Thursday, February 27, 2014

Car bomb kills 12 in Mogadishu, Somalia


Somalia's Shebab rebels ban 3G in latest blow to freedoms


Reviving Hotel Business in Kismayu - Citizen News

Despite its troubled history, Somali and especially the port city of Kismayu, offers rich business opportunities, especially following the routing of al-Shabaab militias by soldiers led by the Kenya defence forces. The opening of Kismayu international airport is further acting as an incentive for visiting businessmen from the region as Judy Kosgei reports.




Reviving Hotel Business in Kismayu - Citizen News

Prime Minister: Al-Shabaab’s agenda is a betrayal of Islam and of peaceful Somali communities

27 February 2014

Prime Minister: Al-Shabaab’s agenda is a betrayal of Islam and of peaceful Somali communities
His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed sends his condolences to the victims and their families of those killed in today’s car bomb attack on a tea shop in the Abdiasis district of Mogadishu.
The Prime Minister, said: “I send my personal condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in today’s bombing of a tea shop in Abdiasis district, and wish those injured a quick and full recovery.
“Today’s indiscriminate attack on a tea shop filled with civilians going about their lives has only resulted in the further tragic loss of innocent Somali lives. Al-Shabaab’s agenda is a betrayal of Islam and of the peaceful Somali communities who want to see a new secure, stable and united Somalia.
“My government has set out steps in recent days aimed at eliminating the threat of terrorism in our country. This government together with the people of Somalia and the international community will remain steadfast and work hand in hand in the fight against terrorism, ensuring safety and security on our streets.”
ENDS

12 dead, eight wounded in Somalia car bomb blast: A suicide car bomb has exploded in the Somali capital

 
A suicide car bomb has exploded in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing at least 12 people and wounding eight others near the security service headquarters.The bomber targeted a security vehicle. Three members of the security forces were among the dead, witnesses said.
The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group said it carried out the attack.
 
The group is waging an insurgency in Somalia against the UN-backed government.“A suicide car bomb targeted a national security car passing along these tea shops,” police official Abdullahi Hassan told Reuters news agency.He added that several civilians had been killed.
There has been an increase in violence in Mogadishu in recent weeks, including night-time mortar raids and daytime clashes between the security forces and al-Shabab.
Last week, the group carried out a car bomb attack outside the presidential palace in Mogadishu, killing officials and guards.
 
Al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 but it still controls many smaller towns and rural areas of the country.ome 22,000 African Union troops are helping the government battle al-Shabab.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

EXCLUSIVE: President’s Nephew among militants attacked the palace

                                                         Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Credible Information received by media Online leaked that nine Al Qaeda- affiliated militants, among them Somalia president’s Nephew Mohamed Salad , 24 years old, was involved in the attack on presidential palace ( 21the February).
Mohamed Salad, who was a presidential security guard, coordinated the attack carried out by a group of  Al Shabab militants wearing military fatigues and carrying guns and grenades attacked the presidential palace with two car bombs.
Keydmedia Online source revealed that Mohamed Salad was the son of Nuurto Sheikh Mohamud, sister of Somalia president and native tribe Baadicade ( Hawiye ). Some security force members reportedly helped the attackers for Al shabab’s raid on the president’s residence.
In Friday's attack, a speeding car full of explosives rammed into a barricade erected by soldiers protecting the presidential palace, causing an explosion and sending plumes of smoke into the sky.
Amid the mayhem, gunmen leading Somali president nephew Mohamed Salad were seen chanting "God is great" then moved toward a second gate and tried to force their way into the complex. Salad and his team were killed in a shoot out engaged with Somali and AU troops inside the coumpound.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed, but two government—Former deputy intelligence commander  Nur Shirbow and an aide to the prime minister, a Somali-Canadian named Mohamud Hersi Abdulle were killed in the Al shabab attack.
However, Somali government officials have yet commented fully on how Al shabab attackers dared to assassinate the president "in broad daylight"  as the compound is heavily protected by Somalia and AMISOM especial security forces.
The attack underscores a worrying new trend in Mogadishu: That despite a period of relative calm following al-Shabab's ouster from Mogadishu in August 2011, militants have carried out a series of deadly assaults in recent weeks that have seen the city hit with mortar fire and pitched battles.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Somalia's al-Shabab: Striking like mosquitoes

As Somalia's government plans a new offensive against al-Shabab, the BBC's Mary Harper considers why the Islamist militants remain so brazen.
The storming by al-Shabab fighters of Villa Somalia, the seat of government in the capital, Mogadishu, last Friday did not take me altogether by surprise.
On a recent visit to this large, shabby, sprawling compound I was struck by the lackadaisical security.
True, I had to walk through a lot of checkpoints, but each one seemed more sleepy and chaotic than the next.
 “Start Quote
 
