NAIROBI(Mareeg)—The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) will launch a radio station aimed at promoting peace in the conflict-torn Horn of Africa nation, a spokesman told AFP Wednesday.
"The planning for this project began last year. AMISOM, the United Nations and the Somali government are all be involved," Ugandan army spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye.
Uganda is the largest troop contributor to the 4,300-strong AMISOM force, which also includes a large Burundian contingent.
Kulayigye, who did not provide an exact date for the launch, said that while all decisions on programming had not yet been finalised, all broadcasts will be "educational, and will be catered to enhancing peace."
He said the station would in broadcast English, Somali and Kiswahili.
AMISOM was deployed in early 2007 but has managed little more than keeping a weak transitional federal government on life support.
It is currently protecting internationally-backed President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in his Mogadishu palace as an alliance of insurgent groups presses on with a six-week-old military offensive to topple him.
Source: AFP
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Somalia:Al Shabaab says they will attack Nairobi
KISMAYU(Mareeg)—Al Shabaab administrators in the port town of Kismayu have threatened on Sunday that they would attack the tall buildings in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Sheik Hassan Yacqub Ali, the spokesman of al Shabaab administrators in Kismayu said they would confront any intervention from the Kenyan military and added that they would attack the tall buildings in Nairobi.
“ If you attack us(Kenya), we will launch suicide attacks in Nairobi and we will destroy the tall, glass buildings in Nairobi,” said sheik Hassan Yacqub Ali.
Kenyan troops were deployed in several border towns on Saturday. The speaker of the Somali parliament Aden Mohamed Nor requested from neighboring countries to send troops to Somalia on Saturday and the cabinet endorsed the decision.
Sheik Yacqub has also accused the aid agencies of being igniting the wars in Somalia and added that they were spies.
Separately, the spokesman of al Shabaab Sheik Ali Mohamoud Rageh said they would fight against any foreign troops that come in Somalia.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
gentlemannor@gmail.com
Seven people killed in middle Shabelle region
JOWHAR(Mareeg)—Reports from Jowhar town, the regional capital of Middle Shabelle region say seven people were killed in the region in revenge clashes between rival clans.
Witnesses said on Sunday at least seven people were killed in Wardhagah and Bulo Habley villages by clan militias.
The rival clan militias have made retaliatory attacks and killed three civilians in Bulo Habley village near Jowhar on Saturday evening.
Clan elders have started mediation efforts between the rival clan militias who have been fighting in the region recently.
Middle Shabelle Region is under the control of al Shabaab militants who are fighting against the Somali, fragile government.
The inter clan clashes are often caused by pastoral land dispute and water wells in the region.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
Witnesses said on Sunday at least seven people were killed in Wardhagah and Bulo Habley villages by clan militias.
The rival clan militias have made retaliatory attacks and killed three civilians in Bulo Habley village near Jowhar on Saturday evening.
Clan elders have started mediation efforts between the rival clan militias who have been fighting in the region recently.
Middle Shabelle Region is under the control of al Shabaab militants who are fighting against the Somali, fragile government.
The inter clan clashes are often caused by pastoral land dispute and water wells in the region.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
More Ethiopian troops reach border town
NAIROBI (Mareeg)—More Ethiopian troops have reached in Balanbal, a Somali border town in Galgadud region in central Somalia, witnesses said on Sunday.
Resident said more Ethiopian troops with armoured vehicles have reached in Balabal town, where the Ethiopian troops had a base recently.
Witnesses in Hiraan and Galgaduud regions in central Somalia say the Ethiopian troops were making troop movement in the regions recently.
On the other hand, more Ethiopian troops have reached in Kalaber, a key junction about 20 km north of Beledweyne, the regional capital of Hiraan region.
The move comes as the Somali government sought military aid from neighboring countries and the international community.
The cabinet declared a state of emergency yesterday and the Parliament speaker asked neighbouring countries to send troops to help the government.
The Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia in mid January in 2009 after two years of ill fated occupation.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
Resident said more Ethiopian troops with armoured vehicles have reached in Balabal town, where the Ethiopian troops had a base recently.
Witnesses in Hiraan and Galgaduud regions in central Somalia say the Ethiopian troops were making troop movement in the regions recently.
On the other hand, more Ethiopian troops have reached in Kalaber, a key junction about 20 km north of Beledweyne, the regional capital of Hiraan region.
The move comes as the Somali government sought military aid from neighboring countries and the international community.
The cabinet declared a state of emergency yesterday and the Parliament speaker asked neighbouring countries to send troops to help the government.
The Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia in mid January in 2009 after two years of ill fated occupation.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
Opposition leader vows fighting against foreign troops
MOGADISHU (Mareeg)—Somalia’s opposition leader Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys has vowed fighting against any foreign troops that come in Somalia on Sunday.
On Saturday Somali parliamentary Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur urged neighbouring countries including Ethiopia to intervene as he admitted that the rebels have weakened the ability of the Somali government.
The leader of Hizbul Islam rebel group, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, said they would confront the foreign troops that the Somali government demanded.
He added that the Somali government could not represent the people of Somalia and accused of being working for foreign interests.
Sheik Aweys said that the parliament has already demanded foreign military aid and again demanded but he said that they would fight the foreign troops that are currently in the country and those due to arrive in Somalia.
The Somali government accused the rebels of being harboring foreign fighters from al Qaeda and other foreign countries.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
On Saturday Somali parliamentary Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur urged neighbouring countries including Ethiopia to intervene as he admitted that the rebels have weakened the ability of the Somali government.
The leader of Hizbul Islam rebel group, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, said they would confront the foreign troops that the Somali government demanded.
He added that the Somali government could not represent the people of Somalia and accused of being working for foreign interests.
Sheik Aweys said that the parliament has already demanded foreign military aid and again demanded but he said that they would fight the foreign troops that are currently in the country and those due to arrive in Somalia.
The Somali government accused the rebels of being harboring foreign fighters from al Qaeda and other foreign countries.
By Ahmednor Mohamed Farah
Ethiopia rejects Somali request
ADDIS ABABA (Mareeg)—Ethiopia has refused a request by Somalia for military support to fight insurgents, saying such an intervention would need an international mandate.
The Somali authorities have been battling Islamist insurgents who control much of the country.
The speaker of Somalia's parliament had earlier urged neighbouring countries to send troops within 24 hours.
Ethiopian troops helped topple an Islamist movement in Somalia in 2006, but were withdrawn earlier this year.
On Saturday Somali parliamentary Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur urged neighbouring Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Yemen to intervene as fierce fighting continued for a second day in the capital Mogadishu.
But Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon said that an international mandate was needed for such an intervention.
He added that the international community, not just Somalia's neighbours, should assist its transitional government.
Assassinations
Somalia has been without an effective government since 1991. Its UN-backed transitional government controls only parts of Mogadishu, but little of the rest of the country.
There are some 4,300 African Union troops deployed in Mogadishu, but they lack any mandate to pursue the insurgents.
Pro-government forces have been fighting radical Islamist guerrillas in the capital since 7 May.
On Friday, gunmen killed Mohamed Hussein Addow, an MP who represented the Karan district where fighting has been particularly intense in recent days.
It was the third killing of a high-profile public figure in as many days.
Somalia's security minister - an outspoken critic of the militant Islamist group al-Shabab - was killed in a suicide attack in the northern town of Beledweyne, and Mogadishu's police commander was also killed this week.
Militant groups including al-Shabab, which is accused of links to al-Qaeda, have been trying to topple Somalia's government for three years.
Some four million people in Somalia - or about one-third of the population - need food aid, according to aid agencies.
Source: BBC
The Somali authorities have been battling Islamist insurgents who control much of the country.
The speaker of Somalia's parliament had earlier urged neighbouring countries to send troops within 24 hours.
Ethiopian troops helped topple an Islamist movement in Somalia in 2006, but were withdrawn earlier this year.
On Saturday Somali parliamentary Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur urged neighbouring Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Yemen to intervene as fierce fighting continued for a second day in the capital Mogadishu.
But Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon said that an international mandate was needed for such an intervention.
He added that the international community, not just Somalia's neighbours, should assist its transitional government.
Assassinations
Somalia has been without an effective government since 1991. Its UN-backed transitional government controls only parts of Mogadishu, but little of the rest of the country.
There are some 4,300 African Union troops deployed in Mogadishu, but they lack any mandate to pursue the insurgents.
Pro-government forces have been fighting radical Islamist guerrillas in the capital since 7 May.
On Friday, gunmen killed Mohamed Hussein Addow, an MP who represented the Karan district where fighting has been particularly intense in recent days.
It was the third killing of a high-profile public figure in as many days.
Somalia's security minister - an outspoken critic of the militant Islamist group al-Shabab - was killed in a suicide attack in the northern town of Beledweyne, and Mogadishu's police commander was also killed this week.
Militant groups including al-Shabab, which is accused of links to al-Qaeda, have been trying to topple Somalia's government for three years.
Some four million people in Somalia - or about one-third of the population - need food aid, according to aid agencies.
Source: BBC
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