October 27, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
KDF Aids Illicit Sugar Trade In Kismayu, Says UN
27 October – Source: The Star – 305 Words
The United Nations has once again accused Kenya of aiding a flourishing illicit sugar trade at the port of Kismayu in Somalia. UN Monitoring Group for Somalia and Eritrea, in its report released last Friday, said the trade is worth more than $800,000 (Sh81.8 million) annually. The report says this provides a financial lifeline and source of revenue for Al- Shabaab terror group and Somalia-based warlords.The port is controlled by the Kenya Defence Forces since 2012 after it captured it from the militant group. KDF, which is now under the African Union Mission to Somalia, controls Sector Two, including the port of Kismayu, Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba regions. They are supported by the semi-autonomous Jubaland administration forces formerly known as Ras Kamboni Brigade.
According to the report, sugar is transported from the port into Kenya, through multiple border points, including the Dhobley-Liboi crossing near Garissa. The contraband sugar is imported from Brazil, it says: “From the Dhobley-Liboi border crossing, much of the sugar passes through the Dadaab refugee camp before making its way to the regional hub of Garissa, then onward to wholesale markets in Nairobi,” the report reads.
It says once it enters Kenya, much of the sugar is bought by local businesses and repackaged in their own brands. The authors of the 322-page report say Al Shabaab mans checkpoints “on all roads out of Kismayu”, with passing trucks charged a toll of $1,000 (Sh100,000) each. Yesterday, Kenya Army spokesman David Obonyo said he had not seen the report and could comment on it.
Key Headlines
- KDF Aids Illicit Sugar Trade In Kismayu Says UN (The Star)
- President To Meet King of Saudi Arabia (Radio Muqdisho)
- Rain Continues In Buurhakaba Bridge Collapses (Goobjoog News)
- Mogadishu Has New Mayor In Less Than 2 years (Radio Dalsan)
- Somali Minister of Defence Commends UAE Support For His Country (Emirates News Agency)
- Mother Of Terror Suspect Says Son Is Innocent Suffering In Jail (CBS Minnesota)
- Shabaab’s Leadership Fights Islamic State’s Attempted Expansion In East Africa (Long War Journal)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President To Meet King of Saudi Arabia
27 October – Source: Radio Muqdisho – 126 Words
The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and members of a delegation he is leading are currently on a working trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where they are scheduled to meet the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman Abdulaziz.The Somali Ambassador in Riyadh Dahir Mohamud Gelle, who spoke to national media, said the delegation will meet the King, where officials of the governments will discuss, among other issues, relations between Somalia and Saudi Arabia, and in general the relations among Arab countries, including terrorism and the war in Yemen.President Hassan, who is accompanied by Ministers of Information, Finance, as well as the Commander of the National Intelligence Agency (NISA), received invitation from the King of Saudi Arabia for an official state visit.
Rain Continues In Buurhakaba, Bridge Collapses
27 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 162 Words
Buurhakaba’s bridge has collapsed after torrential rain triggered widespread flooding in the town leading to disruption of movement of people and vehicles.The bridge in the outskirt of the town collapsed when some of its pillars caved in last night following uninterrupted rain for the past three days, sources said.The deputy commissioner of the district, who is in charge of security affairs, told Goobjoog News that the part of the bridge collapsed following hours of torrential rains pounded in the town.He pointed out that the bridge was severely damaged causing travel disruptions: “A whole segment of the bridge collapsed and it is difficult to access the other side of the town using a vehicle. Unless immediate action to repair it is done, the whole bridge will totally collapse,” he said. The deputy commissioner disclosed the torrential rains had killed at least two people, swept away several huts and displaced hundreds of families from their houses in nearby areas.
Mogadishu Has New Mayor In Less Than 2 years
26 October – Source: Radio Dalsan – 91 Words
Yusuf Hussein Jimale is the new mayor of Somali capital, Mogadishu.According to the Ministry of Interior, Jimale will immediately replace former mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein aka Mungab, who has served as Mogadishu mayor since February 2014.Unconfirmed reports say the decision to replace the mayor follows a disagreement between the Mogadishu municipality office and the Ministry of Interior over the clearing of road blocks erected for security purpose near Mogadishu International Airport. His replacement, Yusuf Jimale, is the secretary general of Peace and Development party, which is linked to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Minister of Defence Commends UAE Support For His Country
27 October – Source: Emirate News Agency – 102 Words
Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi, UAE Ambassador to Somalia, has met with Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini, Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Somalia. During the meeting, which was held at the UAE Embassy in Mogadishu, the two sides discussed the distinguished relations that the UAE and Somalia share. The Somali Minister of Defence expressed his thanks and appreciation to the UAE on the prominent role it plays in supporting his country in various developmental and humanitarian fields. The UAE Ambassador also expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Minister of Defence for his efforts in consolidating relations between both countries.
