Nairobi Westgate Mall Siege: Islamic Militant Fears as White Europeans and Wealthy Kenyans Targeted . update Nairobi Westgate Mall Siege: Up to 50 Feared Dead and Injured in Gunfight

Gunmen firing machine guns and throwing grenades have laid siege to the most upscale shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, witnesses and police said.

At least five attackers invaded the Westgate shopping mall. A Reuters photographer clamed to have seen five dead.

Police arrived on foot about half an hour after the attacks began, witnesses said. Five dozen people were seen rushing out of the mall amid AK-47 gunfire and grenade bursts. The volleys of gunfire also moved outside the mall more than 20 minutes after the attacks began.

Rob Vandijk, who works at the Dutch embassy, said he was eating at a restaurant inside the mall when attackers threw hand grenades inside the building. He said gunfire then started and people screamed and dropped to the ground.

 

 

Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue said the gunmen had besieged the building, and officers are on the ground now engaging the attackers. He said the men were trying to rob a shop within the mall.

Cars were abandoned outside the mall after the attack started at around midday.

The mall is situated in Nairobi's affluent westlands area and is frequented by expatriates and rich Kenyans.

 

Al-Shabaab Revenge Attack?

In October 2011, the Somali military and the Kenyan military began a coordinated operation against the Islamic militant Al-Shabaab group of insurgents in southern Somalia.

The mission was officially led by the Somali army, with Kenyan forces providing a support role. Since then, a series of explosions have rocked various areas in Kenya, bombings which are believed to have been retaliatory attacks by Al-Shabaab. In early June 2012, Kenyan forces were formally integrated into the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.

According to US Embassy, in 2011-2012, there were at least 17 attacks involving grenades or explosive devices in Kenya. At least 48 people died in these attacks, and around 200 people were injured. Nine of these attacks occurred in the North Eastern Province area that borders Somalia, including locations in Dadaab, Wajir, and Garissa. Four attacks occurred in Nairobi, and four in Mombasa.

Targets included police stations and police vehicles, nightclubs and bars, churches, a religious gathering, a downtown building of small shops, and a bus station. The most recent attack involved two simultaneous assaults on churches in Garissa on July 1, 2012. In this attack, 17 people were killed and about 50 people were injured.

READ: Nairobi Westgate Mall Siege: Up to 50 Feared Dead and Injured in Gunfight

Remembering the Heroes of September 21 Nairobi 'terrorist attack':Terrorist Attack Stopped by an Armed Citizen

At least 39 people have lost their lives and several injured when terrorists attacked a Nairobi shopping mall. Westage Mall in Nairobi

 

 

 

 

 

Terrorist Attack Stopped by an Armed kenyan Citizen According to a witness. It Could Have Been Much Worse.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," .

 

I'm Not Psychic, "Do You Remember the First Time?" protester in fatigues waved the flag of al Shabaab Terrorest in Downtown Nairobi Kenya

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Linked From Here

Thursday, October 27, 2011

 

Somalia's al Shabaab vows huge blast in Kenya..

The head of the snake is right in Eastleigh Nairobi – Kenya

 

Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia, claims responsibility for mall attack in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Armed gunmen waged a tense standoff with Kenyan police and soldiers inside an upscale Nairobi shopping mall early Sunday, hours after brazenly gunning down shoppers, diners and others.

Bodies still littered the lobby and ground floor of the Westgate Mall around 10:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET), more than 10 hours after the attack began, according to the Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre.

There were 39 confirmed dead at that point, according to Kenya's president, who added that his close relatives are among those killed. Two gunmen, including one who was detained after being shot, are also dead. Francis Kimenia, secretary to the Cabinet, tweeted another 293 people got treatment at three area hospitals, which "are appealing for more blood."

It's possible the death toll might grow given the attackers had hardly given up and an unknown number of innocent civilians, perhaps dead or being held hostage, remained inside the mall Sunday morning.

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the carnage and vowed not to negotiate with Kenyan authorities. It claimed that "all Muslims" were escorted from the mall before the attack -- suggesting that its targets were people who didn't believe in their extreme form of Islam.

Shooting witness: We crawled under cars

Witness: We saw lots of blood

Gunmen take hostages at Kenya mall

Q and A: Al-Shabaab grew amid Somalia's lawlessness

"The Mujahideen are still strong inside #Westgate Mall and still holding their ground," the group said late Saturday via Twitter. "All praise is due to Allah!"

Kenyan authorities, though, insist they have the upper hand, where it's now early Sunday morning.

Police tweeted that the attackers "have been isolated and pinned down in a room by security forces." And Joseph Ole Lenku, the national government's cabinet secretary for interior and coordination, hinted that the worst should be over.

"Our security forces have taken control of the situation," Lenku said.

"Attackers of Westgate shopping mall have been isolated and pinned down in a room by security forces in the ongoing operation," the national police said on Twitter.

Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, blasted "the despicable perpetrators of this cowardly act (who) hoped to intimidate, divide and cause despondency among Kenyans and would like to (create) a closed, fearful and fractured society."

Kenya is no stranger to terrorism, including a 1998 bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi that left 213 dead and other attacks before and since tied to al Qaeda and related groups.

