War On Terror News

US Troops in support of French in Mali

By Karen Parrish, AFPS, LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013 - U.S. and French defense leaders are hammering out details of intelligence, logistics and airlift assistance the United States will provide to French forces in Mali, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to the Portuguese capital, the secretary said such planned assistance demonstrates U.S. leaders' resolve that "we have a responsibility to go after al-Qaida wherever they are."

"We've gone after them in the FATA," Panetta said, referring to the federally administered tribal areas in Pakistan's northwest. "We're going after them in Yemen and Somalia. And we have a responsibility to make sure that al-Qaida does not establish a base for operations in North Africa and Mali."

French forces began airstrikes in Mali, a former French colony, four days ago. It has been widely reported France began its air campaign to halt the movement south of al-Qaida affiliated extremists, who have held Mali's northern area since April.

Panetta said the United States and its allies have been "very concerned" about AQIM, or al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb," (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic West) and their efforts to establish a very strong base in that area."

The secretary said DOD officials have been working with regional partners to try to develop plans to confront that threat. "I commend France for taking the steps that it has," he added. "And what we have promised them is that we will work with them to ... provide whatever assistance we can to try to help them in that effort."

Officials from the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. Africa Command also are discussing military support with France, the secretary said. A senior official traveling with the secretary told reporters that specific U.S. support to French forces in Mali has not yet been defined, but that Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, Africom commander, spoke by phone earlier today from the African continent with the secretary, who was flying to Portugal at the time.

"We'll continue to work with [the French] to ensure that ultimately we do stop AQIM and that the responsibility for assuring security in that region will be passed to the African nations to provide a more permanent security for the sake of the world," Panetta said.

While that longer-term solution develops, the secretary said, he will consult with allies on shorter-term support in France's fight.

"One of the discussions I'll have in Spain regards their concern about what's happening with AQIM in Mali, as well," he said. "And I'll get a better idea of what these other countries may be doing to assist."

The secretary said while al-Qaida members in Mali do not appear to pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, "we're concerned any time al-Qaida establishes a base of operations that, while they might not have any immediate plans for attacks in the United States and in Europe, that ultimately ... still remains their objective. And it's for that reason that we have to take steps now to ensure that AQIM does not get that kind of traction."

President Barack Obama yesterday notified Congress, as required by the War Powers Act, that United States troops "provided limited technical support to the French forces" engaged in the attempted rescue of a French hostage in Somalia. French forces reported Denis Allex, who had been a hostage of al-Qaida-affiliated al Shabaab since 2009, was killed in the raid.

U.S. forces took no direct part in the assault on the compound where planners had concluded the French citizen was held hostage, the president wrote. U.S. combat aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation if needed, but did not employ weapons, he added.

All U.S. forces who supported the operation had left Somalia by about 8 p.m. EST Jan. 11, the president wrote.

"I directed U.S. forces to support this rescue operation in furtherance of U.S. national security interests," the president wrote, "and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive."

Panetta landed here today for the first leg of a weeklong trip that will also take him to Madrid, Rome and London.

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Somali pirates release 4 Koreans

South Korean officials say Somali pirates have released four commercial seamen they had held for 19 months, after the payment of a ransom.

A South Korean foreign ministry official said Saturday the ministry had assisted in ransom talks between the ship's owner and the pirates, but declined to say how much had been paid for their release.  The men are now on board a South Korean navy ship.

The sailors were among the crew of the tanker MT Gemini, who were captured on April 30, 2011, while traveling from Kenya to Malaysia. 

Seven months later, the pirates freed the vessel, but broke an agreement to release all of the crew, keeping the four Koreans captive, while releasing the 21 non-Korean sailors.

The pirates released most of the crew after the tanker's Singaporean owners paid a ransom reportedly totaling $6 million.

The waters off Somalia are notorious for pirate attacks, but the has seen such incidents fall sharply this year as AfriCom Troops push al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab Islamist terrorists out of strongholds in ports and other areas.  VoA.

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Islamists kill 11 in Kenyan explosion

An explosion on a bus in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has killed at least seven people.

The Kenyan Red Cross says at least 29 people were injured in the blast

Sunday's explosion occurred on a local bus in the Somali-dominated suburb of Eastleigh.

Early reports say an explosive device was thrown into the bus causing the blast. However, police have not confirmed that.

Kenya has been hit by a string of deadly attacks blamed on Somali Islamist terrorists and their sympathizers in retaliation for Kenya's decision to send troops into the country last year. VoA.

Islamists injure Kenyan church goers; kill 1

UPDATE: Officials in eastern Kenya say a grenade attack on a church Sunday killed one person and wounded 13 others, some seriously. 

The attack in the town of Garissa took place at a church inside a police compound.

Authorities say one policeman died after the attack.

Original: Officials in eastern Kenya say a grenade attack on a church Sunday has wounded at least eight people, some seriously. 

