Federal Government of Somalia signs a $92.6 million Development Objective Assistance Agreement with the US government to promote resilience, stability, economic growth, and governance. pic.twitter.com/gOT8aGoEgL
President @HassanSMohamud admitted for the first time that SNA forces vacated from several areas after the Al-Shabaab attack in Cawsweyne. Mohamud said the attack had an impact on the govt strategy of the operation against Al-Shabaab in central Somalia.https://t.co/X6NJXLxyE3
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud broke the silence and admitted for the first time that the country’s armed forces have withdrawn from newly liberated areas in Galmudug ...a semiautonomous region in central Somalia, bordering Puntland on the north. Galmudug is not trying to obtain international recognition as a separate nation, but rather considers itself autonomous within the larger Somali federalism, for what that's worth... state, after the al-Shabaab ...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda... attack in the Cawsweyne area.
The President, speaking on X, formerly Twitter Space last night, said that the attack had an impact on the government strategy of the operation against al-Shabaab in central Somalia.
Mohamud said that the government has taken steps to boost the morale of the SNA troops with visits by brass hats, ministers, and MPs so that they can return to the vacated bases.
The President said that the troops would be rewarded with ranks for their bravery in facing al-Shabaab on the battlefield. SNA chief Ibrahim Muhudin said each soldier was promoted by one rank. He made the announcement during a visit Daru-Nimca, Middle Shabelel region.
"The war is going on, I will not stop. Our spirit is high. We are 100 percent confident that we will defeat Al-Shabaab. We tried it and we gained a milestone," said the president.
The president of Somalia said that there are only a few people who do not want the government to win the war on al-Shabaab. He said such people are the same as al-Shabaab.
Cawsweyne [Osweine] was captured by government forces last month, followed by Elbur, the historic al-Shabaab stronghold in the Galgadud region, which it ruled for over 16 years.
Photos at the link. Apparently the students are wearing U. of Michigan colours this year.
[Garowe] A number of schools have re-opened in former al-Shabaab ...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord... strongholds, just as Somalia prepares for the second phase of operations against the krazed killers, who still control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, with Jubaland and Southwest being at the center of focus.
In Harardhere District, state media reports, pupils reported to various institutions as a show of resilience and perseverance following years of al-Shabaab dominance. The Somali National Army [SNA] with assistance from international partners, managed to liberate the town from the krazed killers.
For almost two decades, learning activities were immensely disrupted in several parts of Somalia after the hard boyz took over. Throughout this period, the al-Shabaab have been wreaking havoc on innocent civilians, killing thousands in the process.
"After 15 years of Alshabab oppression, Harardhere is seeing a new dawn. The town has resumed public services and education since it was freed by the forces," read a tweet from the state media, accompanied by photos of pupils playing in some schools.
Recently, the government recruited 3,000 more teachers to boost education institutions and reopen schools in areas recovered from al-Shabaab. al-Shabaab has also been trying to influence the curriculum, going so far as to introduce its own curriculum for primary schools and middle schools.
The government has invested in education across the country, trying to push literacy levels as part of state-building. International partners have played a critical role in building a number of schools in liberated areas with the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] also constructing others.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited the Ministry of Defence where he had a meeting with the ministry’s leaders and the chief of the National Army. They talked about the ongoing fight against Lions of Islam and the plan for the SNA to take over security from ATMIS by 2024, state media reports.
The second phase of operations against the group is set to commence in due course, with the Somali National Army expected to lead the command. It is anticipated that by December 2024, most of the al-Shabaab strongholds will have been secured by the army.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu had a telephone conversation, during which an agreement was reached on striving to resolve the situation in Niger through diplomacy. The parties noted the importance of interaction with African partners, according to a statement published on September 1 by Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.
It is noted that Austin and Lecornu discussed security conditions in Niger in light of recent events. They reaffirmed their commitment to continue cooperation, supported by the long-standing relationship between the United States and France in the field of defense and security, the spokesman added.
According to Sky News Arabia, the National Council for the Salvation of the Motherland (NSSR), formed by the rebels in Niger, demanded that France withdraw its troops from the territory of the republic by September 3. The representative of the NSSR recalled the 30 days that were allotted to France for the withdrawal of its armed forces from the territory of Niger. Local authorities are calling for the French military to block access to food, electricity and water at the place of deployment at the Niamey base, this will force them to leave the republic.
On August 30, the Niger Military Council annulled the agreement on the military presence of French troops in the country.
