European Union Training Mission Somalia
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European Union Training Mission Somalia PRESS SUMMARY 9th August 2018 “In ‘Media’ stat virtus” EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 SUMMARY TITLE PAGE Five killed as IED hits AMISOM military convoy in Mogadishu 2 Somalia's Al-Shabaab Militants Capture Two Towns in South 3 Somali special forces recapture fresh areas from Al-Shabaab 4 Al-Shabaab Commander Surrenders To Somali Government In 5 Mogadishu Al-Shabaab Arrests Locals For Opposing Child Recruitment 6 HirShabelle President Meets With AMISOM Force Commander 7 A New Prison Opened In Mogadishu 8 Al-Shabaab serve as double agents in govt-former Security 9 spokesman Malaysia Sending Troops to Somalia on Aid Mission 10 Health Crises In Wajid District In Bay Region 12 Somalia President's Desperate Attempt to Sabotage Somaliland 13 Election Somali Prime Minister meets Sudanese President, discuss bilateral 15 relations Somalia Listed as Worst Country for Maternal Health 16 One person killed, three injured in KDF airstrikes in Gedo 18 Kenya to open consulates in 'Hergesa', Baidoa, Kismayu, Garowe 19 AU in Somalia distances itself from comments on US magazine 20 Which way for Somalia in Saudi-Canada row? 21 Suspected al Shabaab militants kill five soldiers in Kenya's Lamu: 22 county official EUTM - SOMALIA 1 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Five killed as IED hits AMISOM military convoy in Mogadishu August 8, 2018 A roadside bomb blast struck a military convoy carrying African Union [AU] peacekeepers in Mogadishu, the Somalia capital on Wednesday morning, witnesses and police said. A witness, speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to Radio Shabelle that an Improvised explosive device [IED] ripped through the AU convoy at SOS junction. In the aftermath of the explosion, the African Union soldiers opened fire randomly at a nearby crow, killing at least 5 civilians and wounding many more others, said the witness. There was no immediate statement from AMISOM – African Union Mission in Somalia regarding the alleged killing of the Somali innocent civilians by the peacekeepers. Al-Shabaab has claimed the credit of the bomb attack on AMISOM convoy. http://radioshabelle.com/five-killed-as-ied-hits-amisom-military-convoy-in-mogadishu/ EUTM - SOMALIA 2 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Somalia's Al-Shabaab Militants Capture Two Towns in South 8/8/2018 Al-Shabaab fighters armed with machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked two towns in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, culminating in the capture of the two neighboring districts of Awdhegle and Mubarak, witnesses and combatants said. The militants raided checkpoints manned by Somali forces shortly before dawn, Da'ud Qaylow, a resident of Awdhegle, said by phone. Ali Sharif, an officer with the Somali army, said the rebel forces attacked their positions in Awdhegle when most soldiers were asleep. An unidentified al- Shabaab commander told Radio Andalus, a Somali broadcaster that supports the militants, that they killed at least 10 government troops.'Within a short period of time, the militants managed to corner us and finally captured the whole town when our forces ran for their lives,' Sharif said. The fighting spread to nearby Mubarak, where the rebels also overran the army, he said. The al-Qaeda-linked group has been in retreat in the Horn of Africa nation since its fighters were forced to withdraw from the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 after a series of military defeats. Al-Shabaab still controls swathes of territory and stages deadly gun and bomb attacks. Hassan Mohamed, another officer with the army, said the militants beheaded three injured soldiers who were unable to flee. https://menafn.com/1097268707/Somalias-AlShabaab-Militants-Capture-Two-Towns-in- South EUTM - SOMALIA 3 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Somali special forces recapture fresh areas from Al-Shabaab August 8, 2018 Somali elite troops have retaken control of Al-Shabaab bases following an operation in Middle Shabelle region, officials said on Tuesday. Muse Nur Shueyb, the deputy district commissioner of Bal’ad district on security affairs told the state-owned media that the troops raided seized villages under the control Al-Shabaab. He stated that the forces engaged Al-Shabaab in brief gun battle during the liberation of Daniga, Barwaqo, Garas-weyn and Walamoy villages, all located outside Bal’ad town. The Somali forces have also destroyed Al-Shabaab bases, according to the deputy DC. Al-Shabaab which wants to overthrow the Western-backed Somali government based in Mogadishu as it wages fighting Somali and AMISOM forces since 2007. http://radioshabelle.com/somali-special-forces-recapture-fresh-areas-from-al-shabaab/ EUTM - SOMALIA 4 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Al-Shabaab Commander Surrenders To Somali Government In Mogadishu 07 August 2018 Mid-level Al-Shabaab commander defected to Somali government on Tuesday amid operations against the group escalated in the recent days. Abdirahman Hussein Wardhere (Bilal) has been fighting alongside the group’s fighters for the last twelve years. Speaking to the media, in Mogadishu after he was paraded by the Somali government, Bilal said he decided to dessert Al-Shabab. “I had been Al-Shabaab member for twelve years, taking advantage of amnesty that Somali President Farmajo offered to Al-Shabaab fighters, I am willing to give myself up and decided to leave Al-Shabaab,” he said. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had several times offered Al-Shabaab fighters amnesty. Government officials state that only negotiation can end Somalia’s 28 years old civil war – especially given the ragged state of the military. Al-Shabaab, which lost control of many towns in the country, carries out deadly attacks in and outside the capital. Somali forces supported by AU and U.S. troops have intensified operations to annihilate Al-Shabaab fighters from South and Central Somalia. The forces destroyed Al-Shabaab bases in Middle Shabelle region on Tuesdayafter covert operations. Military officials said several Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in the dawn raid recaptu http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/august-8-2018-daily-monitoring-report/ EUTM - SOMALIA 5 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Al-Shabaab Arrests Locals For Opposing Child Recruitment 07 August 2018 Al-Shabaab fighters have reportedly arrested five locals in Harardheer town refusing to allow children to be recruited. Recently, the group has been recruiting more children to fight in their ranks. Al-Shabaab fighters stormed houses of local residents in and outside Harardheer, and five locals are charged with disobeying the orders. Al-Shabaab recently ordered elders, teachers of religious schools in communities in rural areas of Galgaduud and Mudug region, to provide hundreds of children or face retaliatory attacks. Local journalists in the region said, the five were accused of sending their children away from Al-Shabaab controlled areas. Five people including two women were arrested in Harardhere town. They were accused of facilitating the escape of their children from areas under Al-Shabaab control. This move comes in less than three days, after locals and Al-Shabaab fighters in Mudug region clashed, when the group started their recruitment campaigns. The clashes claimed lives of over seven people on both sides. Over the past decade, Al-Shabaab leaders have recruited thousands of children who have been indoctrinated and deploy them to various battles. http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/august-8-2018-morning-headlines/ EUTM - SOMALIA 6 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 HirShabelle President Meets With AMISOM Force Commander 08 August 2018 HirShabelle President Mohamed Abdi Ware has received a delegation led by the AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. General Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire at the Presidential Palace in Jowhar. The meeting between the HirShabelle President and the AMISOM leaders, primarily focused on the overall security in HirShabelle and plans to resume a military offensive aimed at re-opening the main supplies routes blockaded by Al-Shabaab group. General Jim Beesigye briefed President Ware on AMISOM’s latest activities in the country, their role in stabilizing the country in supporting the Somali National Army and its plans to resume offensives in HirShabelle. The meeting also discussed the importance of preparing the Somali security forces to take over security responsibilities from AMISOM. President Ware stressed the need to resume military operations against Al-Shabaab in an attempt to curb Al-Shabaab’s menace in the region. He thanked AMISOM for its support to the Somali people and its government, and its determination to restore peace and stability and defeat Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab has in recent past doubled its attacks in parts of HirShabelle, a move that crippled the movement of transport across the region. http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/august-8-2018-daily-monitoring-report/ EUTM - SOMALIA 7 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 A New Prison Opened In Mogadishu 07 August 2018 The Somali government has established a modern built prison in Mogadishu to confine criminals and offenders, according to Bashir Mohamed Jama, Commander of the prison guards. The new correctional facility, MBCC at the Ex-control Afgoye neighbourhood in Mogadishu, becomes the second prison in the capital, besides the Central Prison, which currently is the only correctional facility to rehabilitate prisoners. The city’s second prison before the eruption of the civil war was transformed to a health centre known as Keysaney Hospital. Officials from the Judiciary Sector toured the newly opened prison. Baashe Yusuf Ahmed, Chief Justice, praised the custodial corps, and urged them to double their efforts in enhancing justice and reforming prisoners. Multiple security challenges facing the country such as terrorism means that the capital city, should have enough prisoners for offenders to serve their jail sentences. http://somaliamediamonitoring.org/august-8-2018-morning-headlines/ EUTM - SOMALIA 8 EUTM - SOMALIA 09/08/2018 Al-Shabaab serve as double agents in govt-former Security spokesman August 8, 2018 Al-Shabaab militants work within the Somali government as double agents, a former Security spokesman has sensationally claimed.