The pastor of the Church in the town of Garissa is reported to be among the victims, along with several police officers.  The attack took place at a church inside a police compound.

Terrorists have targeted Kenyans since prior to  the country's troops were deployed to Somalia which increased participation in the fight against al-Shabab rebels linked to al-Qaida in response.  Two attacks at churches in Garissa in July killed nearly 20 people.

Authorities are investigating whether Sunday's attackers are linked to Somali terrorists. VoA.

Islamists kill 2 more Somali journalists

Gunmen have shot and killed a Somali musician who worked at a radio station and made comments about Islamist terrorists.

Sources say two men killed Warsame Shire Awale late Monday near his home in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Independent radio journalist Mohamed Mohamud Turyare was shot last week in Mogadishu.

A top official with media rights group Reporters Without Borders said the attack on Turyare stems from the “permanent climate of impunity and hostility toward freedom of information” in Somalia.

He said Somalia and Syria are now the two deadliest countries for the media.

The latest deaths bring to 18 the number of journalists killed in Somalia this year.

Turyare worked for the Shabelle Media Network, which has seen several employees killed in acts of violence in recent years. VoA.

Islamists gun down 16th journalist in Somalia this year

Gunmen have shot dead a Somali television reporter, the 16th journalist killed this year in Somalia.

The National Union of Somali Journalists says Ahmed Farah Ilyas, a reporter for Universal TV, was gunned down late Tuesday in Las Anod district of Somalia's Sool region.  It says the 27-year-old was heading home when unidentified men opened fire on him.

The journalists' union says a radio reporter, Mohamed Mohamud of Shabelle Media Network, survived a shooting attack Sunday in Mogadishu.

Somalia has become one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world. 

The journalists' union believes the killings are part of a conspiracy and is demanding authorities investigate.

Authorities in chaotic Somalia have made no arrests in connection with the killings. VoA.

Germany convicts 10 Somalis of piracy

A German court has convicted 10 Somalis, in the country's first piracy trial in centuries.

The court in Hamburg sentenced the men to prison terms of between two and seven years each.

The Somalis were arrested by the Dutch navy in 2010 after they hijacked a German container ship off the Horn of Africa. 

Defense attorneys had sought acquittals, saying the hijacking was an act of desperation by people living in a country ravaged by war.

Prosecutors had called for sentences of up to 12 years.

Somalia-based pirates have hijacked dozens of ships traveling near the Horn of Africa in recent years, and made hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom.

Attacks have declined sharply this year, as ships take more protective measures and international naval forces closely patrol the coastline, while African Union land forces push al-Qaeda affiliate, al-Shabab Islamist terrorists out of their strongholds. VoA.

Somali Islamists ban more humanitarian aid

Somali terrorist group al-Shabab has banned an aid group from the shrinking but still significant area under its control.

The militants said in a series of Twitter messages Monday that they have revoked permits for London-based Islamic Relief.  Al-Shabab said the aid group was “covertly extending the operations” of other organizations it has banned, particularly the United Nations World Food Program.

In a statement, Islamic Relief said it has not been officially notified of any decision to revoke its license.  It said none of its programs are funded by the WFP.

After losing the port city of Kismayo last week, al-Shabab no longer controls any major towns in Somalia, but it continues to hold rural areas and roads that connect population centers.

African Union forces fighting the militants said Sunday that they and Somali government troops had captured the town of Wanla Weyn from al-Shabab and secured a nearby airbase.

The AU force said it has begun an offensive aimed at clearing al-Shabab from the area between Afgooye, west of Mogadishu, and the town of Baidoa.

Al-Shabab, which has an alliance with al-Qaida, once controlled most of southern and central Somalia and imposed Sharia law on the population.  But over the past two years, the group has lost much of its territory to combined AU, Kenyan, Ethiopian and Somali government forces. VoA.

Kenyan Troops attack Islamist stronghold in Somalia

Kenyan forces have attacked the Somali port city of Kismayo, in an effort to drive out al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabab.

Kenyan military spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna said Friday's early morning attack included both maritime and air forces in coordination with African Union and Somali government troops.

Oguna said Kenyan forces took control of the city “with minimum resistance.”  However, al-Shabab said on Twitter that “Kismayo remains firmly in the hands” of its fighters, and witnesses report ongoing fighting.

The African Union force in Somalia, AMISOM, urged all fighters in Kismayo to lay down their arms and promised safety to those who give up peacefully.

Kismayo is a stronghold of al-Shabab, which has used the town's seaport to bring in weapons and other supplies.

Kenyan forces entered Somalia last year after a series of cross-border kidnappings that Kenya blamed on the militant group.

Al-Shabab is seeking to overthrow Somalia's government and impose Sharia law in the country. 

The group once controlled most of southern and central Somalia, but has lost much of its territory over the past 18 months to pro-government forces. VoA.