The military coup in Niger took place on July 26. The presidential guard blocked the country's president Mohamed Bazum in the residence. During the coup, the chairman of the NSSR, Abdurahman Tchiani, signed a decree on the formation of a new transitional government in Niger.
#6
Though Washington has so far refused to characterize developments in the Nigerien capital of Niamey as a coup, the South African source confirmed that Nuland sought South Africa’s assistance in responding to regional conflicts, including in Niger, where she emphasized that Washington not only held significant financial investments, but also maintained 1,000 of its own troops. For Nuland, the realization that she was negotiating from a position of weakness was likely a rude awakening.
#7
How do we effectively balance French imperial interests against the vital American interest in Niger that no one can articulate? What if we dump all of the crappy surplus arms that weren’t good enough for European fighting on a random tarmac somewhere close to Niger. That way we don’t have to do any homework and still get to stimulate further cash flow into our Military Industrial Complex. That seems to be the only US interest that drives everything.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/03/2023 13:50 Comments ||
Top||
#8
What if we dump all of the crappy surplus arms that weren’t good enough for European fighting on a random tarmac somewhere close to Niger.
[AFRICANEWS] Niger's military regime fired a new verbal broadside at La Belle France on Friday, accusing Gay Paree of "blatant interference" by backing the country's ousted president as protestors rallied near a French base outside the capital Niamey.
President Mohammed Bazoum, a French ally whose election in 2021 had stoked hopes of stability in the troubled country, was detained on July 26 by members of his guard.
Comments by French President Emmanuel Macron in support of Bazoum "constitute further blatant interference in Niger's domestic affairs," regime front man Colonel Amadou Abdramane said in a statement read on nationwide TV.
The Sahel state is also embroiled in a stand-off with the West African bloc ECOWAS, which has threatened to intervene militarily if diplomatic pressure to return the elected Bazoum to office fails.
On Monday, Macron said, "I call on all the states in the region to adopt a responsible policy."
La Belle France, he said, "supports (ECOWAS') diplomatic action and, when it so decides, (its) military" action, he said, describing this as "a partnership approach."
Bazoum 'courage'
On Friday, Macron paid further tribute to Bazoum, praising his "commitment, action and courage".
He dismissed Niger's rulers as having "no legitimacy" and insisted La Belle France would make its decisions with regard to Niger "on the basis of exchanges with President Bazoum".
Abdramane said, "Mr. Macron's comments and his unceasing efforts in favour of an invasion of Niger aim at perpetuating a neocolonial operation against the Nigerien people, who ask for nothing more than to decide its own destiny for itself."
Abdramane said Niger's "differences" with La Belle France "do not touch on the relationship between our peoples, or on individuals, but on the relevance of the French military presence in Niger."
On August 3, the regime denounced military agreements with La Belle France, a move that Gay Paree has ignored on the grounds of legitimacy.
The agreements cover different timeframes, although one of them dating from 2012 was set to expire within a month, according to military leaders.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/03/2023 00:00 ||
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[AFRICANEWS] Rwanda and Cameroon ...a long, narrow country that fills the space between Nigeria and Chad on the northeast, CAR to the southeast. Prior to incursions by Boko Haram nothing ever happened there... have unveiled significant shifts in their security forces, impacting senior military personnel.
In Rwanda, President Paul Kagame retired hundreds of soldiers, coinciding with the advancement of young soldiers within the nation's security framework. New generals have also been appointed to lead army divisions situated across the country.
The Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) released a statement disclosing Kagame's approval of the retirement of twelve generals, eighty-three senior officers, and six junior officers. Additionally, eighty-six senior non-commissioned officers will be retired. About 678 soldiers retired as their contracts concluded, with 160 others medically discharged.
Prominent figures from Rwanda's 1994 liberation war, including Gen. James Kabarebe, Gen. Fred Ibingira, and Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga, are among the retirees. Both Kabarebe and Kayonga previously held the position of chief of defense staff of the Rwandan army.
On the same day, Kagame elevated several young officers to the rank of colonel and designated new generals to lead military divisions. Other retirees encompass Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, currently Rwanda’s ambassador to Russia, and Maj. Gen. Albert Murasira, a former defense minister.
In June, Kagame appointed Juvenal Marizamunda as the new defense minister, succeeding Albert Murasira, who had held the role since 2018.
In parallel, Cameroon's President Paul Biya, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, enacted fresh appointments within the Defense Ministry's central administrative unit, as outlined in a decree shared on social media.
