November 26, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

AMISOM advances towards al Shabaab strongholds in Somalia

25 Nov- Source: Somalicurrent/ Hiiraan Online- 112 words

The African Union Troops in Somalia backed by Ethiopian and Somalia’s National Army have taken control of al Shabaab bases outside Beledweyne town in central Somali region of Hiran, officials said on Sunday. The allied forces have seized areas in the east and west of the town and advanced towards Bula-burte, the second largest town in the region and al Shabaab stronghold, without resistance.
AMISOM commander in the town said that the operation is at the beginning stages and they are planning to eliminate al Shabaab out of the region. Bula-burte is believed to be one of the key towns in South Somalia that hosts al Shabaab leaders and strategic town, which connects other towns in their control.

Key Headlines

Somali Foreign Minister travels to Brussels (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV)
16 journalists complete training course in Galkayo (Radio Bar-kulan)
Prisoners starving to death in Baidoa jail (Radio Ergo)
Buq-gosar village falls under allied forces control (Radio Bar-kulan)
Somali PM to face vote this week( Daily Nation)
Radio Station Seeks to Empower Somalia’s Women (Radio Bar-kulan)
UNHCR says some Somali refugees willing to return home ( Xinhua)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali Foreign Minister travels to Brussels

25 Nov- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/al Shahid- 109 words

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adam, accompanied by a government delegation left Mogadishu on Monday heading to Brussels for an official visit. Somali minister and her delegation will participate in the European Union Development Conference, which is scheduled to focus on helping poor countries, according to Radio Mogadishu. The minister said before she left the country in a statement to Radio Mogadishu, the European Conference which is to be held in Brussels is a good opportunity for Somalia. EU supports the Somali government and African Union forces in Somalia.

AMISOM advances towards al Shabaab strongholds in Somalia

25 Nov- Source: Somalicurrent/ Hiiraan Online- 112 words

16 journalists complete training course in Galkayo

25 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 116 words
Sixteen Somali journalists have on Monday completed a journalistic training course which lasted 25 days in Galkayo, Mudug region. The journalists were taught about media ethics, news writing skills, investigative journalism as well as radio and television broadcasting skills. After its completion the course was officially closed by Galmudug Minister of Information, Mohamed Ali Dalmar. Relief International representative to Galmudug, Liban Issa Omar said that his organization will continue organizing training courses in the future to enhance the capacity and the skills of the Somali journalists.
Some of the trainees expressed their delight to have completed the course and thanked Relief International for its efforts to improve the skills of the Somali journalists in the country.

Landmine explosion kills camels in Lower Shabelle region

25 Nov- Source: RBC Radio-155 Words
A roadside bomb has mistakenly killed at least 21 camels in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, RBC Radio reports. The explosion occurred on the road between Leego town and Wanlaweyn, about 97 km from Mogadishu, the country’s capital. The landmine allegedly planted by al Shabaab was targeting AMISOM convoy. According to Leego district commissioner Abukar Sheikh Isaq, the landmine exploded just as a convoy from the African Union Forces [AMISOM] was passing the road. “The roadside bomb exploded when the convoy of the AMISOM was passing but the explosion hit the camels. 21 camels died on the spot,” he said. He claimed al Shabaab were behind the explosion. The militant group of Al Shabab usually carries out roadside explosions and hit and run attacks on the main roads. The militants sometimes claim the responsibility of those attacks on their websites.