Suicidal Islamists kill 15 in Mogadishu

Witnesses in the Somali capital say three explosions, including two from suicide bombers, have killed at least 15 people and wounded others.

The blasts in Mogadishu Thursday appeared to target a restaurant called The Village, which is popular among journalists and civil servants.

The site is located outside a building that houses VOA affiliate Kulmiya Radio.  It is also across the street from the National Theater, where in April, a suicide attack claimed by terrorist group, al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate killed 10 people.

Last week, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud escaped harm when three suicide bombers targeted a Mogadishu hotel where he was speaking.  Al-Shabab also claimed responsibility for that attack.

The al-Qaida-allied group controlled part of the capital until last year, when it was driven out by Somali and African Union forces.  The group, however, has continue to launch assaults using hit-and-run, guerilla-style tactics.

Al-Shabab has lost territory it once controlled.  Its largest remaining stronghold, Port Kismayo, is currently under siege by Somali and AU forces who say they will move in soon to recapture the city. VoA.

Islamists flee Somali port in fear of advancing Kenyan Troops

The African Union's Kenyan forces continued their advance on the Somali port town of Kismayo as rebel forces appear to leave the area.

African Union forces were just 40 kilometers west of the city, Tuesday, while rebel fighters were reportedly fleeing ahead of their advance. 

A spokesman for a pro-government militia  said there were currently no al-Shabab terrorists, an al-Qaeda affiliate, in front of troops positioned at the city's defensive line.

Witnesses say the rebels have reportedly stopped broadcasts on their local radio station, Radio Andalus, dismantling it and leaving town with the equipment.

An official with the United Nation Refugee agency  told VOA that up to 4,600 people have been displaced this month in Kismayo, with 2,000 fleeing since Sunday.

The UNHCR says many have been fleeing skirmishes in and around the city and ahead of any further possible fighting. VoA.

Kenyan police arrest Somali terrorists w/ suicide vests

Police in Kenya's capital have seized a supply of suicide vests, weapons and ammunition and arrested two Somali nationals who were planning to use them in a terrorist attack.

Nairobi Deputy Provincial police officer Moses Ombati said Friday the supplies and suspects were found in an overnight raid on an apartment in the Eastleigh district, known as “Little Mogadishu.”

“Obviously these are al-Shabab activities, the Kenyans should know, these are al-Shabab activities, terrorism activities, they use such items.”

Police say they found six explosive vests, four AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition and several grenades that were to be used by suspected al-Shabab terrorists in what they said was a “major” terrorist attack.

The Somali-based terrorist group has claimed a series of grenade attacks, explosions and shootings in neighboring Kenya since it sent troops into Somalia to defeat the al-Qaida-linked fighters. VoA.

Somali Islamist financier/recruiter gunned down in Kenya

Unidentified gunmen have killed a Kenyan Muslim cleric who was accused of supporting Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, which is an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

Kenyan police say Aboud Rogo Mohammed was shot dead Monday in the port city of Mombasa.  Initial reports say the gunmen attacked the cleric as he was driving a vehicle carrying his wife and family.

Aboud Rogo Mohammed was placed on a U.S. sanctions list last month for recruiting fighters and raising money for al-Shabab.

The U.N. Security Council placed its own travel ban and assets freeze on the cleric, saying he used an extremist group, Al Hijra, as a way of recruiting Swahili-speaking Africans to fight in Somalia.

Al-Shabab is fighting to overthrow Somalia's U.N.-backed government.  The terrorist group is known to have supporters in Kenya, which has a large Somali immigrant community. 

Kenyan forces entered Somalia last October to fight al-Shabab, and have since joined the African Union peacekeeping force in the country. VoA.

Islamists kill 8th Journalist in Somalia in 2012

Gunmen have killed a well-known journalist in Somalia, which has become one of the most dangerous places for media professionals in the world.

Unidentified assailants gunned down Yusuf Ali Osman, widely known as Farey, in the Dharkenely district of Mogadishu on Sunday.

Osman, a past director of Radio Mogadishu, was working for Somalia's Ministry of Information.  The Somali Exiled Journalists Association, based in Kenya, says Osman is the eighth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year.

In a statement, the association said “It is painful and heartbreaking to lose a great journalist every month.”

The U.N. special representative for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, condemned Osman's killing and renewed a call for Somali authorities to investigate the attacks on journalists.

It said not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice for the killings.

On July 31st, a popular Somali comedian and media worker known as Marshale was killed after he made fun of militant group al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, on the air.

Somalia has endured two decades of war and chaos since the fall of the last stable government in 1991 and Clinton's retreat from the country in 1994.  A special assembly just adopted a new constitution.  The country is due to have a new parliament and president by the end of this month. VoA.

