East African bloc warns of extremism, political instability in Horn of Africa

Source: Xinhuanet, Monday October 9, 2023

The rise in extremist groups and political instability in some of the Horn of Africa countries could undermine the efforts in addressing insecurity, piracy and drug trafficking, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, said Sunday.

Mohammed Ali Guyo, the IGAD special envoy for the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Somalia, said that the situation had been exacerbated by the recent drought, which displaced thousands.

“We have seen a rise in terrorism, piracy, armed robbery and sea kidnappings in the region, and the lack of security cooperation among member States has worsened the situation,” Guyo told journalists in the Kenyan lakeside town of Naivasha.

He made these remarks after a task force appointed by IGAD to identify challenges and opportunities in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea presented its report to the eight member states. Guyo also highlighted that illicit routes were being used for trafficking drugs, weapons, human beings and contraband.

He called for concerted efforts among all member states, as climate change disrupted livelihoods and led to a rise in insecurity as affected communities struggled for food, water and pastures.

Moi Lemoshira, the director-general of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, noted that insecurity in the region had negatively impacted development, and the rise in terrorism and extremist groups affected all member states, hence the need for joint collaboration.

“The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea have enormous potential, but insecurity, political transitions, and instability in some member countries have hindered efforts to reap the benefits of the region,” he said.

The Kenyan official commended the task force launched to examine the opportunities and challenges of the IGAD region, adding that their report would assist in developing a roadmap.

“The full effects of climate change have been felt in the last two years, and this, coupled with instability in some countries, has created a window for insecurity and terrorism,” Lemoshira said.

Somali President visits training camps of Somali cadets in Eritrea

Source: Hiiraan Online, Tuesday October 10, 2023

Mogadishu (HOL) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accompanied by his Eritrean counterpart Isaias Afwerki, visited the training camps of Somali Navy and Air Force cadets in Eritrea on Monday.

President Mohamud held discussions with army officers and expressed his appreciation for the security partnership between Somalia and Eritrea and their continued support in the ongoing battle against international terrorism.

However, the two Presidents did not provide specific details regarding the return of the cadets to their country to participate in military operations. According to the military source, Eritrea-trained Somali troops are playing a crucial role in ongoing military operations in central regions of Somalia.

Last week, the Ministry of Information reported that military offensives in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states in central Somalia over the past two months killed 1,650 al-Shabab militants and injured more than 550 others.

In 2019, the first group of these troops, totalling 5,000, was discreetly sent to Eritrea for training. Many Somalis expressed concerns about this training, fearing that some soldiers would be used in Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict. Pressure from the soldiers’ parents led to calls for their return.

HOL could not find evidence that Somali soldiers were ever deployed to Tigray.

Is Somalia ready to shoulder security burden after African Union exit?

Source: AA, Mohammed Dhaysane
Wednesday October 11, 2023

Since earlier this year, the African Union (AU) has been in the process of drawing down its 22,000-strong peacekeeping force in Somalia, even as the country faces the continued threat of the al-Shabaab terror group.

As of September, the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) had withdrawn a total of 2,000 troops — less than the planned 5,000 — but this was enough to spark panic among the country’s security leadership, which, in the face of military setbacks and a hasty retreat from newly liberated areas, requested a “tactical” three-month delay to the drawdown.

Officials have expressed concern that al-Shabaab could overrun the country unless the UN Security Council extends the AU mandate past its December 2024 expiration date or a decades-long arms embargo is lifted.

One region under particular risk is Gedo, near the country’s southern tip.

According to Ali Yussuf Abdullahi, the regional administration’s spokesman, it will face dramatic security challenges if the Ethiopian forces hosted there are pulled out.

Little resources and manpower are left for outlying regions like Gedo to organize locals and mobilize regular forces, as most have been moved to the Horn of Africa nation’s heartlands.

“If AU forces withdraw today, we will not be able to hold more than two weeks due to lack of resources and a capable force in the region,” Abdullahi told Anadolu over the phone.

Unlike in central areas, where the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents faced uprisings as it besieged towns and burned food supplies, they opted in Gedo for political pragmatism.

“What we are dealing with here feels like another al-Shabaab,” said Abdullahi.

But this has not eased concerns.

Mohamed Abdi Tool, governor of neighboring Bakool, told Anadolu that Somalia lacks enough troops to fend off the threat on its own, just like in 2007 when AU troops got their mandate in the first place.

Experts think now would be an especially challenging time for Somalia to take over from the peacekeepers, given the wide range of jobs they currently shoulder.

“They (Somalia) are building their army, they’re fighting al-Shabaab, they’re holding areas, they’re also looking to expand the areas of which they do all of these activities,” said Omar Mahmood, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Eastern Africa.

Now, he told Anadolu, Mogadishu is trying to buy time by asking to delay the drawdown by three months.

