Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Somalia: Mogadishu's Ex-Mayor Compound Invaded By Ethiopians


An army of Ethiopian soldiers headed by a Tigrey sergeant stormed the house of the ex Mayer of Mogadishu, Mohammed Dheere, earlier today.  The soldiers were heavily equiped with tanks and automatic machine guns.

Imedietely after invading Mr. Dheere's home, the Ethiopians set up a barracade along the corners of his compound then spread themselves near the surrounding area.  

There are no reports on the whereabouts of Mr. Dheere but some suspect he may have been taken into custody by the Ethiopian soldiers.

Mohammed Dheere served as the Mayor of Mogadishu under the Somali TFG and was a key ally to the now ex-Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf.  Mr. Dheere was fired as the Mogadishu Mayer by the current Somali Prime Minister with whom he had unresolvable disagreements.

The sources add that the sergeant heading the Ethiopian troops that took control of Mr. Dheere's compound had prevously been accused, by the Mogadishu's ex-Mayor, of mingling with Mogadishu's tax collection staff, unlawfully arresting and taking into custody one of the staff members.  

As the Ethiopian soldiers are expected to withdraw from Somalia in the next few days, this operation is seen by the Somali public as revenge on Mr. Dheere by the sergeant.\




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Sunday, December 28, 2008

Somali MPs Leave Baidoa on President's Orders

There are confirmed reports that Somali MPs left Baidoa on December 28, 2008 headed back to Galka'yo and Garawe.  The MPs reportedly left on private jet accommodated by Abdullahi Yusuf.

Mr. Yusuf is expected to resign as President in the coming days, and the departure of the members of parliament from Baidoa indicates the weakening state of the TFG Parliament.  

According to eye witnesses at the Badoa airport, some civilian passengers were forcefully taken off the plane that the 14 MPs boarded.  No word on whether the civilian passengers were given back their air ticket fees or not.

In the past few days, Abdullahi Yusuf held meetings in his compound in Baidoa with tens of TFG officials including the departed MPs - all of whom are his clansmen.  

The reports add that the soon-to-resign TFG President is expected to return home to Puntland in the coming weeks leaving all responsibilities of the TFG to the Prime Minister.

Read this Somali News on Somchat - Somali News and Blogs

Re: Somali TFG to face Hardship in 2009.

There are confirmed reports that Somali MPs left Baidoa on December 28, 2008 headed back to Galka'yo and Garawe.  The MPs reportedly left on private jet accommodated by Abdullahi Yusuf.

Mr. Yusuf is expected to resign as President in the coming days, and the departure of the members of parliament from Baidoa indicates the weakening state of the TFG Parliament.  

According to eye witnesses at the Badoa airport, some civilian passengers were forcefully taken off the plane that the 14 MPs boarded.  No word on whether the civilian passengers were given back their air ticket fees or not.

In the past few days, Abdullahi Yusuf held meetings in his compound in Baidoa with tens of TFG officials including the departed MPs - all of whom are his clansmen.  

The reports add that the soon-to-resign TFG President is expected to return home to Puntland in the coming weeks leaving all responsibilities of the TFG to the Prime Minister.

Read this Somali News on Somchat - Somali News and Blogs

Second Yemeni ship Freed by Somali pirates on Saturday

Once again, the Somali Pirates released a Yemeni fishing ship they hijacked earlier this month.  The ship MV Falluja reached port of Aden on Saturday after pirates feed it and it is not clear whether or not a ransom was paid.

On December 10th, the Somali pirates took control of two Yemeni ships - the MV Falluja and MV Qana'a - an took 22 fishermen hostage.  While they released MV Falluja, the pirates still hold the other Yemeni ship - MV Qana'a.

The two ships were hijacked while they sailed off the Mait area near the southern port city of Aden.  Before the Somali pirates took over the vessels, several fishermen crew members escaped on a small boat and returned to Aden where they reported the hijacking to the Yemeni Coast Guard Authority.