In a televised speech late Saturday, Kenyatta said his nation has "overcome" such attacks before, refusing to budge from its values or relinquish his security. And it will do so again, he promised.

"We shall hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to," the president said. "We shall get them, and we shall punish them for this heinous crime.

Dramatic video: Kenya mall massacre forces mass evacuation.

At least 39 people were killed and over 150 others wounded, including foreigners, after gunmen stormed an upscale mall in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, the country's president said

 

President Kenyatta’s statement on terror attack

 

Uhuru Kenyatta

Fellow Kenyans,

This morning, a group of armed terrorists forcefully entered the Westgate Mall in Nairobi's Parklands area and unleashed senseless violence upon customers and workers. They have killed at least 39 innocent people and injured more than 150 others.

With the entire nation, I stand with the families of t...hose who have lost their lives and extend every Kenyan's deepest condolences. I ask God to give all of you comfort as you confront this tragedy. My Government will provide the support you will need in the days to come.

To those who were injured, I wish you a quick recovery from the physical and other shocks you underwent today. The Government will be at hand to ensure that your lives return to normal as quickly as possible.

The people of Kenya have been wonderful, as always. With your support we safely evacuated hundreds of people from the Mall. I salute your conscientious and selfless acts of solidarity in response to the terrorist attack. Your courage and sympathy saved lives and reassured countless people.

I commend those who volunteered by giving first-aid, transporting the injured to hospital, donating blood, locating and contacting loved ones and making it easy for rescue, medical and security personnel to do their work. I appreciate those who have used media to rally help of all kinds, condole with and comfort the affected and thank all those responsible citizens who have desisted from spreading panic and despondency. Please continue helping, and continue praying.

The despicable perpetrators of this cowardly act hoped to intimidate, divide and cause despondency among Kenyans. They would like us to retreat into a closed, fearful and fractured society where trust, unity and enterprise are difficult to muster. An open and united country is a threat to evil doers everywhere. With our values of solidarity and love for our homeland, we fought proudly and bravely to secure the freedom to lead our lives as we choose. Our choice is codified in our Constitution.

We have overcome terrorist attacks before. In fact, we have fought courageously and defeated them within and outside our borders. We will defeat them again. Terrorism in and of itself, is the philosophy of cowards.

The way we lead our lives; in freedom, openness, unity and consideration for each other represents our victory over all those who wish us ill. We are as brave and invincible as the lions on our Coat of Arms.

My Government stands ready to defend the nation from internal as well as external aggression. I urge all Kenyans to stand together and see this dark moment through. Donate blood. Provide information to the authorities. Comfort and reassure the affected families. Let us ashame the Devil and his works by demonstrating our timeless values of love, compassion and solidarity.

Our security forces are conducting a multi-agency response to this attack as we speak and are in the process of neutralizing the attackers and securing the Mall. It is a very delicate operation as our top priority remains to safe guard the lives of innocent people held up in this unfortunate incident.

But let me make it clear. We shall hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to. We shall get them. We shall punish them for this heinous crime.

I have directed security agencies to be decisive in their response to this or any other threat. They must and will do this to demonstrate our constitution's categorical guarantee of Kenyans' indefeasible rights to life and property.

Across the country, we have tightened security but I urge all of you to remain calm and vigilant.

God bless you. God bless Kenya.

Fellow Kenyans,

This morning, a group of armed terrorists forcefully entered the Westgate Mall in Nairobi's Parklands area and unleashed senseless violence upon customers and workers. They have killed at least 39 innocent people and injured more than 150 others.

With the entire nation, I stand with the families of those who have lost their lives and extend every Kenyan's deepest condolences. I ask God to give all of you comfort as you confront this tragedy. My Government will provide the support you will need in the days to come.

To those who were injured, I wish you a quick recovery from the physical and other shocks you underwent today. The Government will be at hand to ensure that your lives return to normal as quickly as possible.

The people of Kenya have been wonderful, as always. With your support we safely evacuated hundreds of people from the Mall. I salute your conscientious and selfless acts of solidarity in response to the terrorist attack. Your courage and sympathy saved lives and reassured countless people.

I commend those who volunteered by giving first-aid, transporting the injured to hospital, donating blood, locating and contacting loved ones and making it easy for rescue, medical and security personnel to do their work. I appreciate those who have used media to rally help of all kinds, condole with and comfort the affected and thank all those responsible citizens who have desisted from spreading panic and despondency. Please continue helping, and continue praying.

The despicable perpetrators of this cowardly act hoped to intimidate, divide and cause despondency among Kenyans. They would like us to retreat into a closed, fearful and fractured society where trust, unity and enterprise are difficult to muster. An open and united country is a threat to evil doers everywhere. With our values of solidarity and love for our homeland, we fought proudly and bravely to secure the freedom to lead our lives as we choose. Our choice is codified in our Constitution.

We have overcome terrorist attacks before. In fact, we have fought courageously and defeated them within and outside our borders. We will defeat them again. Terrorism in and of itself, is the philosophy of cowards.