They prepared themselves to die like lions”
End Quote Al-Shabab official
I was surprised the African Union and Somali government soldiers let my companion in: His name was not on the security list at the gate, and he was not carrying ID.
The day after the attack, in which at least 11 people were killed, I spoke by telephone to an al-Shabab official.
He sounded relaxed, assured and in a very good mood.
"Villa Somalia is meant to be the most protected part of Mogadishu, and Mogadishu is meant to be the most protected part of Somalia," he said.
"Yet we managed to strike the president's house. My advice to the apostate President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is try to protect your house and your staff before trying to protect your country."
'Mogadishu music'
He then went on to describe in great detail how "our boys" prepared for the attack... 
more on..bbc

Somalia - Women Rally Against Al Shabaab in Mogadishu

Mogadishu — Women from the 17 districts of Mogadishu have staged anti-Al Shabaab protest in Mogadishu in support of lasting peace and tranquility across the war-ravaged nation on Sunday, Garowe Online reports.
Federal Government of Somalia's Ministry of Women and the National Union of Somali Women organized the rally against Al Shabaab terror attacks a day after the militant group carried out a daylight deadly assault inside Villa Somalia presidential compound.
Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed, Women and Family Affairs Minister Khadija Mohamed Dirie and Deputy Parliament Speaker Jaylani Nur Ikar joined the participants at the rally.
Speaking at Mogadishu's peace square where angry crowds hoisting banners that read: "Al Shabaab conspiracy has ended," amongst others gathered, Prime Minister Mohamed pointed accusing fingers at Al Shabaab, saying that the terrorists are shedding the blood of innocent people.
"You have revealed courage and how you are ready to defend the terror carnivorous animals who want to turn off the peace light from yourselves," declared Mohamed, adding that Somalia Federal Government would stand by the Somali people in their struggle of restoring the governance.
"Somali women were always at the forefront, you are today required to take a leading role in promoting peace and great change in the capital and in the country at large," he said.
In an effort to deter Al Shabaab threats, Prime Minister Mohamed Saturday night chaired a cabinet meet at the presidential palace, discussing new security plans and the way forward for Somali government forces.
A ministerial committee that will launch investigations into the deadly attack on Villa Somalia was announced.
Hundreds of Al Shabaab fighters are believed to have infiltrated Mogadishu's Huriwaa district where AMISOM and somali government troops frequently clash with militants from the Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group.

Prime Minister sets out Government steps to address threat of terrorism

Prime Minister sets out Government steps to address threat of terrorism
Mogadishu, 25 February 2014 - The Prime Minister of the Somali Federal Government H.E. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed today laid out during a press conference his administration’s plan in the wake of the recent attack on the presidential compound by the terrorist group al-Shabaab on Friday, February 21, 2014.
In his press conference, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed sent a message of condolence to the families of the victims of the Friday attack. The innocent lives lost in the attack included the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister Mohamud Hirsi “Indha-ase” and General Nur Shirbow.
The Prime Minister said: “I condemned the loss of innocent lives at the hands of these terrorists. These terrorists have no Islamic basis for their indiscriminate violence, which led to the death of worshippers who were attending Friday prayers in a mosque on the presidential compound. Although the terrorists caused the deaths of innocent people, they did not achieve their ultimate goal of causing maximum casualties thanks to the quick and brave response of the Somali soldiers who eliminated them”.
Prime Minister Ahmed outlined steps the government is taking to address the threat of terrorism in the country in the wake of the terrorist attack. Prime Minister Ahmed outlined the following:
1. The government will conduct an in-depth investigation into the events of the attack to determine what happened, how it happened, who was behind it and the immediate response to the attack. An investigative committee consisting of ministers and experts has been commissioned for the task. Anyone implicated in aiding the terrorists will face justice.
2. The government has established a task force to work on security at the district level. It includes members from the Council of Ministers, parliament, civil society groups, district administrations, the business community, police, intelligence, religious leaders, women’s groups and youth. This is part of an effort to create real collaboration between the government and the public, which is essential to ensuring security and stability within local communities.
3. A committee will be established to assess the strength and performance of security agencies, including the intelligence, the police and the military. The aim of this committee is to issue recommendations on enhancing the readiness, responsiveness and effectiveness of the national security agencies.
4. The administration is working on draft anti-terrorism laws to be presented to parliament. These laws will provide law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools to deal effectively with terrorist groups and those who support and aid them.
Prime Minister Ahmed stressed his government’s commitment to swiftly implement the recommendations of these committees, saying: “Immediate action will be taken in Mogadishu and beyond to dismantle terrorist networks and prevent future attacks. I call on the public to work with us and assist the security agencies in their efforts to ensure security by alerting the appropriate agencies of any suspicious activities. Religious leaders also have a key responsibility to educate the public on the dangers of terrorism and that it is against the teachings of Islam to take innocent lives.
“I praise the heroic acts of the soldiers and staff who put their own lives at risk to save and come to the aid of their fellow citizens in the mosque during Friday’s attack. My government is working on appropriate recognition for these national heroes.
“Let me say again the harm that Al-Shabaab is causing our great nation and our innocent people, we must all join together as through collective action we will eliminate this terrorist group.”
ENDS

Monday, February 24, 2014

Somalia: Al-Shabaab Fails to Sway Somalis Against Ethiopian Troops

Security officials in Somalia should jail Hamza Mohamed aka Hamza_Africa,AlJazeera staff they knew about the Shabaab Attack on The Villa Somalia .
 