“If Somalia needs that time to sort out this aspect, that might be enough. But it’s not necessarily to say that everything will be fine after that, there will still be challenges,” he cautioned.

This will also mark the legacy of the peacekeeping force, he said, stressing that while the AU mission had achieved a lot in Somalia over the past 16 years, the current dynamics will paint the way it is remembered.

Complex endeavor

Since 2007, Somalia has made considerable progress strengthening its security forces to eventually replace the AU mission.

But the task is complex and ongoing, according to Mohamed Husein Gaas, director of the Raad Peace Research Institute in Mogadishu.

“Large-scale international support is crucial, including capacity building, training, and equipping. Removing the arms embargo on Somalia would also facilitate this process,” Gaas told Anadolu.

Besides growing the Somali forces’ size and capabilities, a full takeover from the AU mission will require continued support for the national army, meticulous planning to ensure smooth transfer of responsibilities, and, until then, a reinvigoration of the peacekeeping force, he said.

While the AU force initially made significant strides in combating al-Shabaab, including by pushing them out of major urban areas, recent years have seen limited offensive actions, he noted.

Another crucial point, according to Gaas, will be maintaining “a balanced approach, where Somalia takes ownership of its security while benefiting from international assistance and capacity-building efforts directly.”

To effectively combat the terror threat and achieve lasting peace and security, a “renewed, proactive approach is essential,” he said.

Epic failure

A withdrawal now would mean an “epic failure” for AU peacekeeping efforts in Africa, neglecting the sacrifices thousands of soldiers, according to Abdirisak Aden, executive director of Farsight Africa Research and Policy Studies.

Speaking to Anadolu, Aden said that while the mission and the African peace and security leadership had already decided to halt the withdrawal, it would ultimately be up to the AU and other countries to provide Somalia the needed financial support.

“Somalia needs a fraction of US and EU funding to Ukraine to defeat al-Shabaab,” he said, underlining that the UN Security Council needed to understand that Somalia is fighting a global terror organization on the world’s behalf.

Aden argued that to sustain the winning tide of the war against al-Shabaab, the arms embargo on Somalia must be gradually lifted to allow the federal government “the necessary military capabilities” to defeat al-Shabaab.

Complete defeat of al-Shabaab

For Gaas, complete defeat of al-Shabaab during the current term of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is ambitious but achievable.

The country is at the cusp of a critical opportunity toward fully eliminating the group, he said, pointing to recent “unprecedented” territorial gains against it.

Final victory, Gaas added, would demand a “comprehensive, well-coordinated, long-term approach, encompassing stabilization, service delivery, rebuilding, and reconciliation.”

WHO vows to help Somalia enhance quality mental health services

Source :XXinuaet, Wednesday October 11, 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday vowed to scale up efforts to help Somalia offer quality mental health care and services across the country.

In a statement marking World Mental Health Day, which fell on Tuesday, the WHO noted it would step up the training of health professionals to help integrate mental health into primary health care in the country.

advertisementsUrgent action is taken so that everyone can exercise their human rights and access the quality mental health care they need, said the WHO, stressing that support to health institutions in Somalia will ensure that mental health is valued, promoted, and protected.

“This includes efforts to strengthen an integrated, multisectoral response through evidence-based and achievable plans that promote the identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental and neurological disorders, with respect for human rights and social protection,” it said.

The WHO said Somalia has particularly been affected by mental health challenges owing to decades of protracted conflict, which has severely disrupted social cohesion, broken down social norms, and led to nearly one in every three Somalis suffering from some form of mental health condition.

In June and July, the WHO supported the Somali Ministry of Health in training 50 health professionals in the regional hospitals of Hudur, South West State, and Dhusamareb, Galmudug State.

Sudanese Diaspora Raises Money for Humanitarian Aid

 Source: The Washington Post published on 29 September 2023 an article titled “Sudan’s Diaspora Sends Home Aid As World’s Attention Drifts” by Miriam Berger.  

About 70,000 Sudanese live in the United States, some of the largest communities are in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The article describes some of the efforts by the Sudanese diaspora, especially in the Washington area, to raise funds for their countrymen to deal with the ongoing challenges of war. 

Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan Worsens

 Source: Foreign Policy published on 29 September 2023 an article titled “U.S. Fears Sudan’s War Will Worsen Humanitarian Crisis” by Jack Detsch.

At least 5.4 million people have been displaced internally or as refugees across Sudan’s borders as a result of continued fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.  This situation is worsening a humanitarian crisis that is already a catastrophe. 

The Role of Sudanese Political and Civil Society Leaders in the Conflict

 Source: Aljazeera published on 29 September 2023 an article titled “Analysis: Can Sudan’s Civilian Leaders Save Their Country from Collapse?” by Elfadil Ibrahim.

