September 9, 2015 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Government Forces And AMISOM Repulse Al-Shabaab In Qoryooley Attack

08 September – Source: Wacaal Media – 125 Words

Reports reaching us from Qoryoole town in lower Shabeele region indicate that Al-Shabaab fighters attacked government forces and AMISOM bases in the town. Locals told the media the militants raided a local government forces base leading to a fierce gun battle that lasted for hours. The forces however managed to repulse the attackers. Local administrator Mohamed Haji Osman, who spoke to the media from Mogadishu, condemned the attack while at the same time congratulating the government forces for keeping the militants at bay. He confirmed four deaths from both sides but locals say the death toll could rise as the scene of attack was a no go zone. Al-Shabaab looks re-energized as they have recently intensified attacks on government forces and AMISOM bases in the country.

Key Headlines

Government Forces And AMISOM Repulse Al-Shabaab In Qoryooley Attack (Wacaal Media)
Three Farmers Die From Pesticide Poisoning In Puntland (Garowe Online)
Puntland: Somali Government Is Dragging Its Feet On The Transfer Of Somali Pirates From Iran Jails(Goobjoog News)
MPs Table Motion Against Mogadishu Mayor For Land Grabbing (Goobjoog News)
Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaa Raid Minister’s Residence (Radio Dalsan)
US Reopens Somalia Mission – In Kenya (News24)
Somalia’s Government Investigating Soma Oil Charges – Minister (Yahoo News/Reuters)
Norway Identifies Westgate Mall Attacker ( The Star- Kenya)
Let’s Protect Our Gains In Somalia (Daily Monitor)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Three Farmers Die From Pesticide Poisoning In Puntland

08 September – Source: Garowe Online – 131 Words

Three farmers have died from pesticide poisoning in Bo’ame town of northern Somalia according to Puntland Agriculture Ministry officials, Garowe Online reports. Two members from the same family died instantly while a farm keeper in critical condition succumbed to the pesticide in the capital, Garowe. Farm rescue department Director Abdulkadir Ali Samatar said, the victims mistook pesticides for salt, adding pesticide substances to the food. “They thought, it was a salt and added [synthetic substances] to the food. Two Bo’ame farmers died right away while another man died in Garowe,” Samatar told reporters. He faulted the accidental poisoning of farmers on lack of awareness and limited capacity of Puntland Agriculture Ministry. Bo’ame is rich in agriculture, and it is a home to 120 farms that produces different types of agricultural products.

Puntland: Somali Government Is Dragging Its Feet On The Transfer Of Somali Pirates From Iran Jails

08 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 159 Words

Puntland Counter-Piracy has accused Somali government of dragging its feet on the transfer of Somali pirates who were sentenced in other countries in the world through Piracy Prisoner Transfer Programme. Puntland Counter-Piracy Director Abdirizak Mohamed Dirir (Du’aysane) said that 32 pirates, who were captured over hijacking vessels at Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden since 2008, are still in Iran maximum prison.

“Government of Iran is ready for negotiation, it is ready to facilitate the transfer of pirates who were serving their jail terms in Iran but it lacks somebody to discuss the issue with,” he said and the urged the government to negotiate with Iranian government on the transfer of those pirates: “If those sentenced pirates are transferred here in Somalia, they will be able to easily access their relatives and their health status can be monitored by the authority.”

Pirates operate off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, and some deep into the Indian Ocean and as far south as Mozambique and Madagascar. The cases of piracy at the Indian Ocean have greatly gone down recently following intensive patrols by foreign warship in Somalia’s waters.

MPs Table Motion Against Mogadishu Mayor For Land Grabbing

08 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 208 Words

Somali parliamentarians have submitted a motion to the house against Mogadishu mayor Hassan Mohamed Mungab who also doubles up as Banadir governor. MP Abdirahman Suge Mohamed has told Goobjoog News that at least 10 MPs have signed the motion to censure the mayor for grabbing more land and reclaim the public land already given out to private individuals as claimed by the legislators and other activists.“We have tried to meet the mayor for three times to discuss the matter, but he declined to meet us. This forced us to move to the parliament” said the MP.

He cautioned the public from buying illegally acquired land: “This land would finally be reclaimed by the government, so don’t get cheated,” said the MP. Reports have surfaced in recent months about alleged land grabbing cases spearheaded by the Mogadishu local government and then leasing and selling to private individuals. Although the Banadir administration denies involvement, MPs have raised this issue several times in the parliament. Parliament is currently engrossed in two opposing motions about the impeachment of the President Hassan Sheik Mohamed, and it’s not clear how it will deal with the new motion touching on the President’s ally, Mungab.

Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaa Raid Minister’s Residence

08 September – Source: Radio Dalsan – 168 Words

Reports coming from Abuudwaaq town in Galgaduud region in central Somalia say that Ahlusunnah Wal Jamaa, which is a moderate Islamist faction in Somalia, has waged an attack on the house of Mr. Abdilatif Abdullahi Warsame, the Minister for Commerce and Industries in the semi autonomous state of Galmudug.The fighters of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama were bravely confronted by the security guards of the Minister, but after some minutes of exchange of fire the local traditional elders intervened and succeeded to calm the situation..