Mother Of Terror Suspect Says Son Is Innocent, Suffering In Jail
26 October – Source: CBS Minnesota – 465 Words
The mother of one of the five young terror suspects is speaking out, saying her son is being treated more harshly than the four other suspects. Fadumo Hussein’s son, 20-year-old Guled Omar, is being held in the Ramsey County Jail. The five co-defendants are scheduled to stand trial on terror charges in February.
Hussein says this is especially difficult for her family because of the loss of Guled’s older brother, Ahmed Ali Omar. Ahmed Ali Omar has been a fugitive since 2009 and has been charged with fighting for al-Shabaab in Somalia. Hussein is a single mother of 13 children. Through translator Sadik Warfa, she spoke out Mondayagainst what she says is the harsh treatment of Guled in the Ramsey County Jail: “He is suffering greatly at this moment,” she said through the interpreter.
Guled Omar’s attorney has written two letters to federal Judge Michael Davis, complaining that his client is the only one of the five defendants being held in solitary confinement and “is not allowed access to television or reading materials.”: “The only thing she can assume is that they are putting him under pressure so he can take the plea deal,” Warfa said.
Three of the nine defendants accused of trying to join ISIS have taken plea deals in the case. Hussein says her son was repeatedly threatened that if he did not also take a plea deal he would face stiffer charges.Last week, additional charges were added for Guled Omar and the others who hadn’t pleaded guilty. One of the new charges — conspiracy to commit murder outside the U.S. — carries a possible life sentence.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“One reason the Islamic State has been slow to expand into East Africa, even as it has declared “provinces” elsewhere on the continent, is that the “caliphate’s” men have run into stiff opposition from Al-Shabaab’s leadership.”
Shabaab’s Leadership Fights Islamic State’s Attempted Expansion In East Africa
26 October – Source: The Long War Journal – 1,497 Words
The Islamic State has made a big push to win the loyalty of Al-Shabaab, al Qaeda’s official branch in East Africa, and fighters in its ranks. For months, Islamic State boosters on social media have predicted Al-Shabaab’s imminent defection. And the “caliphate” recently released numerous propaganda videos encouraging Somali jihadists to switch their allegiance from al Qaeda head Ayman al Zawahiri to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed “Caliph Ibrahim.” The videos targeting Al-Shabaab’s rank and file have starred jihadists in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.Thus far, however, the Islamic State’s anti-al Qaeda push in East Africa has had little success. While additional defections are possible, or even likely, the “caliphate” has not yet won over a substantial number of Al-Shabaab members. The only noteworthy defection to date came last week, when Abdiqadir Mumin, an Al-Shabaab leader in the Puntland region, purportedly announced his allegiance to Baghdadi in an audio message released online. Mumin declared his fealty to Baghdadi on behalf of the “the mujahideen of Somalia,” but that was an exaggeration.
According to Reuters, which interviewed one of Mumin’s men, just 20 jihadists out of the 300 located in the Galgala hills of Puntland, where Mumin was based, have joined the Islamic State. According to SITE Intelligence Group, the Shahada News Agency, a pro-jihadist media group that reports on Somalia, has confirmed these figures based on “independent sources.”If accurate, this obviously means that the remaining 280 or so fighters in the area have not followed Mumin’s lead. Indeed, Shahada News Agency reported that the “rest of the soldiers are loyal to” Al-Shabaab “in its allegiance to al Qaeda.” The follower of Mumin interviewed by Reuters said the same: “The other fighters rejected us and remained in the Galgala hills.” It is possible that more fighters have joined Mumin than these reports suggest. Still, the Islamic State has failed to win over a large number of defectors from within Al-Shabaab’s guerrilla army. To put things in perspective, consider the overall scale of Al- Shabaab’s operations.
TOP TWEETS
@BBCAfrica:Today’s African #proverb: Wisdom does not come overnight. A Somali proverb sent by Abdifatah Muse Gas, Galkaio, Puntland, #Somalia
@nebiyutedla:#UN Security Council reaffirms arms embargo on #Eritrea & #Somalia extended mandate of the Somalia & Eritrea Monitoring Group until Dec2016
@Adesoafrica:Remember to catch us on the 29th of October@SomaliWeekFest talking about illegal, unreported & unregulated fishing of #Somalia‘s coastline.
@HindaAli19:India-Africa Forum Summit in #NewDelhi. #India& Africa which make up 1/3 of the world’s population. #Somalia#IAFS
@mowhassan:Somalia Moving Forward: An Alternative Path for Vision 2016 @TheVillaSomalia #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The British Ambassador to Somalia Ms. Harriet Mathews meets the Interim South West Administration (ISWA) president, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden during a working visit to Baidoa, Somalia. Photo: AMISOM.