coverage of Typhoon Haiyan, the cyclone in Somalia received very little attention either in the media or among the international community, which already struggles to prop up the Somali government and economy.”

In Somalia, The Other Natural Disaster That Nobody Is Talking About

17 Nov- Source: Think Progress-454 Words

A deadly cyclone slammed the Puntland region of Somalia last weekend to little international notice, wreaking havoc on an already impoverished population. The most recent death toll estimates at least 300 people dead, and the United Nations believes 30,000 people desperately require extensive aid — a number local authorities put closer to 50,000. Hundreds of people are still missing.

With winds blowing up to 46 miles per hour, the cyclone — which tied for the deadliest in the history of Somalia — caused extreme flooding throughout the region. Villages were destroyed, 100,000 livestock perished, and fishing boats were lost. A full 65 percent of Somalis depend on livestock for sustenance, while many other rely on fishing for steady income, leveling even more pain on an already near non-existent economy.

Due to the heavy impact of wind and flooding, the region’s already shaky infrastructure is now heavily damaged — for example, a major bridge connecting the region’s capital, Garowe, to other cities was demolished by the storm. The lack of infrastructure has hampered much-needed assistance, as deliveries must happen by air or foot. The Somali government is calling for “clean water, non-perishable foods, medicines, shelter materials and blankets.”

“The 239 page memoir tells of the cost Hawa Abdi has paid for choosing to remain in Somalia all these years in her efforts to defend the voiceless poor. The memoir co-written with journalist Sarah J. Robbins, raises among other issues the relevancy of religion, causes of domestic violence, challenges of parenthood in a wartorn country, marriage, injustices in the male dominated Muslim society, the cost of environmental degradation, women and land ownership, and dangers of female circumcision.”

Hawa Abdi: Keeping hope alive in Somalia

16 Nov- Source: Daily Nation-745 Words

“The Quran says that God knows what’s in your heart. Everything is from your heart,” writes Dr Hawa Abdi, a Somali doctor, lawyer and philanthropist who has been dubbed the “Mother Theresa of Somalia”.

Dr Hawa witnessed her country’s peace times after it attained independence. She saw the optimism of Somalis, many like herself, had returned from abroad where she had attained a medical degree in the Soviet Union. They dreamt of building a Somalia better than they inherited from the British and Italian colonists. In a change of fortunes, everything changed when leaders became paraniod, petty, and violent – fighting clan against another to show superiority.

As a respected doctor who had built a successful private practice located on a farm land measuring 1,300 acres outside Mogadishu, Dr Hawa was the go-to-person when violence replaced the law in the governance of Somalia. She did per part, treating the wounded and sick without discriminating anyone. Neutrality was the rule.

“Kenya’s relative success in securing its perceived national interest in the Juba Valley through multilateralism and under the AMISOM umbrella may offer Addis a model and an incentive to adopt a similar approach, says experts.”

Somali war expertise and superior combat kits to boost anti-terror campaign

16 Nov- Source: Daily Nation-1225 Words

Ethiopia’s official declaration last week to join the African peacekeeping mission in Somalia, African Union Mission in Somali (AMISOM), has been widely praised as “positive” by the key Western nations, a welcome step likely to inject fresh momentum into the flagging counterinsurgency campaign in Somalia.

“The view (of the EU, US and other key donors) is positive and many hope Ethiopia’s full integration into AMISOM will allow for better coordination in military operations and inject fresh momentum into AMISOM’s campaign against al Shabaab, which seems to have stalled since May this year,” a source familiar with EU thinking on the matter told the Sunday Nation.

“Despite the additional financial burden and constraints, I do not see any serious problem that could hinder Ethiopia’s membership,” the source added.

Though Addis Ababa has not confirmed making a formal request to join, the assumption is that nothing stands in the way of its admission, not least, because the move would simply formalise a process that has been underway in the last few months.

The Somali Federal Government, which in recent months has forged close ties with Ethiopia, and whose views matter in the debate, appears favourable, promising to facilitate and fast-track its admission.

Top tweets

@amisomsomalia AU donates equipment to help #Somaligov’t re-establish functioning state institutions & service delivery to the pple pic.twitter.com/jOdewR1dOE

@melissarfleming “Peace is the most important thing you can have. You don’t realize that until you lose it.” #Somalia http://desne.ws/IKhhIlE

@evolvingprimate First Coca Cola Bottle made in Somalia for years produced in #Mogadishu #cocacola pic.twitter.com/077h0R5HJ8

@unicefsomalia UNICEF Somalia recorgnizes Mohamed A. Said, Finance Assistant based in Mogadishu for his 20 years of dedicated… http://fb.me/PgUnGE0c

@Somalia111 Good to be in #Mogadishu again. Urging speedy end to political stand-off and swift action to improve public financial management.

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Image of the day

Image of the day AU Special Representative for Somalia (SRCC), Mahamet Saleh Annadif, Deputy Minister of Social and Development services Bashir M. Jamaa and members of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) civilian component look at cartons containing office supplies donated by the African Union to help the government in re-establishing functioning state institutions and delivering services to the Somali people. Photo: AMISOM