Mogadishu — Rather than take up arms and join al-Shabaab's fight against Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), residents of several towns in central Somalia are instead fleeing their homes in the dead of night.
Al-Shabaab began increasing its efforts to recruit civilians living in areas it controls on February 10th, after Ethiopian troops announced they were closing in.
Using loudspeakers mounted on vehicles, al-Shabaab told residents of Bulo Burde, El Bur, Galhareri and other towns under its control that it was obligatory for them to join the "war" against Ethiopian troops "invading" Somalia. They said the Ethiopian troops wanted to spread Christianity in Somalia and that it was the duty for every Somali to fight them.
Almost immediately, residents began fleeing their homes to escape forced conscription into al-Shabaab's militia.
Mohamed Abdi, a 40-year-old grocer in El Bur market, said he fled his hometown February 11th and is now in Dhusamareb because he was afraid of being forced to fight in al-Shabaab's war.
"The thing that caused me to flee El Bur district is when nearly a hundred people who were praying the noon prayer at a mosque in El Bur were ordered to listen to a sermon about jihad and how the enemy of God had attacked our country," he told Sabahi. "They told us that it is our Islamic duty to take part in the war and anyone who does not participate will face harsh punishment."
Abdi said he sees no reason to fight alongside al-Shabaab, which the international community recognises as a terrorist group that is against peace.
"This forced me to flee the territories under their rule," he said. "Whenever they feel under siege, they want to convince the people that it is the people who are being attacked, but it seems that idea is not working for al-Shabaab at this time."
'Everyone is running from al-Shabaab'
Hindio Dahir, a 37-year-old mother of five who lives in Bulo Burde in Hiran province, said her husband fled the town at night on February 11th for fear of being killed by al-Shabaab members after he rejected their attempt to recruit him.
"Al-Shabaab's harsh treatment of us has increased and they are threatening to kill anyone who refuses to join them in their war," she told Sabahi. "That is why my husband had to flee the city on foot at night time. I do not know if he is alive or dead, and he told me he was afraid he would be identified as a runaway if he took us all along."
Dahir said she was very worried about taking care of her family with her husband's whereabouts unknown.
"In the past, the children's father was the breadwinner, working in real estate sales," she said. "We lived on the little money he earned, but now al-Shabaab has separated me from my family."
Yahye Jama, 52, who is one of the traditional elders of Galhareri town in Galdadud province, told Sabahi that men of all ages flee the city in secret every night. "Everyone is running away from being forcefully recruited for war by al-Shabaab," he said.
"We know Ethiopian soldiers are heading this way to liberate us from al-Shabaab. Truly, we welcome anyone who is ready to free us from al-Shabaab," he said. "People living here are oppressed by al-Shabaab, which denies them all of their rights."
Jama said al-Shabaab became alarmed when they found out Ethiopian troops were coming to attack them.
"In the district we live in, people feared only al-Shabaab. However, the fear al-Shabaab is feeling is now evident across Galhareri district and the areas that come under it," he said. "[Al-Shabaab is] telling us that all that is left in their struggle is to have people join them. They have no more strength left. I would advise them to make peace instead of getting everyone killed."

Two Articles about Al-Shabaab

The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point published in February 2014 a special issue of CTC Sentinel that includes two articles on al-Shabaab.

The first article is titled "Al-Shabaab's Capabilities Post-Westgate" by Ken Menkhaus, professor of political science at Davidson College.  He concludes that al-Shabaab today is both weaker and more dangerous and unconstrained than in the past.  In the short term, this is bad news for Kenya, Ethiopia, the Somali government and people, and international actors operating in Somalia.  In the longer term, however, al-Shabaab's downward trajectory since 2009 shows few signs of reversal, at least inside Somalia.  Additional losses of top leaders could lead to a quick unraveling of the group, at which point the chief security threat will be the residual Amniyat network, which will retain the capacity for extortion and political violence. 

The second article is titled "An In-Depth Look at Al-Shabaab's Internal Divisions" by Stig Jarle Hansen, associate professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.  He concludes that al-Shabaab will likely continue to attack countries that have deployed forces in Somalia.  Al-Shabaab's biggest danger to the West is most likely through potential logistics support for other al-Qaeda units, its indoctrination of Somalis into al-Qaeda's ideology, and its growing reach in African countries. 

