COMMENTARY ON ISLAMIC WEBSITES
Amiir Nuur - The pro-al-Shabaab website posted a Jihad issued by al-Shabaab's Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. Speaking at prayer leadership meeting in Mogadishu, Sheikh Aweys claimed that the fighting in Somalia is between Muslims and infidels who invaded the Muslim country. Sheikh Aweys also stated the Mujahideens will not stop the fight and they will never negotiate with the infidel-supporting Somali government leaders. He also urged the Somali people to fight against the infidels and threatened to inflict more casualties on the infidels and infidel-supporting forces.
POLITICS
Garowe Online - A conference in which 135 elders from across Somalia will choose the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), commenced on Saturday, Radio Garowe reports. The heavily secured meeting was held at the police academy in Mogadishu's Abdiaziz district, where 135 elders will choose the 825 representatives of the NCA who will vote whether or not to adopt the proposed Somalia constitution. The meeting which was delayed for seven hours got underway with government officials giving opening speeches. President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas among many other Ministers and MPs were in attendance at the opening of the 9 day meeting. "Somalia is an a new era, where 135 elders from across Somalia meet today in Mogadishu to further the peace process and bring an end to a transitional government in Somalia," said Prime Minister Gaas.
Hiiraan Online - Hiiraan website published the full list of 135 Somali traditional leaders who are assigned to nominate the 825 National Constituent Assemble (NCA) and the list included the full names, clan affiliations and area each clan leaders hails from. The list of the Somali clan leaders are grouped as Digil and Mirifle, Darood, Hawiye and Dir clans. Somali Language
New Vision - As AMISOM continues to expand into the countryside, the government must continue to demonstrate its capacity to protect civilians in towns and villages. That way, civilians will gain confidence in the government’s resolve to change the course of history. Already, AMISOM has deployed 100 soldiers to Baidoa, the advance party of the 2,500 soldiers expected to be deployed by April. AMISOM’s Kenyan troops are deployed in the south; and this expansion is expected to deliver more military success. As such, time has come for the Somali government to integrate military objectives into an overall political strategy. This calls for extra vigilance not only on the part of the government but also on the population as a whole. Not once, not twice, the terrorists have demonstrated their ability to sneak through the lines and attack civilians in areas under our control.
SECURITY/AL-SHABAAB
Garowe Online - Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has requested that some of his security team who are in custody for the Mogadishu Theater to be released after authorities failed to press charges, Radio Garowe reports. Prime Minister Gaas survived an assassination attempt in the form of a suicide blast by the al-Shabaab, last April. Following the blast that killed 4 government officials and injured many more, some members of Prime Minister Gaas’ security team were arrested. The men are being held at a station near the presidential palace. The arrests were made last month, but the ministerial investigation committee failed to provide sufficient charges to warrant a trial.
Associated Press - Hundreds of Kenyan youth who have trained with al-Qaida-linked militants in neighboring Somalia have returned home and now pose a major security threat to this East African nation, a top police official said Friday. Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said that a Kenyan man trained by al-Shabab militants in Somalia hurled a grenade into a church last Sunday, killing two people and wounding 15. Many of those who are returning to Kenya after training with al-Shabab are from a slum in Nairobi, from a border region near Somalia or from the Kenyan coast, Iteere said.
The Standard - Lamu police are on high alert following the entry of nine suspected al-Shabaab terrorists from Somalia on Wednesday. The aliens are suspected to include foreign fighters, who entered Kenya from Burgavo and other small towns in Somalia’s Lower Juba region, and have been forced out by Kenya’s military offensive in the these parts, and the disintegration of al-Shabaab. "We have no doubt that the group has links with the Al Shabaab," said Lamu East OCPD, Samuel Obara, who is co-ordinating the operation against the militants. He was speaking on telephone from Lamu, on Thursday.
RADIO ROUNDUP
Radio Mogadishu - A pro-government radio station
Somali National Forces shot and killed a prominent Al-Qaeda linked military leader, Abdulahi Ahmed, when he and other Al-Qaeda linked fighters attacked the national forces base in Warta-nabadda district of Mogadishu on Friday night. The chief commander of TFG security forces in Banadir region, Kalif Ahmed Ereg, displayed the body of the leader to the media on Saturday. Also the forces captured other al-Qaeda fighters and military equipments.
At least six al-Qaeda linked fighters were killed and 15 others injured as Ahlu Sunna Waljama' (ASWJ) fighters and Ethiopian troops fought against al-Qaeda militias in El-bur district of Galgaduud region on Friday night. The fighting erupted after al-Qaeda militias attacked the allied forces bases, but were repelled. The head of ASWJ forces in Elbur, Abdi Hassan Mohamed, told Radio Mogadishu that they had advance knowledge of the attack and planned the defense tactics.
Huge demonstrations, supporting the upcoming Somali constitution, rocked the Mogadishu on Friday. Hundreds of people came out on the streets in the capital urging the Somali elders to approve the new constitution.
Radio Andalus - A pro-al-Shabaab radio station
Al-Shabaab Mujahideen fighters attacked and captured El-bur district of Galgaduud region on Saturday night. Reports indicate that the Mujahideens briefly controlled the district. Also the Mujahideen beheaded Ethiopian soldiers who were captured alive.
Radio Kulmiye - An independent radio station
An unconfirmed numbers of fighters were killed as TFG and Kenyan forces fought against al-Shabaab militias in Elwak district of Gedo region over the last 24 hours. Local residents told Radio Kulmiye that the fighting took place three times after the insurgents launched hit and run attacks.
Radio Shabelle - An independent radio station
Uganda has deployed an additional 1,700 troops in volatile Somalia, bringing the total number of Ugandan peacekeepers in Somalia to 8,000. Colonel Felix Kulayigye, the spokesman of Uganda military, told the media that the troops will be stationed in the Somali capital of Mogadishu as their colleague advance deep into hostile territory.