Following the outbreak of conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), civilian groups have taken sides.  The Democratic Bloc, an offshoot of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), has sided with the SAF.  The FFC-Central Council appears to have aligned with the RSF, although its leaders insist it is neutral.  These and other divisions among Sudanese civilian leaders raise questions about their ability to assume leadership positions should they be given the opportunity.  

Suicide attack on tea shop in Somalia capital kills at least seven

Source: Aljazeera, Saturday September 30, 2023

The scene of an explosion claimed by al-Shabab, at a shop selling tea near a security checkpoint on a road leading to the parliament and the president’s office in Mogadishu, Somalia, September 29, 2023 [Feisal Omar/Reuters]

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a shop selling tea in Somalia’s capital, killing at least seven people, police and witnesses have said.

The explosion on Friday occurred inside a tea shop in Bar Bulsho Mogadishu near the presidential palace in central Somalia, said police spokesman Sadik Dudishe.

“All the casualties were people spending time to drink tea,” Dudishe said.

The cafe is frequented by members of the Somali security forces, as well as civilians.

Al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on its Arabic media unit Shahada News Agency, the SITE Intelligence Group reported on Friday.

It put the number of dead at 11 and wounded at 18; its numbers on casualties in attacks often differ from government figures.

Adan Qorey, a resident of the Bar Bulsho area, said the tea shop was often crowded in the afternoon and evening with patrons drinking tea and chewing khat, a mildly narcotic native shrub also known as miraa.

The Friday afternoon blast occurred at a checkpoint on a road leading to the parliament and the president’s office and the shop is frequented by soldiers, witnesses said.

Friday’s attack came barely a day after five civilians were killed and 13 others wounded in a car bombing near a market in central Somalia.

A truck bombing on Saturday in the central town of Beledweyne killed 21 people, razing buildings and injuring dozens.

In June, al-Shabab, which aims to topple the central government, killed 54 Ugandan soldiers at their base southwest of Mogadishu.

The spate of attacks came as Somalia’s beleaguered government has admitted that it has suffered “several significant setbacks” in its fight against al-Shabab fighters.

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May last year promising an “all-out war” against the fighter group.

His government launched a major offensive against al-Shabab in August last year, joining forces with local clan militias in an operation backed by African Union (AU) troops and US air raids.

The group had at one time controlled the capital, until 2011, when it was pushed out by the African Union troops, but it still holds territory in the countryside.

US pleads urgent action in phone call to Ethiopia

Source: BBC, Kalkidan Yibeltal
Saturday September 30, 2023

The two nations also discussed restarting food aid

The United States says it is concerned about conflicts in Ethiopia’s Amhara and Oromia regions, and has appealed for political dialogue to end them.

In a call with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for human rights to be protected.

According to an independent monitoring group called the Ethiopia Peace Observatory, there have been at least 26 separate clashes in the Amhara region between members of a paramilitary force and government troops in the last fortnight.

An operation to disband the regional force has been strongly opposed, leading to widespread violence.

In Oromia there have been further outbreaks of violence between the military and the rebel Oromo Liberation Army.

In his call with Ethiopia’s prime minister, Mr Blinken also discussed the possibility of resuming food aid to Ethiopia. The US and the UN suspended it five months ago amid accusations of theft.

There have been reports of hundreds of people dying due to starvation in the northern Tigray region.

An ongoing internet shutdown in Ethiopia’s conflict areas has made it difficult to get real-time information.

Somaliland’s Central Bank denies devaluing Somaliland Shilling

Source: Hiiraan Online, Tuesday September 26, 2023

Hargeisa (HOL) – The founder and chairman of World Remit, Ismail Ahmed, has accused the Central Bank of Somaliland of printing new Somaliland shillings and releasing electronic money into the market, which has caused the devaluation of the Somaliland shilling.

In a Facebook post on September 23, the chairman of the International Money Transfer urged the Somaliland government to address the extreme devaluation of the Shilling to avoid economic collapse. He emphasized that the amount of shilling circulating in the market is more than it can bear, causing its price to fall.

“The Central Bank stopped measures to strengthen the Shilling and put dollars in the market. Instead, the Central Bank has introduced digital currency to the market, which exceeds the amount of printed notes. Additionally, the Central Bank has been preoccupied with printing other money, which has eroded confidence in the Shilling,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed underscored that the combination of these challenging circumstances has led to a problematic situation in the exchange market. The devaluation of the Shilling will particularly impact government employees, impoverished people, and rural populations whose income is in Somaliland shillings.

However, the Central Bank of Somaliland rebutted Ahmed’s accusations on Monday and vowed to take legal action against him for baseless allegations against the Bank and its leaders, creating chaos in the country’s exchange markets.

The Bank stated that it has not printed any money in the last seven years and has no plans to print new money that would further burden the exchange markets and the country’s economy.