U.S. Condemns Attack on Villa Somalia Compound./ United Nations Security Council press statement on terror attack in Somalia./Canada FM Speaks On the Death of Somali PM's Chief of Staff Killed in Villa Somalia Attack



Press Statement

Marie Harf
Deputy Department SpokespersonOffice of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 21, 2014


The United States strongly condemns al-Shabaab’s attack today on the Villa Somalia Compound in Mogadishu. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the attack, and wish the injured a speedy recovery. The United States commends the quick response of the Somali forces who, with AMISOM support, were able to secure Villa Somalia shortly after al-Shabaab launched its attacks.

This murderous attack, targeting individuals and organizations that are working to provide the Somali people with governance, stability, and a better way of life, once again highlights what al-Shabaab has proven time and again – that it stands only for death and destruction and that al-Shabaab is firmly opposed to the Somali peoples’ efforts to build a more secure and prosperous future.
The United States will continue to support the Somali people and their government as they rebuild their country. Those who stand in the way of Somalia’s progress will not succeed U.S. Condemns Attack on Villa Somalia Compound

United Nations Security Council press statement on terror attack in Somalia
NEW YORK, 21 February 2014 - The members of the Security Council are appalled by today’s terrorist attack in Somalia, for which Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility. The attack was targeted against the office of the President of the Federal Government of Somalia and has caused numerous deaths and injuries. The members of the Security Council extended their condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The members of the Security Council wished a speedy recover to all those injured in the attack.

The members of the Security Council paid tribute to the brave response of the Security Forces of the Federal Government of Somalia and AMISOM [African Union Mission in Somalia] in responding to this appalling act. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that this and other acts of terrorism would not weaken their determination to support the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia.



The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, wherever and whenever and by whomsoever committed.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Somali authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. The members of the Security Council underlined their support to the President and Federal Government of Somalia and to all those working to bring a better future to the people of Somalia.

Canada FM Speaks On the Death of Somali PM's Chief of Staff Killed in Villa Somalia Attack

 Canada Foreign Affairs Ministers Condemned the Attack Against Somali President on Friday which killed dozen of people, according to a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister.
The Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said that his government condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack today against the presidential palace in Mogadishu, which was claimed by AlShabaab.
"This attack killed a number of people, including worshippers who were attending Friday prayers. On behalf of all Canadians, I express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed in this senseless attack and wish a prompt recovery to the injured.
Amongst those killed was a Canadian citizen, Mohamoud Abdulle, who had returned to his native Somalia and was working with the Somali prime minister. His death reminds us all of the great risks and sacrifices Canadians take around the world in support of greater peace and security.
"Canada stands with the Somali people in their efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous Somalia."
Somalia
Women Rally Against Al Shabaab 
Women from the 17 districts of Mogadishu have staged anti-Al Shabaab protest in Mogadishu in support of lasting peace … see more »

Somalia's al-Shabab vows to make comeback - Africa - Al Jazeera English

Somalia's al-Shabab vows to make comeback - Africa - Al Jazeera English

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Canadian killed in Somalia deeply involved with community in Ottawa

                                                          Mohamud Hersi Abdulle
 
A Canadian who was killed in a terrorist attack in Somalia is being remembered for his deep ties to Ottawa’s Somali community.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has confirmed that Mohamud Hersi Abdulle, a former intelligence commander and an aide to Somalia’s prime minister, died in the attack Friday on the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu by nine members of the terrorist group al-Shabab.
 
