NATIONAL MEDIA
20 October – Source: Halbeeg – 204 Words
Somali journalists, mainly from the independent media, have decried a move that locked the media out of the 1st sitting of the sixth session of Somali Lower House of parliament on Saturday. The journalists working for independent media were affected due to what officials at the Parliament described as limited space at the new Parliament’s assembly hall at Villa Hargeisa in Mogadishu. The management of the House business committee, who later spoke to the media, denied the claim that they refused access to cover the session but informed the journalists about the limited space for the media. Press department at the Lower House parliament said the decision to restrict independent media was made last week due to the proposed construction of the main Parliament building and had no intentions to challenge media freedom in the country. Media advocacy groups in the country called upon the authorities to immediately restore access for the independent media to the Parliament. They said the democratic process in the country will be undermined if journalists and independent media are not allowed to cover all proceedings of the important political events including parliamentary debates. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Somalia is among dangerous environment for journalists to operate.
19 October – Source: Somali Affairs – 119 Words
The Commander of the Gorgor First Battalion Maj Mohamed Suleiman Abukar was killed last night in a shootout at Ex-Nasa Hablood 2 Hotel near Hawa Taako in the capital, Mogadishu. Reports indicate that the hotel’s security and other troops on the scene abruptly opened fire on the commander’s car after they reportedly got suspicious of the vehicle. Major Mohamed Suleiman was an experienced commander who spoke four languages and was among the best soldiers trained in Turkey. He had previously served in the Presidential Guard of former Somali presidents, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sheikh Sharif. The Commander also led the operations of Gorgor Battalion which have recently seized Barire and Awdheegle towns in Lower Shabelle region from Al-Shabaab militants.
19 October – Source: Goobjoog – 83 Words
Somali police have arrested all officers at a roadblock located near the Naasa-Hablood Hotel following the killing of a senior military officer Friday. Deputy Police Commissioner-General, Zakia Hussein, said all the officers who were operating in the roadblock were arrested and will be investigated. General Mohamed Abuukar Saleban, the Commander of the Gorgor brigade based in Awdheegle district, was gunned down near the roadblock on Friday. Sources said the military man was heading to the hotel when a gun battle erupted killing him.
19 October – Source: Halbeeg – 155 Words
Three people were killed following clashes between armed group al-Shabaab and local militia fighters famously known as Macwisley. Waab-Weyn village residents confirmed the death of two Al-Shabaab fighters and one civilian. According to government officials in Waab-Weyn village in Hiran region, the clashes started when fighters from armed group al-Shabaab launched an attack on the Macwisley militias in the area. Mahas District Council Commissioner, Abdi Mumin Elmi, said the local administration in support from the federal government is ready to back up the local militia against al-Shabaab. The organized militias, who are mainly pastoralist, emerged in the past years to reject al-Shabaab forced taxation and recruitment of children as fighters. Macwisley group leader was killed by al-Shabaab following clashes in the Middle Shabelle region earlier this month. The organized livestock keepers also killed key Al-Qaeda linked fighters in retaliation. They urged the federal government to provide necessary support in their fight to protect their property.
19 October – Source: Garowe Online – 192 Words
The Somali security forces have killed at least 20 Islamist militants in shootouts in central Hiran province on Friday night, an official said on Saturday, Garowe Online reports. Speaking to the local media, the Commissioner of Jalalaqsi town, Mohamed Nur Agajof, said the Somali National Army (SNA) engaged in a fierce gunfight with the extremists in the city’s outskirts. The district official added that the troops were acting on a tip-off from residents and intelligence information indicating that armed militants were on their way to attack a major Somali military base. “The army kept at bay an attack from Al-Shabab and confiscated weapons and ammunition in the counter-offensive which left at least 20 fighters dead,” said a senior military officer, who asked not to be named. The deadly operation comes as Somali forces backed by AU and US troops launched a major campaign in parts of south and central regions which is aimed at vanquishing the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists. The allied forces chased Al-Shabaab away from the capital Mogadishu in August 2011, but the group still holds swathes of rural areas in central and southern regions and carrying out attacks in the country.
19 October – Source: Somali Affairs – 179 Words
Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire, met the Norwegian Finance Minister barely a week after her country pledged financial support for Somalia. At the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF meetings, PM Khaire and Norway’s Finance Minister Siv Jensen discussed the bilateral relations and Norway’s support to Somalia. In a statement, PM Khaire appreciated the Minister for both her and her country’s commitment to supporting the Horn of Africa nation. “Glad to get an opportunity to meet with Norway’s Finance Minister Siv Jensen and express Somalia’s appreciation for Norway’s contribution towards a bridging loan of $359m to clear our debt with the World Bank, the first step towards arrears clearance and Decision Point In February 2020,” PM Khaire said. The development comes as Norway pledged that it will provide a $359m bridging loan to Somalia next year to clear the debt owed to the World Bank’s International Development Association. The Norwegian government said in a statement it was proposing a short term loan of NOK 3.135bn next year which will clear the arrears due to the World Bank.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
19 October – Sorce: The Citizen – 329 Words
Police have launched a manhunt for an Al- Shabaab militant suspected to have been involved in the attack that led to the death of 10 General Service Unit (GSU) officers in Garissa County. The suspect, Abdullahi Banati, is reported to have led the team that planted the Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) leading to the death of the officers stationed at the Harhar GSU camp on October 12th 2019. According to the police, Banati planned the attack alongside Al-Shabaab operatives based in the Daadab camp which has been associated with several other terrorist attacks.