The way we lead our lives; in freedom, openness, unity and consideration for each other represents our victory over all those who wish us ill. We are as brave and invincible as the lions on our Coat of Arms.

My Government stands ready to defend the nation from internal as well as external aggression. I urge all Kenyans to stand together and see this dark moment through. Donate blood. Provide information to the authorities. Comfort and reassure the affected families. Let us ashame the Devil and his works by demonstrating our timeless values of love, compassion and solidarity.

Our security forces are conducting a multi-agency response to this attack as we speak and are in the process of neutralizing the attackers and securing the Mall. It is a very delicate operation as our top priority remains to safe guard the lives of innocent people held up in this unfortunate incident.

But let me make it clear. We shall hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to. We shall get them. We shall punish them for this heinous crime.

I have directed security agencies to be decisive in their response to this or any other threat. They must and will do this to demonstrate our constitution's categorical guarantee of Kenyans' indefeasible rights to life and property.

Across the country, we have tightened security but I urge all of you to remain calm and vigilant.

God bless you. God bless Kenya.

Attackers of Westgate Mall in Nairobi likely Al-Shabaab terrorists -- 22 dead in Kenya mall attack on non-Muslims

NAIROBI, Kenya — Gunmen threw grenades and opened fire Saturday, killing at least 22 people in an attack targeting non-Muslims at an upscale mall in Kenya's capital that was hosting a children's day event, a Red Cross official and witnesses said.

The attackers remained inside and firing subsided as military surrounded the mall hours after the attack. People continued to trickle out from hiding places within the Westgate mall, which is frequented by expatriates and rich Kenyans in Nairobi's affluent Westlands neighborhood.

Kenya Red Cross official Abbas Gullet said at least 22 people were killed in the attack that police blamed on terrorists. He said the death toll would likely rise.

"We are treating this as a terrorist attack," said police chief Benson Kibue, adding that there are likely no more than 10 attackers involved.

 

Police did not say what group was responsible for the attack.

 

Women carrying children run for safety as armed police hunt gunmen who went on a shooting spree in Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi Sept. 21, 2013.
 

Somali's rebel group al-Shabab vowed in late 2011 to carry out a large-scale attack in Nairobi in retaliation for Kenya's sending of troops into Somalia to fight the Islamic insurgents.

Off duty Sgt. Major Frank Mugungu said Saturday that he saw four male attackers and one female, and that he could clearly identify one of the gunmen as a Somali, though he could not identify the rest.

The Westgate mall, with shops like Nike, Adidas and Bose, has Israeli ownership, and security personnel have in the past identified the mall as a likely terror target in the city.

Elijah Kamau, who was at the mall at the time of the midday attack, said that the gunmen made a declaration that non-Muslims would be targeted.

"The gunmen told Muslims to stand up and leave. They were safe, and non-Muslims would be targeted," he said.

Jay Patel, who sought cover on an upper floor in the mall when shooting began, said that when he looked out of a window onto the upper parking deck of the mall he saw the gunmen with a group of people.

Patel said that as the attackers were talking, some of the people stood up and left and the others were shot.

 

Police take cover outside Westgate shopping center where gunmen went on a shooting spree in Nairobi Sept. 21, 2013.

The gunmen carried AK-47s and wore vests with hand grenades on them, said Manish Turohit, 18, who hid in a parking garage for two hours.

"They just came in and threw a grenade. We were running and they opened fire. They were shouting and firing," he said after being marched out of the mall in line with about 15 people who held their hands in the air.

Rob Vandijk, who works at the Dutch embassy, said he was eating at a restaurant inside the mall when attackers lobbed hand grenades inside the building. He said gunfire then burst out and people screamed as they dropped to the ground.

It appears the attack began at the outdoor seating area of Artcaffe at the front of the mall, witnesses said.

Patrick Kuria, an employee at Artcaffe, said: "We started by hearing gunshots downstairs and outside. Later we heard them come inside. We took cover. Then we saw two gunmen wearing black turbans. I saw them shoot."

Some people were shot at the entrance to the mall after volleys of gunfire moved outside and a standoff with police began. Ambulances continued to stream in and out of the mall area, ferrying the wounded who gradually emerged from hiding inside the mall.

People clutched their small children, and some cried. At one point in the day mall guards used shopping carts to wheel out wounded children.

A local hospital was overwhelmed with the number of wounded being brought in hours after the attack, so they had to divert them to a second facility via AP

 

 

 

Dead Piece Of Shit Mocks Piece Of Shit, Or Something

Dead Piece Of Shit Mocks Piece Of Shit, Or Something

Somali President Hassan Shekh Mohamoud most corrupt leader in Africa and Jihadi Apologists - Somali Muslim Brotherhood (dum jadiid Party)Hassan Sheikh Mohamud President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Meets With John McCain

Jihadi Apologists - Somali Muslim Brotherhood (dum jadiid Party)Hassan Sheikh Mohamud President of the Federal Republic of Somalia  Meets With John McCain

 

 

Sleeping With the Enemy

 

 

Exclusive: Somalia Central Bank a 'slush fund' for private payments - U.N.