Baird issued a statement saying the Canadian citizen had returned to his native Somalia to work with the prime minister.
Abdulle had a long history with the Somali-Canadian community in Ottawa, where he worked as a school teacher and social worker, said Abdirizak Mohamud, who knew him.
Mohamud said Abdulle had also been involved with the Youth Services Bureau, a community group, and helped Somali-Canadian youth with their homework and also taught them the Somali language.
“Every Somali kid, most of them, they loved (him). There’s nobody else they knew like that,” Mohamud said Saturday.
Abdulle also helped adult members of the local Somali community with transferring money to family back home, Mohamud said, and on trips he took every few years to the East African country Abdulle would help those relatives with resources such as food and water.
“Everybody liked him and everybody’s very sorry. Some of them, they’re calling me for hours to say has that really” happened, Mohamud said.
He was “the kind of guy — 24 hours, all the time, working for the community.”
Abdulle’s wife and child remain in Ottawa, said Mohamud.
Early media reports had said Abdulle was an American — a second government official was also killed in the attack.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed in the attack that saw all nine militants killed.
The president called the assault a “media spectacular” by a “dying animal.”
The attack underscores a worrying new trend in Mogadishu: That despite a period of relative calm following al-Shabab’s ouster from Mogadishu in August 2011, militants have carried out a series of deadly assaults in recent weeks that have seen the city hit with mortar fire and pitched battles.
Weapons meant for the Somali army could have been used by the militants in Friday’s attack. A confidential U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea reported this month that the country’s military is selling weaponry in markets where the al-Qaida-linked militants buy weapons.
In at least one case weapons were sold by a military commander directly to an al-Shabab commander, the confidential report said.
Friday’s attack against the compound where the president and prime minister live began with a car bomb explosion, followed by an assault by gunmen on palace guards, said police Capt. Mohamed Hussein. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group, claimed responsibility.
“President just called me to say he’s unharmed. Attack on Villa #Somalia had failed. Sadly some lives lost. I condemn strongly this terrorism,” the U.N. representative to Somalia, Nick Kay, said on Twitter. He added later: “The Somali people are tired of shootings, bombings and killings. It’s time for a new chapter in Somalia’s history.”
The Interior Ministry displayed the seven bloodied and dead bodies of the attackers and said two others blew themselves up. The wreckages of two car bombs lay nearby.
“Apart from media headlines, #Shabaab will achieve nothing from it,” a Twitter account run by the office of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said. ‘Don’t be fooled by this “media spectacular’. This is another act of desperation from a dying animal.”
Al-Shabab has been waging war in Somalia for years as it tries to oust a Western-backed government. Weakened from its apex of power, the militants are still able to launch vicious attacks.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack “in the strongest terms” while the U.N. Security Council said it was “appalled.” Both paid tribute to Somali and African Union forces for repelling the attack.
The Security Council reaffirmed “that this and other acts of terrorism would not weaken their determination to support the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia.”
The secretary-general expressed concern that recent attacks by al-Shabab “are clearly aimed at destabilizing the country at a time when many efforts are being mobilized to restore peace and development,” U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.
Baird also condemned the attack in his statement and gave his condolences to Abdulle’s family.
“His death reminds us all of the great risks and sacrifices Canadians take around the world in support of greater peace and security,” Baird said.
A U.N. Monitoring Group report, published Feb. 6 and obtained by The Associated Press, found that many weapons given to Somalia’s military can no longer be accounted for, including rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and bullets. The Monitoring Group “has developed serious concerns that the 1,000 AK-47s delivered from Uganda” are no longer in government control, it said.
The report said that two separate clan-based power bases in the government are procuring weapons with a clan-based agenda that works against peace in Somalia, including by distributing weapons to clan militias. A sub clan of the president’s dominates weapons procurements and funnels them to Abgaal militia forces, it said.
“In addition, the Monitoring Group has also obtained documentary evidence corroborating information that a key adviser to the President, from his Abgaal subclan, has been involved in planning weapons deliveries to Al-Shabab leader Sheikh Yusuf Isse ’Kabukatukade’, who is also Abgaal,” the report said.
The report also said that ammunition supplied to Somalia’s army have been leaked in large quantities to arms markets. Weapons and ammunition not sold at a market during the day are taken back for storage in garages and houses owned by Somalia army officers, the report said.
“Al-Shabaab are known to frequent the market to purchase weapons and ammunition and were easily identifiable by the salesmen there,” the report said.
Somalia’s government has not responded publicly to the report and did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Ken Menkhaus, a Somalia expert at Davidson College, wrote in a new paper on al-Shabab being published Monday in the CTC Sentinal, Westpoint’s anti-terrorism publication, that al-Shabab has been weakened as a political movement and will not be able to establish an Islamic state, but that it’s secret service — “Amniyat” — can still unleash devastating attacks against African Union forces and the Somali government.
In Friday’s attack, a speeding car full of explosives rammed into a barricade erected by soldiers protecting the presidential palace, causing an explosion and sending plumes of smoke into the sky. Amid the mayhem, gunmen chanting “God is great” then moved toward a second gate and tried to force their way into the complex.The Globe and Mail

Somali Poet Ladan Osman wins the 2014 Sillerman Prize for African Poetry for ‘The Kitchen Dweller’s Testimony’