Earlier in December 2008, Somali pirates freed a Yemeni cargo ship two weeks after they hijacked it in the Arabian Sea and demanded USD 2m in ransom.  However, that ship was released without ransom after negotiations between the pirates and Somali tribal leaders.

Source: 

Friday, December 26, 2008

Somali TFG to face Hardship in 2009.


Author: Abdifatah Gabeyre
CEO and Editor of Somali Blogs and News, Somchat.com
December 27, 2009

The Somali Transitional Federal Government will see great unfortunate sudden hardship killing any hope of its survival in the coming year where it may seize to exist within a few months into year 2009.  As a result of Ethiopia's departure, change in the U.S. outlook of East Africa's geopolitical war, change in TFG leadership as Abdullahi Yusuf  goes back to Puntland, - a semi-autonomous state known to interfere any Somali political progress, and the popularity of the strengthening Islamic resistance, the TFG is doomed with eventual downfall.

Although it is unlikely, the Somali TFG President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is expected to give his resignation in front of the parliament in the coming days.  This is to take place during his impeachment hearing for impeding the Somali peace process between TFG and its foe, the Islamic resistance fighters, and to answer questions about the political turmoil he single handedly created for his fellow TFG officials when he unilaterally fired the TFG Prime Minister and appointed a new one in just two days.  The parliament already voted for Sheik Adan Mohamed Madoobe as the acting president, in case Yusuf refused to attend an impeachment session.  Sources close to the President were quoted saying that Abdullahi Yusuf will leave office, a claim which the Somali TFG President clearly denied later.  

Read the full article on Somchat, Somali Blogs and News   Click on the link below


Thursday, December 25, 2008

Somali Pirates detained on the act then released by German navy

Several Somali pirates were caught in the act by German navy in Gulf of Aden.  The pirates were later released by the German government's orders.

An Egyptian cargo ship were the target of the pirates as they were surrounded by the German navy.  The pirates shot and injured a member the crew of the Wadi Al-Arab, the Egyptian cargo ship.

A German navy spokesperson based in Djibouti told the BBC's Greg Morsbach the Somali attackers were disarmed by German sailors and their weapons confiscated.

"We had forces on board the frigate, and they used fast small boats, and together with the helicopter we were able to surround the pirates and disarm them," he said

The Karlscruhe sent a helicopter in support of the cargo ship as it was attacked by the pirates.  Later, the injured crew member was taken on board the Karlscruhe ship  for treatment.

Ethiopia Refuses to Stay in Somalia

Ethiopia: Somalia pull-out irreversible 
Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:27:28 GMT 
Ethiopia has refused a plea by the African Union to delay the planned withdrawal of its forces from Somalia until more troops are deployed. 

Ethiopia's decision to withdraw its troops from Somalia was approved by the lower House of People's Representatives and is 'irreversible', said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wahide Belay on Wednesday. 

"The Ethiopian army, that successfully discharged its mission in Somalia, will be withdrawn," he added, stressing his country's sustained support for restoration of peace and stability in Somalia after it pulls its troops out of the Horn of Africa nation by the end of the year. 

The pull-out plan was announced last month amid fears that the war-torn country could dip further into anarchy and bloodshed unless more peacekeepers are deployed. 

"We appeal to Ethiopia to consider phasing out withdrawal, until such time [when] more troops from Nigeria, Uganda and Burundi are deployed in Somalia," the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU said at a meeting in Addis Ababa on Monday. 

It also cited fears over the alarming security situation in Somalia with piracy mounting given the weakening leadership and insurgents ruling nearly all the country except for the capital Mogadishu and Baidoa. 

Some 3,000 Ethiopian troops are currently in Somalia to help 3,400 peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi that make up the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to support the embattled Transitional Federal Government (TFG). 

The Ethiopian withdrawal will further challenge the AU which has failed to send a promised 8,000-srong force to Somalia. 

Clashes between government forces backed by foreign militaries-and rebels have left at least 10,000 civilians killed in the last two years and more than a million displaced. 

MRS/RA
 


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