(Reuters) - Money at the Central Bank of Somalia is not used to run government institutions in the war-torn Horn of Africa country, with an average 80 percent of withdrawals made for private purposes, according to a U.N. report seen by Reuters on Monday.

The confidential report by the U.N. Group of Experts to the Security Council's Somalia and Eritrea sanctions committee blamed a patronage system - dubbed the "khaki envelope" practice after the color of the stationery carried to the Ministry of Finance - for preventing the creation of state institutions.

"In this context, the fiduciary agency managed by PricewaterhouseCoopers was reduced to a transfer agent that could not ensure accountability of funds once they reached the Somali government," the report said.

"Indeed of $16.9 million transferred by PWC to the Central Bank, $12 million could not be traced," it said. "Key to these irregularities has been the current governor of the Central Bank, Abdusalam Omer."

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Omer and the Somalia U.N. mission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Omer, 59, is a dual Somali-U.S. national who left Somalia at age 16 and returned in January to become governor of the Central Bank in a country with a shattered economy and broken financial system.

The overthrow of a dictator in 1991 plunged Somalia into two decades of violent turmoil, first at the hands of clan warlords and then Islamist militants, who have steadily lost ground since 2011 under pressure from an African Union military offensive.

Somalia was virtually lawless and unable to assert authority until a Western-leaning government was elected last year.

The U.N. report said all bank decisions were made by Omer because there were no board members in place and the bank does not operate as a government body subject to policy decisions or oversight from integrity institutions and parliament.

"On average, some 80 percent of withdrawals from the Central Bank are made for private purposes and not for the running of government, representing a patronage system and a set of social relations that defy institutionalization of the state," it said.

The experts said Somali Finance Minister Mohamud Hassan Suleiman had tried to reduce the scale of the patronage system, but "it is so pervasive as to be beyond his control without a fundamental restructuring of the system."

CENTRAL BANK A "SLUSH FUND"

Under the patronage system, a person can ask Somali leaders for a private payment "that cannot be resisted for personal or other reasons," the U.N. report said. A senior politician signs a note authorizing the payment, which is honored either directly at the Ministry of Finance or the Central Bank, the report said.

"This custom is also called the 'khaki envelope' procedure on account of the color of the envelopes seen carried to the Ministry of Finance," it said. "Since banks in Somalia, including the Central Bank, cannot make electronic transfers internally or externally, all transactions are made in cash."

The report found that between September, when the new government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud came to power, and April, almost three-quarters of withdrawals from the Central Bank were made for private individuals.

"Such statistics indicate that the CBS has effectively functioned as a 'slush fund' for the (patronage) system rather than as a financing mechanism for government expenditures," the U.N. experts said.

The report noted that Mohamud's government "cannot necessarily be faulted for the continuing patterns of corruption per se, but it can be held responsible for the appointment of individuals involved in past or present corruption."

According to Central Bank accounts, a cashier at the Ministry of Finance, Ahir Axmed Jumcaale, was responsible for withdrawing the greatest amount of funds.

The report said that between 2010 and 2013 Jumcaale withdrew $20.5 million in his name, which was then used for individual payments under the patronage system by successive finance ministers or finance officials.

An individual named Colonel Abdiqaadir Moalin Nuur took out $4.7 million between 2010 and 2013, the second largest amount of money, according to the report, which said there was no explanation for his withdrawals.

The International Monetary Fund officially recognized the Somali government in April, ending a 22-year hiatus, and last week offered technical support and advice, a first step in efforts to secure debt relief for the country.

Also last month, the Central Bank of Somalia published its first annual report since civil war erupted in 1991, putting the total debt at $3.2 billion. To win debt relief offered to poor nations, it has to draw up a financial management plan.

Court Documents: Al-Qaeda’s Somalia Branch Al-Shabaab Developing Chemical Weapons, Working With AQAP In Yemen

Never mind the fact that Syria is crawling with al-Qaeda and the country is awash in chemical weapons, all it will take is for one of Assad’s stockpiles to be overrun and al-Qaeda will have its choice of which agents to attack us with.

CBS News) A new document filed in a still-developing terrorism case in New York seems to confirm the long-held fear that al Qaeda is working to develop chemical weapons.

On Wednesday, CBS News obtained a document filed by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York indicating that three men charged with being members of the al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia had "substantial knowledge regarding an al-Shabaab research and development department that was developing chemical weapons."

CBS News senior correspondent John Miller told "CBS This Morning" the lead defendant in the case, Mahdi Hashi, and two others were arrested in August, 2012, by African authorities while allegedly on their way to Yemen. They are charged with participating in a weapons and training program with al-Shabab over a four-year period beginning in 2008.

Hashi, who left his home in the U.K. to join the Somali group, had been part of an elite suicide bomber unit with al-Shabab.

The new document says the defendants' planned to join al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, the terror network's branch in Yemen which has orchestrated numerous recent, high-profile a terrorist attacks, including plots targeting the U.S. mainland.

Miller, who is a former assistant director at the FBI, notes that developing chemical weapons is a goal al Qaeda, "seems to be striving for."

The new document says the defendants' planned to join al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, the terror network's branch in Yemen which has orchestrated numerous recent, high-profile a terrorist attacks, including plots targeting the U.S. mainland.