 
                                                                 Ladan Osman
 
 
Just in: Somali Poet Ladan Osman has won this year’s Sillerman First Book Prize for African poetry with her collection, The Kitchen Dweller’s Testimony. This follows from last year’s inaugural win by Kenyan Clifton Gachagua for his Madman at Kilifi.
Readers of this blog will not be strangers to my love for Somali literature and this win by another Somali following Warsan Shire’s Brunel African poetry prize win last year, goes to remove all doubt about the art of that country in the east. I’m elated there is a new Somali poet whose works I will be looking forward to and reading through the year. Read my post Celebrating Somalia (yes, Celebrating!) and the poem I Think About you, Mogadishu.
Press release: Courtesy African Poetry Book Fund and BooksLive
Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets, The African Poetry Book Fund and Prairie Schooner are pleased to announce that Ladan Osman’s collection, The Kitchen Dweller’s Testimony, is the winner of the 2014 Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. Osman will receive a $1000 cash award and publication of her book with the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal.
“I deeply appreciate this prize,” Osman said after learning of the board’s decision. “I have so badly just wanted a chance to work, to be apparent to people in life and in poems. A bunch of things happened in the years spent writing this book: I’m excited to share what came out of those sometimes rough waters, and look forward to connecting to new readers and new communities.”
The African Poetry Book Fund publishes four new titles each year, including the winner of the Sillerman prize and one new volume by a major African poet.
African Poetry Book Fund Series Editor and Prairie Schooner Editor-in-Chief Kwame Dawes praised The Kitchen Dweller’s Testimony, saying that “only the genius of sincerity of voice and imagination can allow a poet to contain in a single poem both consuming gravitas and delightful whimsy. This is what we get again and again from the splendidly gifted poet Ladan Osman. The editorial team of the African Poetry Book Fund was unanimous in selecting her manuscript as winner of this year’s Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets.”
Osman, whose parents are from the city of Mogadishu in Somalia, has received fellowships from the Luminarts Cultural Foundation, the Fine Arts Work Center, Cave Canem, and the Michener Center for Writers. Her work has appeared in American Life in Poetry, Artful Dodge, Narrative Magazine, Prairie Schooner, RHINO, and Vinyl Poetry. Her chapbook, Ordinary Heaven, will appear in Seven New Generation African Poets: A Chapbook Box Set (Slapering Hol Press, 2014). She teaches in Chicago.
Last year’s winner was Kenyan poet Clifton Gachagua, whose collection, Madman at Kilifi, will be published in February 2014.
The Sillerman First Book Prize is named after philanthropists Laura and Robert F. X. Sillerman, whose contributions have endowed the establishment of the African Poetry Book Fund & Series. The Sillerman prize is awarded to African writers who have not published a book-length poetry collection. An “African writer” is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, is a citizen or resident of an African country, or whose parents are African.
The Fund and its partners also support seminars, workshops, and other publishing opportunities for African poets, as well as the African Poetry Libraries Project. As a partner of the African Poetry Book Fund & Series, Prairie Schooner manages the Sillerman prize. In addition to Series Editor Dawes, the African First Book Fund editorial board is comprised of Chris Abani, Matthew Shenoda, Gabeba Baderoon, John Keene, and Bernardine Evaristo.
Information about the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets is available on the African Poetry Book Fund website, http://africanpoetrybf.unl.edu. You can also find more about Prairie Schooner at http://prairieschooner.unl.edu or on Twitter (@TheSchooner).

PM Abdiwali attends the funeral service of his permanent secretary Mohamud Hersi Abdulle:“promising defeat for the terrorists”


Mohamud Abdulle, Permanent Sec of Somali PM " with Prime Minister  press conference on the right side"  R.I.P Both men are from Ottawa

22 February 2014
H.E Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, member of his Cabinet and civil society members today attended the funeral service of the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, who was killed in yesterday’s cowardly attack.
“It is with great sadness that I learnt of the death of my Permanent Secretary Mohamud Hersi Abdulle “Inda-ase’ in yesterday’s futile terrorist attack. I send mine, my Cabinet and my entire office's condolences and prayers to his family and friends at this time of loss.
“Mohamud worked tirelessly since leaving a successful teaching career in Canada 18 months ago to return to Somalia to serve his county. Serving as Permanent Secretary to both myself and former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saacid. He was a key figure in driving through much of the progress our country has made in the last year and has been a steadfast source of counsel for me personally since I took office”
“He will be remembered fondly by all those that were fortunate enough to work with him, both Somalis and those from the international community. A man with huge humility, commitment and resolve to improve the lives of his fellow countryman.
This loss and yesterday's desperate attack will not derail this government's reforms policies as we build a strong united Somalia. These attacks only serve to unite us and make us more determined in our task of rebuilding our country.” Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed said.
ENDS

Friday, February 21, 2014

Former Ottawa man killed in Somalia attack


Rest in Peace my cousin marxuum Maxamud Xirsi Cabdille (Indhacase). My prayers are with his wife and his 9 children in Ottawa,Canada. It is very sad day for all of us