Islamists assassinate Somali comedian

The United Nations' envoy to Somalia is strongly condemning the murder of a well-known Somali comedian apparently for his sarcastic remarks about al-Shebab Islamic extremists.

Abdi Jeylani Malaq, known as Marshale, was shot dead outside his home in Mogadishu Tuesday.

U.N. envoy Augustine Mahiga calls the killing “simply unacceptable.” He calls on Somali authorities to do all that is necessary to carry out a full and independent investigation.

The human rights group Amnesty International says it is shocked at another death of a Somali media figure, but also at what it calls the inaction of Somali authorities. It says Marshale is the eighth media member to be targeted for death in Somalia since December.

Marshale appeared on Somali radio and television. Many of his routines were aimed at trying to stop young Somalis from joining the extremists. He had received numerous death threats. VoA.

Somalia approves Constitution to the sound of Suicidal Islamists

Somali leaders have overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that sets the stage for a more powerful and representative government.

Ninety-six percent of a special constituent assembly voted in favor of the measure Wednesday, ahead of a U.N. deadline for completing a government transition.

Last week, the U.N. Security Council said Somalia's political transition was at a “decisive phase” and needs to be completed by August 20.  Somalia must still select a new parliament and elect a new president.

Shortly before Wednesday's vote, security officers killed two suicide bombers who tried to attack the assembly's venue in Mogadishu.  Authorities say at least one bomber detonated explosives, injuring several security officers.

Somalia has long battled al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab terrorists.

Somalia's Transitional Federal Government has been in place since 2004.  It has been unable to assert power because of chronic infighting and conflict across the country. VoA.

One Million Somali Refugees signifies bulk of those attempting to leave

The U.N. refugee agency says the number of Somalis who have fled their country has surpassed 1 million.

A spokesman says the latest data show most of the refugees have fled to neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia.

The most recent arrivals — like previous ones — cite continued unrest and food shortages in Somalia.

However, the outflow of refugees has slowed.  The U.N. registered 30,000 new arrivals in the first six months of 2012, compared to 130,000 at the same point in 2011.

The drought situation in Somalia has improved and the Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group, al-Shabab, has lost some of its territory over the past year.

The U.N. agency is concerned fighting will increase again as the country tries to install a more permanent government next month. VoA.

1st half of 2012: 32 Nigerian piracies; 177 Somali

The number of pirate attacks reported in the first half of 2012 has declined sharply, led by drop in Somalia piracy activity.

In a new report,  the International Maritime Bureau said there were 177 piracy incidents reported in the first six months of this year, compared to 266 incidents for the corresponding period in 2011.

The report says the decrease is mainly due to a decline in Somali piracy, attributing it to “preemptive and disruptive counter-piracy tactics employed by international navies”.

The report  notes, however, that the decline has been offset by an increase in attacks by mainly Nigerian pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea. Thirty-two incidents, including 5 hijackings, were reported there this year. VoA.

Somalia attempts a new government/constitution

The Somali government says it has reached an agreement with traditional elders to move ahead with plans to adopt a draft constitution.

A government minister told VOA  that a Constituent Assembly will provisionally adopt the measure during an 8-day conference that begins on Saturday.

Constitution and Reconciliation Minister Abdirahman Hosh Jibril said leaders set the date during a meeting Sunday.

The 825-member assembly was to meet earlier this month. But the gathering was delayed after some elders called for changes in the measure, including the addition of wording that affirms Mogadishu as Somalia's capital.

Officials said some elders also have taken issue with a provision allowing women to run for high office.

The Constituent Assembly – which includes a broad range of political factions – is charged with selecting parliament members.

Government officials said parliament will aim to select a new president by an August 20 deadline.

The United Nation-backed “roadmap” for Somalia calls for ushering in a permanent government.

Somalia's Transitional Federal Government was established in 2004, but has been unable to assert power because of chronic infighting and the chaos in the country. VoA.

African forces attack al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia

African Union and Somali forces have launched a military operation against what they say is a major training camp for al-Shabab terrorists, an al-Qaeda affiliate, outside Somalia's capital.

The African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) said in a statement Wednesday the operation aims to capture Lanta-Buro village, 40 kilometers west of Mogadishu.

Officials hope capturing the village will help secure the capital, which is preparing to host a constituent assembly that aims to end 12 years of transitional rule in Somalia.

The al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabab has at times controlled much of Somalia and nearly all of Mogadishu. A 19-month offensive involving African Union forces, the Somali government, Ethiopia and Kenya has been underway. VoA.

US imposes sanctions on affiliates of Somali terrorists

The United States has placed financial sanctions on two Eritrean officials and four other East Africans it accuses of supporting the Somali militant group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

The U.S. Treasury Department designated the six men Thursday under a 2010 presidential order that allows the government to freeze property of individuals contributing to the conflict in Somalia.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said all six have direct links to the terrorist organization. In a written statement, she said all six threaten peace and hopes for stability in the region, and she warned that such actions will not be tolerated.