Miller, who is a former assistant director at the FBI, notes that developing chemical weapons is a goal al Qaeda, "seems to be striving for."

In June, authorities in Iraq -- from which many of the jihadi fighters in Syria came -- arrested five alleged al Qaeda militants and raided three alleged chemical weapons manufacturing laboratories across the country. The government claimed the men were trying to make sarin and mustard gas to use in attacks in Europe and North America.

The only al Qaeda affiliate known to have manufactured and used chemical weapons to date is al Qaeda in Iraq, which waged attacks in 2006 and 2007 using bombs containing chlorine, which failed to kill anyone.

Outside of trying to acquire existing chemical weapons, "al Qaeda is more than likely trying to develop their own homemade sarin or working with readily available commercial-industrial products that can be turned into dispersal devices that can be deadly," said Miller.

Somalia wants UN to lift sanctions on suspected Shebab

Somalia wants UN to lift sanctions on suspected Shebab

Competing jihadist groups comment on reports of Hammami's death - Threat Matrix

Competing jihadist groups comment on reports of Hammami's death - Threat Matrix

Abdi Mohamud Omar: From Humble Beginning To The Greatest Achiever‏

For so many years, the Ogaden region of Ethiopia has only known anarchy, destruction and destitution. As the Ethiopia government and ONLF rebels jostled for control, poor masses suffered. TV coverage and Western media beamed the images of malnourished children and the anguish of the elderly, children and women trying to escape. The anguish of destruction left the region underdeveloped while the rest of Ethiopia prospered under the EPRDF.

 

Economic hardships coupled with the on-going clashes rendered thousands dispossessed and in indigent state. I became disillusioned and disenchanted with a region I once hoped will one day overcome the quandaries that has affected them for many years. Then came Abdi Mohamud Omar, a young, vibrant and enthusiastic leader who replaced misery and despair of a traumatised region with sanguinity and optimism.

The international community portrayal of the region has significantly changed. Much of the negative coverage of the region by western outlets has moved away from this paradigm. Today, most international and African news outlets now have programmes specifically designed to champion positive news stories in the region, for example, ESTV horumarka degaanka somaalida.
Managing a region that is enormously underdeveloped is a formidable challenge for any person, especially so for one that has endured a long conflict. No one can question the president’s leadership potential to change the region especially at a time of lull, when the peace talks between ONLF rebels and the Ethiopia government are still on-going. Friends and foes alike are however, in full praise of the Mr Omar’s initiatives.

Every element of Mr Omar’s development plan has been masterfully executed to depict him as perfect presidential material worth thousand praises, rightfully so. Within a short period of his presidency, he was able to transform and propel the region into greater heights, from drilling boreholes, building schools to constructing roads.
It really is important to see Mr Omar’s grand development plan applied so well, development wise he is on message at every turn. I can’t think of many leaders that have developed a region within a short period so intelligently. He will always be remembered as the saviour and redeemer of a traumatised region and its people.

The president is tune with the changing realities on the ground. Africa and the donor countries are on the verge of a new partnership, not one of dependency and aid but one of shared ideas, vision and investments that increase mutual prosperities, a key tenet of Mr Omar’s address to the diaspora on his last visit to the UK. Mr Omar has created an enabling environment for the private sector in the diaspora to invest in the region, with many including my closest friend investing in healthcare. A vibrant private sector is critical for capable, reliable and transparent societies. Without a dynamic private sector, the gains made by Mr Omar in developing the region will grind to halt.
The author is community organisor and political commentator at EAVA FM
Zakariya Mohamed,
britishsomalicongress@gmail.com

Kismaayo 24 News Agency » Dhagayso+Sawirro:- Wafdigii Axmed Madoobe ee Maanta ka dhoofay Kismaayo

Kismaayo 24 News Agency » Dhagayso+Sawirro:- Wafdigii Axmed Madoobe ee Maanta ka dhoofay Kismaayo

EU Naval Force Counter Piracy Warship ESPS Meteoro Embarks Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle | Eunavfor

EU Naval Force Counter Piracy Warship ESPS Meteoro Embarks Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle | Eunavfor

Jihadi rapper and former Toronto pizza deliveryman Omar Hammami killed in Somalia ambush after falling out with al-Shabaab, militants say

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A rapping jihadi from Alabama who ascended the ranks of Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked militant group and was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list with a US$5-million reward for his capture was killed Thursday in an ambush ordered by the militant group’s leader, militants said.

Omar Hammami, a native of Daphne, Alabama and former Toronto pizza deliveryman who was known as Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki, or “the American,” died in southern Somalia following several months on the run after a falling-out with al-Shabaab’s top leader, the militants said.