The chairman of World Remit also mentioned a by-law that allows the management of the Central Bank to charge a 2.5% fee when money is printed, which theoretically encourages money printing. However, the Bank clarified that there is no 2.5% interest from money printing, as no money was printed in the last seven years.

The Bank of Somaliland also refuted Ahmed’s claim that the printed Somaliland shillings are equivalent to 30 million dollars, stating, “There is no difference between the money circulating in the market and any other money of any kind.”

“In the last six years, the Central Bank has managed to raise the value of the Shilling by 21% and has also maintained the stability of the exchange rate, which has hovered over 8,600 Somaliland Shillings for the last five years. The Bank of Somaliland has successfully managed exchange rate stability, even in the face of global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the burning of the Wahen market,” the Central Bank declared.

The Central Bank admitted that there had been a 3% increase in the dollar value compared to the Somaliland shilling in recent months.

Ismail Ahmed, the founder and chairman of World Remit, posted an invoice on his social media claiming it was issued by the company for printing money, indicating a total of $1,902,587.10 was sent to the company.

However, HOL did not independently verify the invoice on Ahmed’s Facebook page.

The Bank of Somaliland granted World Remit Somaliland Company a license in 2018, but the company voluntarily revoked its license in March 2022. According to the Bank, World Remit does not maintain an office or employ staff in Somaliland.

Boost for terror fight as US, Kenya sign pact

Source: Nation, Tuesday September 26, 2023

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III (L) and Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at Ministry of Defence situated at Defence Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya as they sign Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries on September 25, 2023. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NMG

Kenya’s fight against the terrorist group Al Shabaab received a major boost on Monday with the signing of a cooperation agreement with the United States that will see Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers trained and provided with financial and technical assistance over the next five years.

“The agreement will also see the two countries collaborate on peace and security efforts within the country and in the region, including the planned deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti,” US Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin III said at a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday.

“The US government deeply values our partnership with Kenya in countering Al Shabaab and is grateful to Kenya for its leadership in addressing security challenges in the region and around the world. I also want to thank the minister today for Kenya’s willingness to consider leading a multinational security assistance mission in Haiti,” he said.

Austin, who was welcomed in the country by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla, announced that the US is prepared to provide up to Ksh14.8 billion ($100.3 million) in addition to technical assistance to the mission in Haiti once it is approved by the UN Security Council.

Following parliamentary approval, Kenyan police officers from specialised units of the Administrative Police will leave for the Caribbean country in the next few months to tackle armed gangs that control areas in the capital and provincial towns.

Duale noted that the Al Shabaab is currently the largest terrorist group in East Africa.

“They are recruiting and radicalising young people for their own terrorist operations and within this framework we are working on the whole area of counterterrorism, our maritime security, peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region and how we can benefit from US defence technology and innovation,” he said.

He also noted that the cooperation will see Kenya’s contribution to peacekeeping missions globally supported by the US, aside from receiving training, technology and innovation to enhance KDF’s capabilities.

“The framework places special emphasis on interoperability between our two militaries in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Our ability to work together seamlessly is paramount and this cooperation will enable us to respond effectively to the ever-evolving security challenges in our region and beyond,” Duale said.

“Together, we are charting a course for a more secure and prosperous future for our nations and the world,” he added.

This is Austin’s first trip to Africa since taking up his post in January 2021. Before coming to Kenya, he visited Djibouti. He is expected to meet with President William Ruto before visiting the US Manda Bay camp in Lamu before departing for Angola.

Austin noted that Somalia has made remarkable progress in the past year in the fight against Al Shabaab by recapturing more territory from the group.

“But we know that progress is not always a straight line, and we can see significant improvement one day and challenges the next. Our approach across the continent has always been a combination of defence capabilities, development and diplomacy, and I think that is the right combination to ensure that you make a lasting impact,” he said.

While in Djibouti, Austin met with Somali President Hassan Mohamud who explained why he had called for a 90-day halt to the second phase of the drawdown of the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (Atmis) troops.

News|Humanitarian Crises

Sudan army chief: ‘Revolution can be restored’

Sudan Armed Forces leader tells Al Jazeera truce talks with Rapid Support Forces chief are impossible and wants the group named a ‘terrorist’ organisation.

Video Duration 01 minutes 25 seconds01:25

Source: By Mike Hanna

Published On 23 Sep 202323 Sep 2023

As Sudan’s deadly conflict nears six months, the country’s de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has admitted the fighting could lead to a wider humanitarian disaster in the region.

The war between his army and its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out in mid-April over plans to integrate the paramilitary group, four years after former longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir was deposed in a popular uprising.

Ceasefire talks to end the conflict have failed to hold, with both sides accusing the other of violations. But al-Burhan said the United States and Saudi Arabia-brokered negotiations in Jeddah could still succeed.