The Eritreans named are Colonel Tewolde Negash, an intelligence officer accused of funneling money to al-Shabab, and Colonel Taeme Goitom. Goitom is accused of helping make decisions for a group within the Hizbul Islam militia that merged with al-Shabab in 2010.

The sanctions also identify Sudanese national Suhayl Salim Abd-el-Rahman, an alleged travel and financial assistant for foreign fighters trying to enter Somalia.

Three Kenyans — Aboud Rogo Mohammed, Abubaker Shariff Ahmed and Omar Awadh Omar — also made the list.  They are accused of providing financial or logistical support to al-Shabab. 

In addition, Omar is accused of helping to plan the July 2010 bombings in Kampala, Uganda that killed 74 people. The U.S. says he is incarcerated in Uganda, awaiting trial.

The United States designated al-Shabab itself as a terrorist organization in 2008.  The group has been trying to overthrow the Somali government and impose an Islamist government on the country. VoA

Islamists kill 17 Kenyans in churches

Kenyan police say gunmen attacked two churches in the eastern town of Garissa Sunday, killing 17 people and wounding at least 40.

Authorities say the attackers threw grenades and opened fire on worshippers.

The deadliest attack took place at the African Inland Church, where at least 10 people were killed, including two police officers. The second attack took place at a Catholic church.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.  Police have blamed previous attacks on sympathizers of the Somalia-based Islamic militant group al-Shabab.

James Mwamu, vice president of the East Africa Law Society, told VOA that the time has come for Kenya to deal more “harshly” with terrorism and that it is the responsibility of the government to protect its citizens.

“The Kenyan government needs to take the treat of al-Shabab more seriously  than ever because we do not know where they are going to strike out next. And  I think that Kenyans are very apprehensive when people go to churches, when  they go in places to watch football, when they go into bars, they are no  longer free because of these things that are happening. You never know when  it is going to happen.”

He said terrorists cannot be allowed to kill innocent civilians who have nothing to do with the situation in Somalia.

Kenya sent troops into Somalia last year to help hunt down al-Shabab militants. The insurgents want to turn Somalia into a strictly Islamic state.

The White House strongly condemned Sunday's attacks and extended deepest condolences to the families of the victims. It said the perpetrators show no respect for human life and dignity and must be brought to justice.

Garissa is about 140 kilometers west of the Somali border. It is also about 80 kilometers southwest of the sprawling Dadaab refugee camp, which houses nearly 500,000 Somali refugees.

Friday, several gunmen at the Dadaab camp killed one Kenyan and kidnapped four foreign aid workers. VoA.

Aid workers rescued from Somali Islamists in Kenya

Kenyan and Somali officials say four foreign aid workers kidnapped Friday from a refugee camp in Kenya and taken to neighboring Somalia have been rescued and are safe.

Officials say the aid workers were rescued overnight in Somalia after a short gunfight.

On Friday, Kenyan police said one person was killed when unknown attackers kidnapped the foreigners working with the Norwegian Refugee Council.  Police told VOA the foreigners were a Norwegian, a Colombian, and Pakistani and a Filipino.  The person killed was Kenyan.

The kidnappings took place in Kenya's sprawling Dadaab refugee complex near the border with Somalia.

No one claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, but Kenyan authorities have blamed the Somali militant group al-Shabab for previous kidnappings in Dadaab and other areas near the border.

Kenya cited kidnappings as a reason for sending military forces into Somalia last October to fight al-Shabab.  The militant group has denied abducting people in Kenya.

The Dadaab complex is home to more than 450,000 Somali refugees who fled their homes because of chronic conflict, drought and poverty.

16 killed in Kenyan churches

Kenya police say gunmen attacked two churches in the eastern town of Garissa on Sunday, killing 16 and wounding at least 40.

Authorities say in both cases the attackers hurled grenades and opened fire on worshippers.

The deadliest attack took place at the African Inland Church, where at least 10 people were killed, including two police officers.  The second attack took place at a Catholic church.

Police did not immediately say who was behind the violence.  They have blamed similar attacks on sympathizers of the Somalia-based terorist group al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

Garissa is located about 140 kilometers west of the Somalia border.  It is also about 80 kilometers southwest of the sprawling Dadaab refugee camp, which houses nearly 500,000 Somali refugees.

On Friday, several gunmen at the Dadaab camp killed one Kenyan and kidnapped four foreign aid workers.

Kenyan sent troops into Somalia last year to pursue al-Shabab militants.  Since then, Kenya has blamed the al-Qaida-allied group for a series of attacks and kidnappings on Kenyan soil.

Al-Shabab says it is trying to overthrow U.N.-backed transitional government and impose a strict form of Sharia law throughout Somalia. VoA.