Reports of Hammami’s death crop up every few months in Somalia, only for him to resurface a short while later. But a U.S. terrorism expert who closely follows the inner workings of al-Shabaab says he thinks that the current reports of the death are accurate.National Post

Somali Americna condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly suicide attack

Somali Americna condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly suicide attack carried out by extremist forces today shabaab targeting Jubbaland State President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan , suicide attack carried out by extremist forces tod...ay in city of kismayu jubbaland.The attempt assassination of President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan ,was clearly intended to try to disrupt the successful peace process aimed at restoring stability to jubbaland and Somalia after two decades of conflict. However these bloody murderers will not succeed.The extremists shabaab have already failed in their attempt to overthrow the Jubbaland Government through force due to the ongoing successful military operations in which President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan played a key role. Their fighters, who include several foreigners, have now resorted to the most cowardly form of violence. Jubbaland Government is undeterred by such acts of desperation and will continue its work towards restoring peace and defeating the enemies of Somalia and the jubbaland region. It calls on all peace loving Somalis to join the condemnation of the attempt assassination of President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan and the many other innocent civilians and community leaders who were killed and injured in the attack and to continue to support peace efforts.President H.E. Ahmed M. Islanis a patriotic leader ,He's going to stay the course and remained true to his vision of a country free from conflict.we sends our deepest condolences to the family of the heroes jubbaland army and all the other innocent people who were killed or injured in the suicide bombing which took place city of kismayu jubbaland today.

Abdirahman Warsame
terror free somalia

Jubbaland State President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan released this press release after blast survival ..Jubbaland State President H.E. Ahmed Madobe unharmed in the explosion

Reports; 10 people killed in suicide attack targeting Jubbaland president AhmedMadobe in Somalia's port town of Kismayo
Jubbaland State President H.E. Ahmed M. Islan released this press release after blast survival .

Good news Al-Amriki and al-Britani: Militants ‘killed’ in Somalia on 9/11

Two top Islamist militants, from the US and UK, have been killed in Somalia after falling out with al-Shabab, witnesses have told the BBC.Omar Hammami, known as al-Amriki, and Osama al-Britani, a British citizen of Pakistani origin, are said to have died in an early-morning attack in a village south-west of the capital, Mogadishu.

They have been hiding from al-Shabab since leaving the group this year.There have been several previous reports of al-Amriki’s death.One of al-Amriki’s fighters told the BBC that they had been overpowered by the al-Shabab attack in a village near the town of Dinsor. He said al-Shabab had taken away the bodies of the two Westerners.Another of their allies, Khadap al-Masari, from Egypt, surrendered, the fighter said.Local residents confirmed the deaths, as did a senior source within al-Shabab.

The two men were allies of veteran Somali Islamist, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who split from al-Shabab in June.

He is currently in the custody of the UN-backed government.

BBC Somali analyst Mohamed Mohamed says al-Shabab has been hunting down and killing his allies since the split.

Al-Amriki was known for rapping jihadist songs which were loaded onto YouTube.

Source:- BBC

The European Union announces more than €124 million to increase security in Somalia

The EU has announced that it will provide additional support of more than €124 million to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

This new financial support by the EU will cover costs including troop allowances for all AMISOM soldiers, police and civilian components of the mission, as well as operational costs of the mission headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. This support will be critical in allowing AMISOM to continue to fulfill its United Nations Security Council mandate to carry out active peace support operations across Somalia.

Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development said: "A safer and more secure environment in Somalia will benefit the Somali people and development of the country as a whole. AMISOM plays an essential role in supporting Somalia on its path towards stability and lasting peace until the country can assume full responsibility for its own security.”

High Representative Catherine Ashton said: "The Somalia we see today demonstrates the progress that can be achieved through the strong commitment of a country and its partners to move beyond the misery of civil war and destitution. AMISOM and the Somali National Forces, with the support of the European Union, have succeeded in providing the security and space for politics to occur and for the process of reconciliation to begin. Building on the progress achieved so far, Somalia and its international partners will agree on 16 September in Brussels a "New Deal Compact" for the country's future that will help Somalia continue on the path to re-building a fragile state and healing a divided nation".

The EU and the Federal Government of Somalia will co-host a High Level Conference on "A New Deal for Somalia" in Brussels on 16 September 2013 to sustain the positive momentum in Somalia, and pledge support for a framework to reconstruct the country. The Conference will bring together the international community and the Somali people to endorse this framework - a "Compact" for Somalia for the next three years.

The EU also calls on other donors to contribute to funding for AMISOM. This new funding will cover the period of 1 June to 31 December 2013 and bring the overall EU contribution to AMISOM to almost €600 million.

Background

AMISOM is an African Union-led mission mandated by the United Nations Security Council to:

• maintain a presence and conduct military operations in four areas of South-Central Somalia (according to the concept of 5 January 2012);
• to support dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia;
• to provide protection to the Federal Government of Somalia and security for key infrastructure;
• to assist with the implementation of the Somali national security plans, through training and mentoring of the Somali Security Forces;
• to contribute to the necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance,
• to assist within its civilian capability the Federal Government;
• to extend state authority in areas recovered from Al-Shabaab, and to protect its personnel and facilities.

Since its launch in March 2007, the EU has been one of the main funders of the operation and sole founder of troop allowances through the African Peace Facility (APF), which is the EU's main instrument to support Peace and Security in Africa. It has also funded the mission through bilateral contributions of its Member States. The EU trains Somalia's national army through its Training Mission (EUTM Somalia) under its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Through this mission, the EU aims to help develop Somalia's security institutions to ultimately hand over security responsibility to Somalis.