Speaking to Al Jazeera in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the military leader voiced his desire for a peaceful resolution to end fighting that has killed thousands and displaced millions of civilians.

Al Jazeera: During your speech to the UN General Assembly, you called on a number of occasions for the Rapid Support Forces to be declared a terrorist entity. How important is this to resolve the situation in your country?

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan: Of course, what the Rapid Support Forces has done to the Sudanese people again and again qualifies them as terrorists and they should be punished. What those gangs committed is, in fact, a crime against humanity. And I believe that classifying them as a terrorist organisation will limit their power and will limit sympathy for them.

Al Jazeera: You’ve also warned this fighting could spread over borders and it is not just a localised war. The danger of this is a massive humanitarian disaster throughout the whole region, not just in Sudan. Is it not?

Al-Burhan: This conflict will spill into [neighbouring] countries and will not be confined to Sudan. The majority of [RSF] fighters come from neighbouring countries. Yes, most certainly. This may spill into other countries and may threaten security and safety in the region and in the world.

Al Jazeera: RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo put out a message saying he is ready for a ceasefire and he wants to negotiate. Do you believe negotiation is still possible?

Al-Burhan: It’s not possible, to be honest. He’s the one who has continued to fight in el-Geneina, other cities, and near the headquarters of our military. That is why in Jeddah when we reached some understanding, he did not commit himself to those understandings.

Somaliland rejects talk of unification with Somalia after Museveni comment

Source: Aljazeera, Monday September 25, 2023

The breakaway region of Somaliland said it has no plans to discuss unity with Somalia, appearing to contradict Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who said he would act as a “unification mediator” between the two governments.

Somaliland’s government declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained widespread international recognition for independence.

“Any dialogue that transpires between Somaliland and Somalia will not discuss unification, but rather how the two previously united countries can move forward separately,” Somaliland’s government said in a statement late on Sunday.

Somaliland, which has remained largely peaceful for over three decades while its neighbour has been convulsed by civil war, said it “has no plans for dialogue to discuss unity with Somalia.”

Some clan elders in disputed areas along Somaliland’s border with Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state say they want to be part of Puntland rather than Somaliland.

Heavy fighting broke out between Somaliland forces and militiamen in and around the town of Las Anod in one such area in February. More than 200,000 have been displaced since the conflict began and according to data Al Jazeera received from hospitals in Las Anod in May, around 300 people had died and 1,913 were injured.

Since its secession, the de facto independent country cultivated an image as an “oasis of stability” in the Horn of Africa, conducting disarmaments and democratic elections despite lacking international recognition. However analysts say the conflict has negatively affected that image.

Museveni’s statement came a day after meeting Jama Musse Jama, a special envoy for Somaliland, in which he said “Somalia and Somaliland should do away with politics of identity if they want prosperity for their country”.

In response to Somaliland’s statement, Museveni’s deputy press secretary said Uganda’s state house had no comment.

Somalia’s information and interior ministers have not commented on the situation, though Somalia’s position has consistently been that it considers Somaliland part of Somalia and wants unification.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Austin praises ‘Impressive Progress’ in Somali fight against al-Shabab

Source: VOA, Monday September 25, 2023

DJIBOUTI — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says Somali forces have made “impressive progress” in the fight against al-Shabab but cautioned that the terror group still can “export terror from ungoverned spaces.”

“I think they (Somali forces) made more progress in the last year than was made in the previous five years,” Austin told reporters in Djibouti.

Austin met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Djibouti Sunday as part of his first visit to the African continent as defense secretary. Earlier, Austin met with the Djiboutian president and defense minister, thanking them for hosting the United States’ primary base in Africa and for supporting Somalia in its fight against extremist groups.

Somalia’s army and allied clan militias have continued to drive al-Shabab fighters out of central Somalia as part of the country’s military offensive since the president declared “total war” against the militants in August 2022.

But terrorists continue to strike at Somali forces, with a truck bombing near a security checkpoint in the central Somali town of Beledweyne killing 21 people and wounding 52 others Saturday. Security forces had been tipped off about the truck and were inspecting it when it detonated, Beledweyne District Omar Osman Alasow told VOA.

The meeting between Austin and Mohamud comes two days after a small arms fire attack on a military barracks in Kulbiyow, Somalia, left one U.S. contractor and a partner force member injured, a senior defense official told VOA.

A pro-al-Shabab outlet claimed the attack injured four U.S. forces and nine members of Kenya’s forces. The senior defense official told VOA that was “overblown,” adding that no U.S. service member was injured, and the contractor’s injuries did not require medivac.

Recent violence has led Somali officials to seek a 90-day delay in the scheduled drawdown of African Union peacekeepers to account for what the Somali government calls “several significant setbacks.”

“He (President Mohamud) wants to do everything that he can to maintain momentum,” Austin said in response to VOA, without commenting further on the Somali request to the African Union.