Suicidal Islamist terrorist strikes Peacekeepers in Somalia

Casualties are reported after a suicide bomber in Somalia attacked a military base housing African Union soldiers and Somali security forces.

Somali officials say a car laden with explosives blew up Saturday outside the military base in the town of Afgoye, about 30 kilometers west of the capital, Mogadishu.

Officials are investigating further details of the incident, including the number of casualties.

Last month, Somali forces backed by African Union troops pushed al-Shabab terrorists out of one of their strongholds — the Afgoye corridor.  The corridor includes sprawling camps for about 400,000 internally displaced Somalis.

At the time, military officials said al-Shabab was preventing aid groups from operating in the area.

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-allied group, is fighting to overthrow Somalia's transitional government and impose Sharia law. VoA.

Kenya asks for assistance against Somali terrorists

Kenya has asked the United States to help fund a military operation to seize a key Somali port from al-Shabab terrorists, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters in Nairobi on Tuesday that Kenya's military hopes to capture the town of Kismayo by August.

“Our aim is to get to Kismayo by August because Kismayo is the real major source of supply for al-Shabab and, without controlling Kismayo, it is very difficult to completely neutralize al-Shabab,” said the prime minister.

Kenya has also sought help from European Union naval forces guarding against piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Currently, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Somali government and African Union forces are battling al-Shabab within Somalia's borders.

Mr. Odinga described Kenya's operation as a “final onslaught” to capture Kismayo, one of al-Shabab's few remaining strongholds.

Regional and world powers, including Britain and the United States, consider al-Shabab an international threat.

The al-Qaida-allied group once controlled much of southern and central Somalia.  But it has lost much ground since last year, when international forces launched a major offensive against the group.

The Islamist terrorists are fighting to overthrow Somalia's fragile transitional government and impose Sharia law. VoA.

Obama Admin threatens Somali terrorists with 'sanctions'

A senior U.S. State Department official is threatening sanctions against any Somalis who work against the peace process in Somalia.

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, said after a day-long visit to Somalia Sunday that the United States will take action against those he calls “spoilers” who impede efforts to draw up a new constitution and elect a new president.

Carson said the sanctions would include a travel ban and an asset freeze and would apply to those in the government as well those outside of it. 

Somalia is facing an August 20 deadline to implement a roadmap for a new government. The country has been without a stable central government since 1991, and hopes for an end to the violence there ended with the retreat of US forces in 1993, in the first battle against al-Qaeda, better known as "Black Hawk Down."

AsstSecState Johnnie Carson visits Somalia

The Somali government says the top U.S. envoy to Africa has met with leaders in Mogadishu, marking the highest-profile visit by a U.S. official since the early 1990s.

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson met on Sunday with President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.

The one-day visit comes just four days after the U.S. offered $33 million for information on the whereabouts of seven al-Shabab terrorist group leaders.

The State Department says the group, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, is responsible for the killing of thousands of Somali civilians, Somali peace activists, international aid workers, journalists and African Union peacekeepers.

It says al-Shabab's activities pose a threat to the stability of East Africa and to the national security interests of the United States.

Al-Shabab once controlled much of Somalia and nearly all of the capital, Mogadishu.  But it has lost some of its territory during an 18-month offensive involving African Union forces, the Somali government, Ethiopia and Kenya.

The U.S. is offering up to $7 million for al-Shabab's operational leader Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed.  Separate rewards of up to $5 million each were offered for four of his top associates — Ibrahim Haji Jama, Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, and Mukhtar Robow.

Rewards of up to $3 million was also offered for two other top members of the group, Zakariya Ismail Ahmed Hersi and Abdullahi Yare. VoA.

Al-Shabab loses district near Mogadishu, Somalia

Somali and African Union forces have cleared pockets of al-Shabab resistance from Elasha Biyaha, a region west of Mogadishu and home to more than 400,000 internally displaced refugees.

Somali and AU fighters seized control Afgoye Friday, a major town in Elasha Biyaha. They have also reopened the road between Afgoye and Mogadishu. Somali officials say 20 al-Shabab militants were killed in the five day operation to take the town.

A VOA Somali service reporter says the few people who were on the streets of Afgoye Sunday appeared anxious and still and afraid to speak out in support of the Somali government. Some people told VOA that a resident celebrating the liberation of the town was killed by an unidentified gunman.

Al-Shabab took control of Afgoye three years ago as part of its efforts to topple the U.N.-backed government and turn Somalia into a staunchly Islamist state.

Al-Shabab controlled most of southern and central Somalia before losing some ground to AU and Somali forces over the past year and a half.

Somalia has not had a strong central government since former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre fled in 1991. VoA.

Al-Shabab is an Al-Qaeda affiliate.  Somalia has been in a state of constant war since the Clinton withdrawal of US forces in 1992.  In recent years, Somali piracy has been used to finance international terrorism.