 
OTTAWA — A former Ottawa man was killed in a suicide attack Friday at the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Mohamoud Abdulle, a Canadian citizen, was one of those killed, according to a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird released late Friday.
Militants with al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-linked group, claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed a number of people, including worshippers attending Friday prayers and two government officials, according to the Canadian and Somali governments.
Abdulle, who had reportedly worked in Ottawa as a teacher and at the Youth Services Bureau, had returned to his native Somalia to work with the Somali prime minister.
“His death reminds us all of the great risks and sacrifices Canadians take around the world in support of greater peace and security,” Baird said in his statement, which condemned the attack and expressed condolences.
Nine al-Shabaab militants wearing military fatigues and carrying guns and grenades died after attacking the palace with two car bombs. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed.
Friday’s attack against the compound where the president and prime minister live began with a car bomb explosion, followed by an assault by gunmen on palace guards, said police Capt. Mohamed Hussein.
The Interior Ministry displayed the seven bloodied and dead bodies of the attackers and said two others blew themselves up. The wreckages of two car bombs lay nearby.
Al-Shabaab has been waging war in Somalia for years as it tries to oust a Western-backed government.
The attack underscores a worrying new trend in Mogadishu: That despite a period of relative calm following al-Shabaab’s ouster from Mogadishu in August 2011, militants have carried out a series of deadly assaults in recent weeks that have seen the city hit with mortar fire and pitched battles.
With files from The Associated Press

AMISOM Head of Mission Reacts to Attack on Villa Somalia (English Subtit...


Kenya and Somalia vow to eliminate terrorism


9 Attackers Dead: Somalia President Palace Attack(WarningGraphics Images)

Nine al-Shabab militants wearing military fatigues and carrying guns and grenades died after attacking the presidential palace with two car bombs on Friday, in an assault the president called a "media spectacular" by a "dying animal."
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed, but two government officials were killed, the interior ministry said.
The attack underscores a worrying new trend in Mogadishu: That despite a period of relative calm following al-Shabab's ouster from Mogadishu in August 2011, militants have carried out a series of deadly assaults in recent weeks that have seen the city hit with mortar fire and pitched battles.
Weapons meant for the Somali army could have been used by the militants in Friday's attack. A confidential U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea reported this month that the country's military is selling weaponry in markets where the al-Qaida-linked militants buy weapons.
In at least one case weapons were sold by a military commander directly to an al-Shabab commander, the confidential report said.
Friday's attack against the compound where the president and prime minister live began with a car bomb explosion, followed by an assault by gunmen on palace guards, said police Capt. Mohamed Hussein. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group, claimed responsibility.
"President just called me to say he's unharmed. Attack on Villa #Somalia had failed. Sadly some lives lost. I condemn strongly this terrorism," the U.N. representative to Somalia, Nick Kay, said on Twitter. He added later: "The Somali people are tired of shootings, bombings and killings. It's time for a new chapter in Somalia's history."
The Interior Ministry displayed the seven bloodied and dead bodies of the attackers and said two others blew themselves up. The wreckages of two car bombs lay nearby.
The two others killed included a former intelligence commander and an aide to the prime minister, a Somali-American named Mohamud Hersi Abdulle, said Hussein.
"Apart from media headlines, #Shabaab will achieve nothing from it," a Twitter account run by the office of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said. 'Don't be fooled by this "media spectacular'. This is another act of desperation from a dying animal."
Al-Shabab has been waging war in Somalia for years as it tries to oust a Western-backed government. Weakened from its apex of power, the militants are still able to launch vicious attacks.
The U.N. Monitoring Group report, published Feb. 6 and obtained by The Associated Press, found that many weapons given to Somalia's military can no longer be accounted for, including rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and bullets. The Monitoring Group "has developed serious concerns that the 1,000 AK-47s delivered from Uganda" are no longer in government control, it said.
The report said that two separate clan-based power bases in the government are procuring weapons with a clan-based agenda that works against peace in Somalia, including by distributing weapons to clan militias. A sub clan of the president's dominates weapons procurements and funnels them to Abgaal milita forces, it said.
"In addition, the Monitoring Group has also obtained documentary evidence corroborating information that a key advisor to the President, from his Abgaal subclan, has been involved in planning weapons deliveries to Al-Shabaab leader Sheikh Yusuf Isse 'Kabukatukade', who is also Abgaal," the report said

Terror free somalia we send my deeply condolence to -Permanent Sec of Somali PM and family.We are deeply saddened by your loss...may allah grant him. peace an place in jannat.
Mahmoud Hersi Abdulle from Ottawa, Canadian Somali R.IP