Three thousand African Union forces are expected to withdraw from Somalia by the end of this month, with all African Union forces set to withdraw by the end of next year.

Pulling support for Somalia too early, or not devoting enough resources to countering Islamic extremists in Africa, could allow terror groups to overrun the country much like the Taliban did while the U.S. was withdrawing its military forces there, says Bill Roggio, a former soldier and editor of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, which publishes reporting and analysis of global counterterrorism efforts.

“We’re operating on the margins against these jihadist groups, barely keeping them contained,” Roggio told VOA. “

Wagner Group in Africa

Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials say the U.S. has not seen a withdrawal of a substantial number of Wagner Group forces following the death of its leader last month.

“Wagner still has a substantial presence on the continent,” Austin told reporters Sunday in Djibouti.

More than one month since Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, the U.S. has not yet seen a “decisive shift” in Wagner’s relationship with the Kremlin or signs that Moscow has absorbed the group’s operations across Africa, a senior defense official said.

“I think what you’ll see in the future here is probably some competition within the ranks to (see) who’s going to be the next leader,” Austin told reporters Sunday. “I think you’ll also see potentially the Russian government moving to either replace Wagner with some other kind of element or using Russian forces to support efforts on the continent.”

Wagner forces will likely be able to sustain its presence in Africa in the near term, Austin added, but will struggle to do so in the mid- to long term without support from the Russian government.

One senior official told reporters that some governments have expressed regrets to U.S. officials after allowing Wagner to operate in their countries.

U.S. officials also said there have been signs of Wagner forces trying to “exploit” the political situation in Niger since military forces seized control and removed the president from power in July, without elaborating.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Sunday that France will pull its ambassador out of the country and end its military presence in Niger by the end of the year. The military junta had repeatedly requested for the French ambassador to leave, saying France did not recognize the junta as the legitimate leaders of Niger.

The announcement is a significant hit to France’s policy in Africa. France had stationed thousands of troops in the Sahel region to fight jihadi groups in response to requests from state leaders, but French troops pulled out of neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in recent years following coups there.

U.S. force posture in Niger has remained steady at about 1,000 forces since the junta took power in July, but the U.S. has moved some of its forces within Niger from a base in Niamey to a base in Agadez, about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the capital.

Austin said the U.S. has not resumed counterterror operations with Niger’s military forces but has conducted intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions to protect its forces from potential threats.

VOA’s Harun Maruf and Mohamed Olad Hassan contributed to this repor

Somalia seeks delay of AU peacekeepers’ drawdown

Source: VOA, Mohamed Olad Hassan
Saturday September 23, 2023

Somalia is facing a dilemma over plans to continue a drawdown of peacekeepers from the country by a deadline of the end of 2024 because it’s not known whether the country’s poorly equipped security forces can put down al-Shabab militants’ security threat to the government by that time.

Hussein Sheikh Ali, national security adviser for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, wrote to the United Nations requesting a 90-day delay in the second phase of the departure of African Union Transition troops in Somalia.

Somalia “formally requests a technical pause in the drawdown of the 3,000 African Union Transition in Somalia uniformed personnel by three months,” the letter read.

According to the letter, if continued under the current plan, the pullout would mean the departure of 3,000 troops by the end of September.

A diplomatic source in the government who requested anonymity because of a lack of authority to comment on the issue confirmed to VOA the authenticity of the letter. The source said the government wants to buy time for its effort to have an arms embargo lifted — a campaign supported by Ethiopia and Uganda, two regional powers.

“Somalia believes its campaign for lifting the U.N. arms embargo depends on proving that it can take the responsibility for its security without the dependence of AU peacekeepers, so it can better fight al-Shabab terrorists. At the same time, it does not want ATMIS [the African Transition Mission in Somalia] with its stronger military hardware to leave the country in the middle of unpredictable war with al-Shabab,” the diplomat said. “It is buying a time.”

Appeal to General Assembly

In an exclusive interview with VOA, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said he would appeal to the U.N. General Assembly this weekend about removing an international arms embargo, so Somalia could be capable of eliminating al-Shabab, a U.N.- and U.S.-designated terrorist organization that has fought the Somali government for 16 years.

A U.N. resolution calls for the ATMIS force to be reduced to zero by the end of next year, surrendering security responsibility fully to the Somalia’s national army and police forces.

The Somali government had repeatedly said it would be ready to take over security responsibilities from ATMIS when those troops withdrew from the country, in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2687.

Mohamud, who is in central Somalia to command the government fight against al-Shabab, said on August 18 that he believed the government would “eliminate” the jihadists by the end of the year.

According to the government letter to the United Nations, during the ongoing military offensive against the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab militant group in central Somalia, the government had “managed to re-liberate towns, villages and critical supply routes.”