Islamist Mortars Kill 7 Somalis

Witnesses say a mortar attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has killed seven people.

The witnesses said Tuesday that the victims of the overnight shelling included a family with two children.

Security in Mogadishu has improved since Somali and African Union troops pushed al-Shabab militants out of the city. But attacks still continue, including a mortar attack in late March that killed seven people in Mogadishu's Bakara market.

Somalia's transitional government, backed by AU peacekeepers, launched an offensive against al-Shabab in February to retake parts of southern and central Somalia. VoA.

OBL Letters: Orders to "Affiliates," Seeks to Exploit Arab Spring

By Cheryl Pellerin, AFPS

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2012 - Osama bin Laden's letters urged jihadist groups to stop domestic attacks that killed Muslim civilians and focus on the United States, "our desired goal," says a study of declassified documents captured during last year's U.S. raid on his compound in Pakistan.

The 59-page study titled "Letters from Abbottabad: Bin Laden Sidelined?" released online today, was written by a team of researchers the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and supplemented with reviews and support from other experts.

The center is an independent, privately funded research and educational institution at the U.S. Military Academy that informs counterterrorism policy and strategy.

Terrorist Blast kills Mogadishu Sports Chiefs and others

VOA News 4.4.2012

Militant group al-Shabab says it was behind a suicide bombing in Somalia's capital Wednesday that killed at least eight people, including the country's football and Olympic chiefs.

The attack occurred at Somalia's newly-reopened national theater. Witnesses say a female blew herself up as Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali addressed a crowd gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of Somali national television.

The prime minister confirmed to VOA that a woman carried out the attack and he described the strike as “al-Shabab's act of terror.”

Islamist Mortars Kill 5 Refugees in Somali Capital

At least five people were killed in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, when insurgents fired mortars at the presidential palace but hit a displaced persons' camp instead.

Another seven people were injured in the overnight attack, for which Islamist terrorist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

A colonel for the Somali army told VOA that the attack caused no damage to the presidential palace.

He says the mortars landed a few hundred meters away on the makeshift camp, which houses Somalis displaced by years of conflict and drought.

This is the second time in a week al-Shabab has tried to strike at the presidential palace.

Somali government and African Union forces have pushed the group out of its former Mogadishu strongholds but al-Shabab continues to launch rocket, bomb, and suicide attacks in the capital.

The group, which is allied with al-Qaida, is trying to overthrow the government and turn Somalia into a strict Islamic state.

Alabama Terrorist Fears Fellow Islamists in Somalia

An American-born jihadist in Somalia has said in an online video that he fears his fellow al-Shabab militants may kill him over a difference of opinion.

Omar Hammami, who grew up in the southern U.S. state of Alabama and now is known as Abu Mansur al-Amriki, is shown in a black robe and white head scarf, in front of a black flag. In a mix of Arabic and English, Hammami says that he fears his life may be in danger due to disagreements with his comrades over Sharia law and strategy.

Hammami is an American citizen who was indicted in Alabama in 2007 and 2009 on federal terrorism violations. He is accused of leaving the U.S. to join the Somalia-based, al-Qaeda affiliated, al-Shabab, which the U.S. has named as a terrorist organization. VoA

Somalia has been in a state of constant civil war with Al-Qaeda backed Islamists since the 1993 Clinton retreat from the country following a battle in which Army Rangers and Delta Forces defeated a vastly numerically superior force.

Since then, Somalia has been a proving ground for wannabe Islamist Terrorists wishing to prove themselves.

Britain Calls for a New Focus on Somalia.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron is urging the international community to strengthen its efforts to help Somalia ahead of a conference in London this week.

Mr. Cameron told a reporter for VOA that Britain would like to see the whole world focus on the issue of Somalia, including supporting an African Union peacekeeping force there and helping to ensure there is a smooth transition for the country's government.

“There are good signs of what Somalis themselves are doing and I hope the London Conference can help bring the rest of the world to focus on this issue.”

He said Somalia particularly needs its young people to have some hope for a job, a voice, and a future.

Those attending Thursday's international conference on Somalia include U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Earlier this month, leaders in Somalia agreed on the formation of a new elected government during a conference in Puntland attended by international envoys from the United Nations and the African Union. The Somali leaders agreed to set up a new legislature with an upper and lower house.

The new lower house is to have 225 seats divided among Somalia's major clans. The upper house will contain representatives from each of Somalia's states. Because new states may yet be created, the number of seats in the upper house has not been finalized.

Somalia has not had a stable central government since 1991 when rebels took over the country and it spiraled into chaos.  VoA.

 In 1993, Bill Clinton ordered a retreat from Somalia, after a hard fought Victory of US Rangers and Delta Operators over a vastly numerically superior Islamist force, supported by Al-Qaeda.

In more recent years, Islamists have used Somalia as a safe haven for a lucrative Piracy operation which funds terrorists operations worldwide.