Prisoners starving to death in Baidoa jail

25 Nov- Source: Radio Ergo- 220 words

Hundreds of Somali prisoners are starving in Bay region’s main prison in Baidoa town, according to the prison commandant. Prison chief, Major Yusuf Moalim Abdi, said he feared some of the 500 or more inmates might die of hunger soon if he did not urgently get funds to buy supplies. “In the past 48 hours, not one of them has been given food because we have nothing to cook for them,” Abdi told Radio Ergo’s local reporter in Baidoa. He said the prison had been experiencing a food shortage since the beginning of the year. Most of the inmates are convicted of being members of al Shabaab and related crimes. The region’s previous administration, Major Abdi said, used to provide food and other necessary services to the prisoners, but the new local administration, which was appointed in February, had neglected the prison and given no funds to sustain operations. He said the government soldiers assigned to guard the prison had abandoned their posts because they had not been paid for months, nor been given food. “All the 15 soldiers who used to guard the prison are gone,” Abdi said, emphasizing the vulnerability of the facility to an attack or jail break. Radio Ergo’s local reporter who visited the prison saw only one soldier assigned to open and close the main gate.

Buq-gosar village falls under allied forces control

25 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mustaqbal- 134 words

Somali forces along with Djiboutian troops in central Somalia have Monday captured Buq-gosar village 55 KM west of Beledweyne town in Hiran region. Somali government forces deputy commander for Hiran region, Col. Mohamed Aden Aney told Bar-kulan that the village which has fallen into the hands of the government has been under the control of al Shabaab for many years. He stated that three al Shabaab fighters have been killed and several others injured during the offensive attack, adding that one of their soldiers had also sustained injuries. He finally promised that the government forces and their allies will carry on with the offensive against al Shabaab remnants in the region. Somali forces are reportedly planning to launch a major offensive on Bulo-burte town where al Shabaab is believed to organize its attacks on Beledweyne town.

Radio Station Seeks to Empower Somalia’s Women

25 Nov- Source: Somali Current-557 Words
In a nondescript white building along the bustling Makka al Mukarramah Road, a group of women intently focus on their computer screens, playing and replaying sound pieces. Somali music plays softly through the speakers as the presenter fits on her headset and starts the show. Welcome to Aman Radio, the first all-female run radio station in Mogadishu. Incessant conflict has put Somalia’s women as one of the most disadvantaged in the world. In Mogadishu’s internally displaced camps, rape is rife and domestic violence is rampant in most areas. Despite condemnation of acts of violence against women and efforts to curb their marginalization by aid agencies and civil society, one voice has been conspicuously absent; the voice of the Somali women. This is what Aman Radio seeks to fill.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali PM to face vote this week

25 Nov- Source: Daily Nation- 204 words

Legislators of the Somali Federal Parliament Sunday received a document outlining a motion against the government of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon. Following the distribution of the document that was endorsed by 168 MPs, the Speaker of the Parliament Professor Mohamed Osman Jawari announced that the lawmakers were handling an important issue, which they have to study for five days.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

UNHCR says some Somali refugees willing to return home

25 Nov- Source: Xinhua- 233 words

The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Monday said some Somali refugees living in the northern Kenyan camps are willing to return home once they get support. UNHCR official Mans Nyberg said the Kenyan government did not order the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp as reported by media. Some refugees had turned up to the UNHCR offices in Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee settlement, to seek more information on their return, the official said.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The government wants to use the money collected as a result of the mapping scheme to fund services such as the provision of water, roads and solid waste management.”

Mapping Mogadishu’s revival

25 Nov- Source: IRIN-1284 Words

A mapping exercise to register businesses and infrastructure in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, aims to provide the government an opportunity to engage in urban planning, raise revenue to fund civic programmes and help settle land disputes, which are increasing as people return to their former homes after decades of conflict. The Sustainable Employment Creation and Improved Livelihoods for Vulnerable Urban Communities in Mogadishu (SECIL), a joint project between UN-Habitat and the Somalia government, is developing a geographical information system (GIS)-based inventory of public, institutional and economic infrastructure in all 17 Mogadishu districts. It provides district-level detail about enterprises, where they are located, their size, the number of employees and access to basic infrastructure. It also gives a description of goods sold or produced, or services provided, as well as the source of the goods. The programme uses satellite images and prominent persons – who help to identify business owners and abandoned buildings- in the districts to help map the businesses.