The government military gains, however, did not prevent the militant group from waging deadly counterattacks on government bases.

The government letter said the military operation had suffered.

“Several significant setbacks” have occurred since late August, the letter said, following a deadly dawn attack by the militants on a newly captured base in the village of Cowsweyne, Galguduud region, in central Somalia.

As a result of the attack, the Somali military suffered heavy losses, forcing other military units to retreat from towns and villages captured in recent months in the same region.

“This unforeseen turn of events has stretched our military forces thin, exposed vulnerabilities in our front lines, and necessitated a thorough reorganization to ensure we maintain our momentum in countering the al-Shabab threat,” the letter said.

“We hold firm in our belief that this technical pause will, in the long run, contribute to the enduring peace, stability and prosperity of Somalia,” it said, adding that the government remained fully committed to the complete ATMIS drawdown by the end-of-2024 deadline.

Security experts in Somalia said al-Shabab militants have been withdrawing from towns and villages and retreating into the bush with the intention of prosecuting a prolonged guerrilla war.

The government request to the United Nations came days after ATMIS announced it had kicked off the second phase of the drawdown, with the projected departure of 3,000 troops by the end of September.

Since the beginning of the ATMIS drawdown, 2,000 AU troops had left by the end of June, and six bases have been handed over to Somali forces.

Before the troop reductions began, ATMIS was made up of about 20,000 uniformed personnel drawn from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse.

Ruto holds talks with US Secretary of State Blinken over Sudan, Haiti

Source: TheEastAfrican, By LUKE ANAMI
Saturday September 23, 2023

Kenyan President William Ruto (L) meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) in New York City, US, on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2023. PHOTO | JASON DECROW | POOL via AFP

Kenya’s President William Ruto met with US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on the sidelines of the ongoing 78th session of the United Nations Assembly where they discussed peace in Sudan, Haiti and the East African region.

The Secretary reaffirmed US’ shared democratic values and welcomed the deepening economic partnership between the United States and Kenya

Blinken expressed appreciation for Kenya’s long standing strategic partnership with the United States and its significant contributions to global peace and stability.

“Thank you for taking the time.  You have been and are such a strong partner for the United States on so many issues – regional security, global security, including in our own hemisphere with Haiti – and of course we deeply value the strong steps that you have taken to strengthen Kenya’s democracy, to work also on further strengthening the economy.  We look forward to talking about that as well,” said Blinken.

Blinken thanked Kenya for considering leadership of a multinational security support mission to Haiti, addressing the crisis in Sudan, promoting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and countering extremism in Somalia.

“Mr President, everything you’re doing – your leadership on climate has been extraordinary and I think it sets a very powerful example, and we continue to be very happy that we’re strong partners on that,” said Blinken.

Ruto in turn thanked Blinken and the US support over Haiti.

“We are here to have a conversation on the how, the nitty-gritty so that we can be able to make a useful contribution and consolidate all the efforts to make sure that we get success,” said Ruto.

“The same way in which the world has mobilized on behalf of Ukraine and countries facing the shocks of climate change, they must do so on behalf of Haiti, in order to help the country restore peace and security.”

On Thursday, following meetings with Henry, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Blinken on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Ruto made his commitment clear on the Haiti matter.

On Wednesday, Haiti’s Foreign Affairs ministry announced that the Caribbean nation had established diplomatic ties with Kenya, an important step for the mission to become a reality.

“Across Africa, there is progress in efforts to resolve conflicts, and restore peace and stability while, at the same time, we are witnessing setbacks to democratic consolidation in the form of unconstitutional changes to government,” said Ruto.

On Sudan, Ruto said the discussions had made encouraging progress.

“For example, On 5th December 2022, the Juba Peace Agreement ushering in a two-year transition was signed by the parties to the conflict in Sudan.”

Ruto also briefed Blinken on Kenya’s role in enhancing peace within the East African region, Somalia, Eastern DRC among other peace initiatives

War in Sudan: ‘Brutal fight’ must end as civilian suffering intensifies

Source: UN, 20 September 2023

Peace and Security

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Civilians continuing paying a heavy price as the “senseless violence” between rival militaries continues in Sudan, the UN’s political affairs chief said on Wednesday.

Eight dead as Kenyan military helicopter crashes near Somalia border

Source: Kenyan security agents told the press anonymously that all military personnel and crew on board the helicopter died.

Published On 19 Sep 202319 Sep 2023

A military helicopter crash in Kenya near the border with Somalia has killed at least eight people, officials said Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash in the county of Lamu in coastal Kenya. Kenyan defense forces operate in the area to help deter the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group, based across the border in Somalia.

The Department of Defense (DoD) said the Air Force helicopter crashed while on night patrol.

“A Board of Inquiry has been constituted and dispatched to the scene to establish the cause of the crash,” the statement added.