The mission is also contributing to the Africa-EU partnership on peace and security of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES). The strategy, adopted at the Lisbon Summit in December 2007, remains the overarching policy framework for EU-Africa relations. The JAES puts EU-Africa relations on a new footing, based on the pursuit of shared values and common interests. Both sides are determined to strengthen their cooperation as equal partners, based on this shared long-term vision for EU-Africa relations in a globalised world.

For more information

EU relations with Somalia:

18 die in Somalia bomb blasts

18 die in Somalia bomb blasts

18 die in Somalia bomb blasts

18 die in Somalia bomb blasts

Ku Dhawaad 18 Qof oo ku Dhimatay Qarax Xooggan oo ka Dhacay Guriga Hooyooyinka ee Muqdisho (Warbixin iyo Sawiro) | WardheerNews

Ku Dhawaad 18 Qof oo ku Dhimatay Qarax Xooggan oo ka Dhacay Guriga Hooyooyinka ee Muqdisho (Warbixin iyo Sawiro) | WardheerNews

Agreement between The Federal Government of Somalia and Jubbaland

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Jubba delegation held talks in Addis Ababa from 20th – 27th August 2013, under the auspices of the IGAD Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Jubba delegations herein after referred to as the parties, discussed several issues regarding the current political, governance and security situation of the Jubbas.

Recalling the Guiding Principles contained in the Communiqué of the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) adopted at its 21st Extra-ordinary Summit on 24th May 2013 held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;

The principles are as follows:

• Leadership of the Government of the Republic of Somalia in the process;
• Respect of the Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia;
• All inclusive consultative process with the peoples’ of Somalia;
• Supportive role of IGAD based on the priorities of the Somali Government;
• Fighting Alshabab as the primary focus of the Somali Federal Government; regional and international partners;

Recalling the decisions contained in the Communiqué of the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) held on 4th August 2013 in Kampala, Uganda;

Reiterating the need for all processes particularly the ongoing efforts towards setting up Somali Regional Administrations and stabilization efforts to be anchored with the Principles of Federalism in the Provisional Constitution, the National Stabilization Plan and the Local Government Act.

In full recognition of the supremacy of the Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia; and that the Federal Government of Somalia shall be the sole representative of sovereign Somalia.

In full respect for the Unity, Sovereignty and the Territorial Integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia;

Hereby the Parties Decide and Agree:

ARTICLE ONE

Establishment of an Interim Administration

1. The Federal Government of Somalia and the Jubba delegations have agreed on to an Interim Administration for Jubba, consisting of Gedo, Lower Jubba and Middle Jubba Regions without prejudice to whatever the people of these regions decide finally as a result of constitutional process. This Interim Administration shall be called the Interim Jubba Administration.

2. The duration of the Interim Administration shall be a period of not more than 2 years, during which – and subject to the constitutional process – a permanent Federal Member State will be established.

3. Through a consultative process, the parties of this agreement shall work together in completing the remaining part of the administration without prejudice to the provisional federal constitution of Somalia.

4. The Interim Jubba Administration shall be constituted of an Executive Council and a Regional Assembly.

5. The head of the Interim Jubba Administration shall be the Leader of the three regions of lower Jubba, middle Jubba and Gedo and also the Chairperson of the Executive Council and shall be accountable to the Federal Government of Somalia.

6. The Leader shall have three deputies appointed by the Leader in consultation with Somali Federal Government and they will also become members of the executive council.

7. The Executive Council shall be the executive organ of the Interim Administration, and whose members will be appointed by the Leader with consultation and coordination with the Federal Government. The Federal Government shall have responsibility to assure inclusivity.

8. The Regional Assembly should be an all inclusive and representative body of all clans and constituencies and selected by the traditional elders with seats been distributed proportionally among the districts of the three regions in full consideration of inclusivity, balance and in reconciliatory manner. The rules and regulations governing this Interim Administration shall be consistent with the Provisional Constitution of the FRS and approved by the Federal Parliament.

9. While the local Government Act takes into effect, the Governors of lower Jubba and Middle Jubba Regions shall be appointed by the Leader based on quota basis ensuring inclusiveness in consultation with local elders and Federal Government of Somalia. The current Gedo administration will remain as it is for now.

ARTICLE TWO

On the Management of Federal Institutions and Infrastructure

10. The Federal Institutions and Infrastructure, including the Kismayo Airport and Kismayo Seaport and other institutions shall be recognized as the assets and commonwealth of the people of Somalia.

11. That the Kismayo Airport and Kismayo Seaport shall be utilized in a manner that is beneficial to the peace and prosperity of the people of Somalia under the leadership and management of the Federal Government of Somalia.

12. The Kismayo Sea Port and Air Port Management shall be handed-over to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in 6 months period; after which the Federal Government of Somalia shall appoint a competent management team in consultation with the Interim Jubba Administration meanwhile the current management of port prevails for the next 6 months. The Federal Government of Somalia will appoint immigration officers to all entry points.