Preliminary investigations further revealed that Banati and his team operate along the Kenya-Somali border and have been executing attacks, not just against the public but against the security forces. “Police have traced the activities of Banati and his team of militants to the border and it is suspected that he escaped to Somalia with the rest of the operatives,” said police in a statement. After monitoring their activities, Banati and his team are said to have escaped into the Neighboring country of Somalia. Banati is reported to have joined the militant group in 2012 and took part in the attack on the Baure Kenya Defense Forces(KDF) camp in 2015 where 11 of his colleagues were killed. He is reported to have been injured but went into hiding only to resurface in 2018 when he took part in several attacks along the Somalia border. Police have now appealed to members of the public with any information on the suspect to report it to them immediately……
19 October – Source: IMF – 188 Words
Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), met with Hassan Ali Khaire, Prime Minister of Somalia yesterday in Washington and issued the following statement: “I had a good and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Khaire at the IMF headquarters. I congratulated the Prime Minister for the continued strong implementation of Somalia’s economic reform program amid challenging circumstances, and we exchanged views on the importance of securing debt relief under the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative as soon as possible. The Prime Minister reiterated the government’s strong commitment to reforms under the current Staff Monitored Program (SMP) and highlighted its completion of the 9th National Development plan, both of which aim to meet requirements of the HIPC initiative. “Maintaining strong performance, together with support from international partners, will pave the way for Somalia to receive debt relief in the near future. I assured the Prime Minister of the IMF’s full support for Somalia’s efforts to secure debt relief, including working with the membership of the Fund to secure the financial resources necessary to clear arrears to the IMF and cover the costs of debt relief.”
19 October – Source: The East African – 452 Words
Despite increasing concern that Al-Shabaab has become even more daring after attacking the Halane Base Camp, the African Union peacekeeping force says the group is gambling with mortar bombs to strike fear. Mortar bombs fire explosive shells at close targets. The Halane Base Camp houses the headquarters of high profile institutions and agencies in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. According to an AMISOM statement on October 13, Al-Shabaab fired mortar bombs into the Halane Base Camp, injuring three AMISOM staff. AMISOM spokesperson Lt Col Charles Okongo Imbiakha told The EastAfrican that this was the second time the terrorist group had fired mortar bombs at the base camp. “In January, they fired a mortar bomb in an attempt to hit key targets in this area but it fell a distance away,” he said.
The base camp is a highly secured area of Mogadishu that houses the international airport, Amisom headquarters, the United Nations, embassies of major Western powers and other international agencies. For a long time, Al-Shabaab’s weapons of choice have been homemade improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and car bombs. “If they had breached our security and gained access, we would not be talking about injuries but casualties,” said Lt Col. Imbiakha. “It will be very dangerous [for us] to think that Al-Shabaab has abandoned IEDs. They just change tactics because IEDs are not as effective as before, but I highly doubt they can sustain mortar bombs,” he added…..
18 October – Source: Germany Embassy – 211 Words
The German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) has made available € 2.7 Million ( 30 Million Dollars) in support of the Joint Program for Universal Suffrage Election in the Federal Republic of Somalia to help the country move towards its first popular election in over five decades. The most recent contribution will bring Germany’s overall bilateral investment towards the federal electoral process to € 5.2 Million (5.75 Million Dollars) to date, underlining its commitment to a peaceful democratic process in Somalia. Managed by UNSOM & UNDP, the Joint Programme for Universal Suffrage Election supports the Somali National Independent Electoral Commission (NEIC) to fulfil its mandate in preparing for universal suffrage election in 2020/21. It is supported by a number of international partners, supplementing government financing in a spirit of mutual accountability. Germany strongly believes that a peaceful democratic process will considerably strengthen the legitimacy of any incoming government wand will be an important step forward in Somalia’s state-building process. Meaningful political participation of every Somali citizen will be instrumental to increase social cohesion and long-term stability in the country. Germany, therefore, calls on all political leaders in Somalia to reach consensus on an electoral model and legislation that will ensure timely and credible universal suffrage elections in 2021/2021.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“IPI Director of Advocacy Ravi R. Prasad said this week’s incidents were part of a wider pattern of intimidation against independent journalists and censorship of critical reporting. “The ability of the media to do its job, report freely on important issues, and criticize the authorities is a central factor in the development of Somalia’s fledgeling democracy,” he said.”
18 October – Source: International Press Institute – 766 Words
The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, has today expressed concern at the worsening climate of arrests and threats against independent journalists in Somalia and called on authorities to protect journalists from police violence. In recent months, a pattern of arrests, intimidation and censorship of media outlets has emerged as governments and security forces attempt to regain control over a country plagued by regional disputes and ongoing conflicts ahead of planned milestone elections next year. Last month, journalists were arrested, a radio station was raided by armed police, and internet laws were used to block access to critical investigative reports.
In the latest incidents, on Monday, October 14, freelance TV journalist Abdiaziz Hassan Moalim, 24, was followed home and arrested by security forces for reporting on violent anti-government protests in the city of Jowhar, according to local media reports. The journalist was detained for one night before being released without charge on Tuesday morning, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, secretary-general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), a media rights group based in Mogadishu, told the IPI. The same day, journalists covering protests in Jowhar also reported being threatened by police. In one incident, several journalists reported clearly hearing Police Commissioner, Capt. Mohamed Ali Siyad give his troops “shoot to kill orders” for any journalists who attempted to approach the scene, Mumin noted. Then on Tuesday, October 15, RTN TV, a privately owned station in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in north-eastern Somalia, was raided by officers looking for reporter Abdiqani Ahmed Mohamed, who had published interviews criticizing the region’s president, according to local reports……. |