Security agents speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to reporters told The Associated Press that all military personnel and crew on board the helicopter died.

But the DoD which said it “condole(s) with the families of the crew” did not mention how many people were killed.

Kenyan troops are also in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia to help in fighting al-Shabab. The Kenyan forces deployed to Somalia in 2011, but there are now plans to withdraw the multinational forces as Somali troops take over responsibility for their country’s security.

Al-Shabab has increased attacks in Kenya in recent months, killing dozens of people in the border region as the rebels feel pressure from a Somali military offensive launched last year after the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as president in May.

Italy passes tougher measures to deter migrant arrivals

Source: Reuters, Tuesday September 19, 2023

Migrants rescued at sea wait, after disembarking from a vessel, on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italy, September 18, 2023. (Reuters)

ROME: The Italian government, struggling with a surge in arriving migrants, on Monday passed measures to lengthen the time they can be detained and ensure more people who have no legal right to stay are repatriated, government officials said.

The move came after almost 10,000 migrants reached the southern Italian island of Lampedusa last week, dealing a blow to the credibility of right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who won office last year vowing to curb illegal immigration.

Meloni said at the start of a cabinet meeting on the situation that migrants awaiting repatriation should be detained for an initial six months, extendable to up to 18, up from three months now.

“That will be all the time needed not only to make the necessary assessments, but also to proceed with the repatriation of those who do not qualify for international protection,” Meloni said in her introductory speech.

Government sources said the cabinet approved that measure shortly afterwards, as well as the creation of more detention centers in remote areas. Meloni said Italy needed to increase the capacity of such facilities as they had been weakened by “years of immigrationist policies.”

Under Italian law, migrants facing repatriation can be held if they cannot be immediately expelled. Officials say a majority of migrants head to Italy for economic reasons and are therefore not eligible for asylum.

Past efforts to hold migrants have largely failed, with those detained repeatedly breaking out of centers and often heading straight to wealthier northern European countries.

MEASURES CONDEMNED

Meloni visited Lampedusa on Sunday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who promised a 10-point EU action plan, but the measures resembled previous initiatives that have failed to make much impact.

An agreement struck in July between the EU and Tunisia, from where many of the migrants set sail, has yet to take effect.

Almost 130,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, according to government data, nearly double the figure for the same period of 2022. The migrants have come from countries including Guinea, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The government’s latest move to stem the migrant flow was condemned by the opposition and rights groups.

The Italian Coalition for Civil Rights and Liberties (CILD) described the detention centers as “black holes” where serious violations of fundamental rights take place, adding that they are expensive and inefficient.

In April, the Italian parliament approved measures to create new migrant centers for people waiting to hear the outcome of asylum applications, as well as more detention facilities for those facing expulsion.

As part of the package, it set aside around 20 million euros ($21.3 million) to fund it over a two-year period. ($1 = 0.9379 euros)

EU suspends funding to World Food Program in Somalia over aid theft

Source: AA, Wednesday September 20, 2023

The European Union (EU) has suspended funding for the World Food Program (WFP) in Somalia after a UN investigation that discovered “widespread theft” and misuse of aid meant to avert famine in the country.

“In Somalia, WFP has been forced to end life-saving aid for 2.6 million people. This is what a funding crisis means: no $$, no food,” WFP chief Cindy McCain said in a brief statement posted on X, previously known as Twitter, on Tuesday.

The WFP or the EU mission in Somalia has yet to issue an official statement regarding the aid suspension.

According to the UN data, the EU has provided more than $7 million in humanitarian aid to the Horn of Africa region.

Acknowledging the possibility of the aid diversion, the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) on Tuesday issued a statement, reiterating its commitment to investigate the findings of a recent internal UN report.

The UN and the Somali government have formed a joint task force to devise a collective strategy to reduce aid diversion and, ultimately, deepen the impact and efficacy of humanitarian assistance.

“The preliminary findings of the UN report highlight weaknesses within the current system of humanitarian distribution; therefore, we should strive for a new approach that ensures transparency, reduces multiple layers of subcontracting, and builds local and government ownership in the process, “said Commissioner SoDMA Mahamud Moalim.

Famine was averted in Somalia due to the collective efforts of the Somali government, international partners, and Somali communities at home and abroad, he said, adding that Mogadishu had not received specific data on the locations, amounts, and agencies involved in the alleged aid diversion when the UN provided a summary of the key findings and recommendations in July of this year.

This comes just hours after the WFP’s Somalia office announced that the country has pulled back from the brink of starvation, showing the impact of humanitarian assistance and rains. “But 4.3 million people, 1/4 of the population, are still trapped in protracted crisis-level hunger or worse – putting lives at risk. More support is urgently needed.”

Somalia is one of the worst drought-affected countries in the region, experiencing the worst drought in more than four decades with 8.25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.