13. The revenues and other resources generated and accruing from the Kismayo Airport and Kismayo Seaport shall be managed in a prudent, transparent and accountable manner.

14. The revenues and other resources generated and accruing from the Kismayo Airport and Seaport shall be exclusively utilized, invested and disbursed on the priorities of security, service delivery and institutional building of the Jubbas.

15. This interim arrangement shall continue until there is final agreement on revenue sharing in the country as per the constitutional process.

ARTICLE THREE

On the Management of Security Forces and Militias Integration

16. That all security elements, including, RasKanboni Brigade (RBK), the Darwish and any other militias shall be integrated into the central command of the Somalia National Army (SNA); and the regional police will be under the command of the Interim Juba Administration.

17. The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the established Interim Jubba Administration shall jointly establish a Technical Security Committee that will agree on modalities and timetable for the integration of all security elements. The Technical Committee will also be responsible to undertake Security Reform.

18. Integration of the militias in to the Somali National Army will also be implemented within recommended specific timeline by a Technical Committee comprising the FGS, and the Interim Jubba Administration, in close coordination with AMISOM.

19. The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) shall, under the planned reintegration program, give priority to the Jubba Administration so that combatants, particularly lower-level Alshabab fighters in the regions can disengage from combat and return to civilian life in their home communities.

ARTICLE FOUR

On Reconciliation and Confidence-Building

20. The Federal Government of Somalia shall organize and convene, within two weeks a Reconciliation Conference in Mogadishu. A follow-up peace building conference will also be held in Kismayo.

21. Mogadishu Reconciliation Conference will be a consultation mechanism on the process of completing the formation of the interim administration and peace building.

22. During the Mogadishu Reconciliation Conference, modalities of development of the roadmap for the establishment federal member state will be agreed upon.

23. The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as chair of IGAD shall be the guarantor of this agreement.

Agreed Upon this 27th August, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

___________________________ _________________________

Signature Signature

H.E. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir H.E. Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islaan

On Behalf of the Somali Federal On behalf of Juba Interim Administration

Government

__________________________________________

Guarantor

H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers of IGAD

Fragile Somalia faces tough times - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

Fragile Somalia faces tough times - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

UK writes off £480K in Somalia aid to theft - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

UK writes off £480K in Somalia aid to theft - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

UK writes off £480K in Somalia aid to theft - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

UK writes off £480K in Somalia aid to theft - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_23829837/al-shabaab-posts-video-believed-include-three-minneapolis?source=rss

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_23829837/al-shabaab-posts-video-believed-include-three-minneapolis?source=rss

Former policeman Haji Mohamed reaps big from exporting bottled water to Somalia

Former policeman Haji Mohamed reaps big from exporting bottled water to Somalia

FBI: Al-Shabaab Released Video To Recruit Minn. Men For Jihad « CBS Minnesota

FBI: Al-Shabaab Released Video To Recruit Minn. Men For Jihad « CBS Minnesota

Al Shabaab claim attack on Turkish mission in Somalia, three dead

(Reuters) - A car loaded with explosives rammed into an office housing Turkish embassy staff in the Somali capital, killing three people, witnesses and officials said on Saturday, the latest in a series of blasts claimed by Islamist al Shabaab rebels.

 

Al Shabaab was pushed out of bases in Mogadishu by Somali and African forces about two years ago, raising hopes of a return to relative security in a city hit by years of war.

But the militants have kept up guerrilla-style attacks and continue to control large rural areas, challenging the authority of a government less than a year old.

 

 

The group has carried out several brazen attacks in the last two months, including one on an African peacekeeping convoy that killed 8 and another on the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu that killed 22 people.

"A suicide car bomb targeted a building housing Turkish embassy workers near K4 (Kilometre Four)," police officer Ahmed Mohamud told Reuters from the scene of the blast.

Three people were killed and nine others were wounded, he said.

"The car was taking advantage of a Turkish car that was going into the building, thus the car bomb exploded and destroyed the gate," he said.

A Turkish government official told Reuters that one Turkish security officer was killed when the mission's guards clashed with the attackers as they attempted to enter the complex.

Three Turkish officers were being treated for their wounds, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Al Shabaab, who said earlier this month they would increase attacks during the Ramadan fasting period, claimed responsibility for the bombing on their Twitter feed.

"Mujahideen forces in Mogadishu have just carried out an operation targeting a group of Turkish diplomats in Hodan district," al Shabaab said.

"All the Mujahideen who carried out the operation have returned safely back to their bases inside Mogadishu, preparing for the next operation."

Somalia is attempting to rebuild itself after two decades of civil war and lawlessness, triggered by the overthrow of president Siad Barre in 1991.

The fragile government is being backed by international aid aimed at preventing it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda-style militants in east Africa.

Turkey has led efforts to help Somalia, pouring some $400 million of aid into the country since 2011, most of it from private companies.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011, said the attack was carried out by "supposed Muslims".

"They are doing this against our government. Why? Because we are helping our brothers in Mogadishu," Erdogan said in a speech that was broadcast live.

Turkey has also sought a greater diplomatic role in the region, including brokering dialogue this year between Somalia and Somaliland.