However the latest report from the town, which Radio Dalsan is getting from the ground, says that the elders’ intervention failed to hold and the two sides are now regrouping for fight:“We tried to convince both sides to lay down their arms and come together for dialogue, but they are not ready to listen to our arbitration, we shall not get tired of mediating in this one,” said elder Hassan Muse.There are also reports which indicate that some of the inhabitants in the town have started fleeing their houses.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

US Reopens Somalia Mission – In Kenya

08 September – Source: News24 – 199 Words

The US mission to war-torn Somalia began work on Tuesday without an ambassador or an embassy and based in a neighboring country, the State Department said.American diplomats will not be based in Mogadishu, scene of the infamous “Black Hawk Down” battle in 1993 that left 18 US servicemen and many hundreds of Somalis dead.Instead, they will commute cautiously from Kenya’s capital Nairobi as they gradually work to strengthen Somalia’s internationally-backed government.
Washington recognised the Somali government in January 2013, and Secretary of State John Kerry visited Mogadishu in May, but the country is far from being stable. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s forces are at war with the Al-Shabaab Islamist militia and survive thanks to the 22 000 peacekeepers of the African Union AMISOM force.Only last week, African Union soldiers were reportedly killed when Al-Shabaab fighters stormed a camp 80km from the capital.”US officials will continue to travel to Somalia to conduct official business as security conditions permit,” the State Department said. The mission will be based at the US embassy in Nairobi, itself the target of a 1998 al-Qaeda bombing that left more than 200 dead. It will be headed by a charge d’affaires.

Somalia’s Government Investigating Soma Oil Charges – Minister

08 September – Source : Yahoo News/Reuters – 327 Words

The Somali government is investigating allegations related to British exploration firm Soma Oil and Gas, which has been searching for oil in Somalia, the foreign minister said on Tuesday.Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on July 31 it had launched a criminal investigation into Soma Oil, although it did not outline the corruption allegations against the company, whose London headquarters were also searched.

Soma said at the time it was “confident that there is no basis to the allegation” and it was co-operating with the SFO. It said it had always conducted its activities in a lawful and ethical matter.”The Somali government is investigating if there is any truth or reality to what Soma Oil has been accused of,” Foreign Minister Abdusalam Omer told Reuters in a phone interview from London. “An investigation will be concluded in a timely manner.”He did not give details about the charges.

Sources familiar with the investigation told Reuters in August the SFO probe was triggered by allegations outlined in a confidential U.N. report which accused the British firm of “systematic payoffs” to Somali officials.A Somali energy ministry spokesman said in August the government would cooperate with Soma Oil until the SFO investigation was concluded.

Norway Identifies Westgate Mall Attacker

08 September – Source : The Star – 195 Words

Norway’s security agencies have confirmed a Norwegian of Somali descent was among terrorists behind the al Shabaab attack on Westgate Mall in 2013. Norwegian police said the finding followed two-year investigations into the attack at the Nairobi mall, that left at least 65 dead and scores injured. “Our conclusion is that Hassan Dhuhulow was one of the terrorists. The investigation has been concluded,” said Martin Bernsen.Bernsen, who is the head of information for Norway’s Police Security Services, spoke with journalists of Norwegian newspaper, Aftenposten.

Dhuhulow, who died aged 23, was born in Somalia but he and his family moved to Norway as refugees in 1999.He had been named as a suspect but police had not confirmed over lack of forensic evidence; they said he has now been identified by dental records.”The reason is that several countries have been involved in the case. It’s mainly the identification work that has taken a long time, and that has affected our progress,” Bernsen said. Kenya police said the suspect had crossed the border from Somalia 12 months before the attack. It is believed he established links with Somalia and Kenya-based terror cells before the attack.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“It is imperative that the gains made are protected, and the enemy neutralised where it is still active. However, the number of attacks in the recent past paint a gloomy picture of what is happening in Somalia. The attacks come at the backdrop of numerous reports of mismanagement, including the theft of operational resources such as fuel and food, failure to pay soldiers for more than six months, and raping of Somali women, among others.”

Let’s Protect Our Gains In Somalia

08 September – Source: Daily Monitor – 403 Words

UPDF deployed in Mogadishu in 2007 as part of Amisom’s Peace Support Operation in Somalia which, among others, includes taking “all necessary measures, as appropriate, and in coordination with the Somalia National Defence and Public Safety Institutions, to reduce the threat posed by al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups”.

Against all odds, UPDF won territory after territory from the terrorists, in the process getting international acclaim and the trust of Somalis. Mogadishu and other towns have been slowly but steadily returning to normalcy. Troops from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and other countries have made tremendous gains against Al-Shabaab, a group that has put the region on tenterhooks for more than five years, including inflicting disastrous attacks on Uganda and Kenya, notably at Kyadondo in Kampala in 2010, and other places in Kenya.