Somali Islamist militants claim deadly palace attack

Presidential palace in Somalia hit by major car bomb, gun attack
Al Qaeda-linked militants al Shabaab attacked the Somali presidential palace compound on Friday, blasting through a gate with a car bomb and engaging in a fierce gun battle with African peacekeepers, police said.
Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on the heavily fortified compound in Mogadishu, known as Villa Somalia, but the Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed.
"President just called me to say he's unharmed. Attack on Villa Somalia had failed. Sadly some lives lost," U.N. Special Representative Nick Kay wrote on his official Twitter feed.
It was not immediately clear how many people were killed.
In the past few weeks, Mogadishu has been hit by a series of suicide bomb attacks claimed by al Shabaab, who were pushed out of the city in mid-2011 but have continued to wage a sustained guerrilla campaign.
Friday's battle took place at the house of Somalia's top military commander, General Dahir Aden Indha Qarshe, located in the same compound and near the presidential palace building, Abdikadir Ahmed, a senior police officer, told Reuters.
"The al Shabaab fighters who attacked the palace were about ten men in military uniform and the red hats (worn by the palace guards)," Hussein Farah, a senior police officer at the scene, told Reuters.
"They had three cars. One was a car bomb and the other cars were carrying well-armed fighters," he said.
"All the Shabaab fighters perished, some blew up themselves while others were shot dead. Several government guards also died. Now the fighting is over, and scattered on the scene is human flesh and blood."
At least seven Somalis were killed when a remote-controlled bomb aimed at a U.N. convoy tore through cars and tea shops just outside the capital's international airport last week

Presidential palace in Somalia hit by car bomb, gun attack

Firt secretary of PM's Office Mohamud Indhacase is being reported as been killed in an explotion

Al Qaeda-linked militants attack Somali presidential compound

(Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked militants al Shabaab attacked the Somali presidential palace compound on Friday, blasting through a gate with a car bomb and engaging in a fierce gun battle with African peacekeepers, police said.
Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on the heavily fortified compound in Mogadishu, known as Villa Somalia, but the Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed.
"President just called me to say he's unharmed. Attack on Villa Somalia had failed. Sadly some lives lost," U.N. Special Representative Nick Kay wrote on his official Twitter feed.
It was not immediately clear how many people were killed.
In the past few weeks, Mogadishu has been hit by a series of suicide bomb attacks claimed by al Shabaab, who were pushed out of the city in mid-2011 but have continued to wage a sustained guerrilla campaign.
Friday's battle took place at the house of Somalia's top military commander, General Dahir Aden Indha Qarshe, located in the same compound and near the presidential palace building, Abdikadir Ahmed, a senior police officer, told Reuters.
"The al Shabaab fighters who attacked the palace were about ten men in military uniform and the red hats (worn by the palace guards)," Hussein Farah, a senior police officer at the scene, told Reuters.
"They had three cars. One was a car bomb and the other cars were carrying well-armed fighters," he said.
"All the Shabaab fighters perished, some blew up themselves while others were shot dead. Several government guards also died. Now the fighting is over, and scattered on the scene is human flesh and blood."
At least seven Somalis were killed when a remote-controlled bomb aimed at a U.N. convoy tore through cars and tea shops just outside the capital's international airport last week.
 

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner  General Mohamed Abshir

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater
Somalia army parade 1979

Sultan Kenadid

Sultan Kenadid
Sultanate of Obbia

President of the United Meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Egal of the Somali Republic,

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Sultanate of Warsengeli

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre
Siad Barre ( A somali Hero )

MoS Moments of Silence

MoS Moments of Silence
honor the fallen

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre  and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie
Beautiful handshake

May Allah bless him and give Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan

May Allah bless him and give  Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan
Honorable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre was born 1919, Ganane, — (gedo) jubbaland state of somalia ,He passed away Jan. 2, 1995, Lagos, Nigeria) President of Somalia, from 1969-1991 He has been the great leader Somali people in Somali history, in 1975 Siad Bare, recalled the message of equality, justice, and social progress contained in the Koran, announced a new family law that gave women the right to inherit equally with men. The occasion was the twenty –seventh anniversary of the death of a national heroine, Hawa Othman Tako, who had been killed in 1948 during politbeginning in 1979 with a group of Terrorist fied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre , the Terrorist Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre . In January 1989, the Terrorist United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group Terrorist of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC Terrorist was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Terrorist Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a Terrorist prisoner imprisoner from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other Terrorist groups, including the SNM (ONLF) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Terrorist Ogadeen sub-clan force under Terrorist Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. , 1991By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre’s government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre’s effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM Terrorist advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed factions Terrorist drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew. Warlordism, terrorism. PIRATES ,(TRIBILISM) Replaces the Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre administration .While the terrorist threat in Somalia is real, Somalia’s rich history and cultural traditions have helped to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism. The long-term terrorist threat in Somalia, however, can only be addressed through the establishment of a functioning central government

The Honourable Ronald Reagan,

When our world changed forever

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)
Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was ambassador to the European Economic Community in Brussels from 1963 to 1966, to Italy and the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in Rome from 1969 to 1973, and to the French Govern­ment in Paris from 1974 to 1979.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac 'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac  'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.
Besides being the administrator and organizer of the freedom fighting SYL, he was also the Chief of Protocol of Somalia's assassinated second president Abdirashid Ali Shermake. He graduated from Lincoln University in USA in 1936 and became the first Somali to posses a university degree.

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic
Somalia

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