[GEO.TV] Human rights lawyer, Imaan Mazari, Saturday was granted bail in a new terror case by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad.
The development comes three days after she was handed over to the Islamabad Police on physical remand in the case registered against her in the federal capital's Barakahu cop shoppe.
ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain issued the verdict, granting bail to the detained lawyer against a surety bond of Rs10,000.
Imaan was arrested in a terror case from outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi soon after an ATC court had approved her and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir's bails in a sedition case pertaining to the controversial speech against state institutions.
[GEO.TV] The Pakistain Bar Council (PBC) on Saturday strongly condemned the "manhandling" and rearrest of Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI) President Parvez Elahi under 3-MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police.
A day earlier, the ICT police took the former Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... chief minister into custody shortly after being released by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) despite the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) restraining order against his possible arrest.
In a statement, PBC Executive Committee Vice Chairperson Haroonur Rashid termed Elahi’s rearrest under 3-MPO "violation" of LHC’s order.
"His detention raised [serious] questions about the rule of law and use of power in [the country’s] political landscape."
In order to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law in the country, everyone will have to comply with the court’s order, the PBC added.
"Courts should also take care while deciding on political matters that whether orders passed therein could be implemented or not," read the statement.
After being released by the NAB on LHC's order, the seasoned politician was put under house arrest in Adiala jail for 15 days.
Elahi challenges detention in IHC
Earlier today, the PTI president moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his arrest under the 3-MPO.
In his petition, Elahi stated that he was being subjected to political victimisation and pleaded with the court to declare the Islamabad district magistrate’s order about his arrest under 3-MPO "illegal"
The former Punjab chief minister urged the IHC to nullify the magistrate’s order and issue directives for his release.
Earlier, the LHC ordered the anti-graft watchdog to release Elahi.
The former provincial chief executive had filed a petition against NAB's move to arrest him in a corruption case.
LHC Justice Amjad Rafiq announced the verdict after Elahi was presented before the court.
During the hearing, Justice Rafiq warned NAB that the court would issue a warrant against the accountability body's director-general if Elahi was not produced that day.
Justice Rafiq said that a complete inquiry into his arrest will be conducted. "I am ordering to release Parvez Elahi on an immediate basis," remarked the judge.
Speaking to media persons after the hearing, Elahi said: "I thank God for the judge's order for my release and I thank everyone who prayed for me."
On August 29, the PTI leader moved the court to challenge his detention claiming that his arrest was in violation of the LHC's orders restricting the authorities from arresting Elahi in any undisclosed FIR or pending inquiry.
NAB had accused Elahi of receiving over Rs1 billion as kickbacks through intermediaries in more than 200 development projects of Gujrat district, during his second term as chief minister of Punjab.
Elahi was initially arrested on June 1 from outside his residence in a Rs70 million graft case related to the embezzlement of development funds allocated for the Gujrat district.
Since then, Imran Khan ...aka The Great Khan, who who convinced himself that playing cricket qualified him to lead a nuclear-armed nation with severe personality disorders... 's aide has been behind bars on various charges. During a span of around two and half months, the PTI leader was released multiple times on the courts’ orders but was rearrested immediately every time.
He was taken into custody during a crackdown launched against the party’s leadership following the May 9 riots.
[GEO.TV] A road accident in northern Iraq has killed at least 16 people, mostly Iranian pilgrims, as millions of people converge on the holy city of Karbala for Arbaeen, one of the world’s biggest religious gatherings.
A traffic accident in northern Iraq has claimed at least 16 lives, the most of them Shia Iranian pilgrims in the midst of one of the largest religious gatherings in history, Arbaeen, which draws millions of people to the holy city of Karbala.
According to the state news agency INA, who cited the corpse count from Khaled Burhan, the director of health services in Salaheddine province, the accident between the cities of Dujail and Samarra also resulted in the injuries of at least 13 persons.
Burhan added that the majority of the dead were Iranian tourists but did not go into detail about the crash's causes. He stated that the injured were transferred to hospitals.
On condition of anonymity, because he was not licensed to speak to the media, a medical official in Salaheddine told AFP news agency that two minibuses collided soon before midnight on Friday.
The official stated, citing witness testimony, that it is thought that one of the drivers dozed off behind the wheel. He estimated 18 fatalities.
Since the start of Arbaeen this year, 2.6 million pilgrims—many of them from Iran—have visited Iraq either land or air, according to statistics released on Friday by the interior ministry.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/03/2023 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...
...aka 