Al-Qaeda Re-Iterates Alliance with Somali Al-Shabab

Somalia's transitional government says it is not surprised that militant group al-Shabab has formally joined forces with al-Qaida.

The government's minister of information, Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed, said in a statement Friday that word of the alliance is “no news to us.”

He asserted that al-Shabab leaders are paid representatives of al-Qaida, and that al-Shabab can no longer, in his words, “masquerade as an indigenous Somali-Islamic organization.”

Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced the alliance with al-Shabab in a video message posted to jihadist websites Thursday.

The group had previously said it is aligned with al-Qaida, and in June pledged allegiance to al-Zawahiri, after U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden.

Al-Shabab has been battling the Somali government for five years in a bid to take control of the country and impose a strict form of Islamic law.

The group is increasingly seen as a threat in East Africa, prompting the governments of Kenya and Ethiopia to send troops into Somalia.

Al-Shabab once controlled most of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but was recently pushed out by African Union and Somali government forces.

The United States has designated al-Shabab as a terrorist organization.  VoA.

Numerous Somali Refugees from the United States have been killed or captured fighting for or financing al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia, and in the United States.

Journalist Murdered in Somali Streets

The director of an independent Somali radio station is dead – ambushed and killed by masked gunmen.

Witnesses, and a producer at Shabelle Radio in the capital of Mogadishu, say 29-year-old Hassan Osman Abdi was on his way home from the station late Saturday when he was shot and killed by two pistol-wielding assailants.

A VOA reporter in Mogadishu says Abdi, also known as Hassan Fantastic, was entering his home at the time of the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility or motive for the attack on Abdi, who was the father of three children.

Abdi had worked at Shabelle Radio for three years.

Attacks on journalists are not uncommon in war-ravaged Somalia.

This past December, a gunman shot and killed a prominent television journalist in Mogadishu. A spokesman for Horn Cable TV said Abdisalam Sheikh Hussein was shot in the head by a man wearing a Somali government uniform.

Somali government and African Union forces are battling the Islamic terrorist group, al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, which controls most of central and southern Somalia.

The country has endured 20 years of lawlessness and conflict since the fall of the last stable government. VoA

Spec. Ops Rescue Hostages in Somalia: SECDEF statement

1/25/2012

From the Department of Defense

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta released the following statement Jan. 25 regarding the hostage rescue operation in Somalia:

Last night U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted, by order of the President of the United States, a successful mission in Somalia to rescue two individuals taken hostage on October 25, 2011. Ms. Jessica Buchanan, an American citizen employed by the Danish Demining Group, and her Danish colleague, Mr. Poul Thisted, were kidnapped at gunpoint by criminal suspects near Galcayo, Somalia.

Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted have been transported to a safe location where we will evaluate their health and make arrangements for them to return home.

This successful hostage rescue, undertaken in a hostile environment, is a testament to the superb skills of courageous service members who risked their lives to save others. I applaud their efforts, and I am pleased that Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were not harmed during the operation. This mission demonstrates our military's commitment to the safety of our fellow citizens wherever they may be around the world.

I am grateful to report that there was no loss of life or injuries to our personnel.

I express my deepest gratitude to all the military and civilian men and women who supported this operation. This was a team effort and required close coordination, especially between the Department of Defense and our colleagues in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They are heroes and continue to inspire all of us by their bravery and service to our nation.

 

Somali Islamists Confirm Explosive Death of British Al-Qaeda Member

Insurgents in Somalia say a drone aircraft strike has killed an al-Qaida operative fighting alongside the al-Shabab rebels.

An al-Shabab spokesman identified the fighter as British passport holder Bilal al-Berjawi. He said drone-fired missiles hit Berjawi's car south of Mogadishu on Saturday.

There has been no independent confirmation.

The United States has authorized covert missions against insurgents in the Horn of Africa, but does not comment officially on drone attacks.

People in the nearby town of Elasha reported hearing at least two explosions.

Berjawi's reported killing came a day after Somalia's transitional government announced a major push to rid Mogadishu of al-Shabab militants.

American-German Kidnapped in Somalia

Somali gunmen in the central town of Galkayo have kidnapped an American man, as abductions for ransom continue in the dangerous east African nation.

The man was traveling in a car that was surrounded just as it was leaving the town's airport and that the gunmen reportedly included members of the man's security guard. News reports say the man, has both U.S. and German citizenship.

It is unclear why he is in Somalia. He has been identified both as a journalist working for a German newspaper and as an engineer employed by a company building a port in the coastal town of Hobyo.

Somalia continues to be one of the world's most dangerous nations for foreigners, including aid workers, journalists and private contractors.

In October, an American woman and a Danish man working for a Danish firm were kidnapped in Galkayo. They remain captive.

The town is situated along the border between two semi-autonomous northern regions of Somalia, Puntland and Galmudug. VoA