Al Shabab Leadership crises and the prospect for peace in Somalia
Listen The peaceful amalgamation of the two Islamist factions Al Shabab and Hisbul Islam (HZ) is seen by some as a commendable act that will have significant postive ramification in the political landscape of Somalia. Others see it as the nightmare that they always dreaded to face; but at least over one million internally displaced [...]
Can Al Shabab digest the absorption of Hizbul Islam?
Listen Mogadishu (Alshahid) -The merger didn’t only strengthen the fire power of the new Al Shabab, but also brought with it an ideological baggage (Sh. Dahir Aweys) that is most likely to reinforce the position of the reformists. The reformist agenda is more of like a creeping revolution that encompass a thorough change of the [...]
The nomad’s way of doing business: A guide to Somali commerce
Listen By ABDI LATIF DAHIR: You step off the brightly-coloured matatus (minibuses); music is blaring and the touts are shouting for more passengers. Immediately you alight, a blast of hot air flashes across your face, then a wave of choking dust quickly replaces it. While you try to comprehend it all, drivers shout from their [...]
Somalia: Court executes a man for murder.
Listen Adado (Alshahid) – A man was sentenced to death by a court in Himan & Heeb for confessing to unlawful killing, officials said on Thursday. Mr. Mohamed Mohamud Ibrahim of Adado district in Galgadud region in central Somalia was found guilty of killing Dahir Abdi Abdulle from the same town. In his verdict, the [...]
Somalia: Looming clash as Hizbul Islam faction defects to Al-Shabaab
Listen Mogadishu (Alshahid) – Following reports that an important Hizbul Islam faction in southern Somalia had broken away from the group and joined forces with al Qaeda-linked rival AlShabab rebels, the leader of Somalia’s Hizbul Islam rebels Sheikh Dahir Aweys has said the defectors were few individuals who do not represent his group at any [...]
Somaliland’s ruling party pledges full autonomy if it wins June 26 elections
Listen Hargeisa (Ashahid) – Somaliland’s ruling party UDUB today held a mammoth rally of supporters at Freedom Park in the city centre on Thursday. The fact that President Dahir Riyale and his vice Ahmed Yasin were the main speakers drew large crowds of all ages carrying the party flag. Riyale told supporters about the development [...]
Hizbul Islam calls for unity of Somali Mujahideens
Listen Mogadishu (Alshahid) – The leader of the insurgent group of Hizbul Islam has called for all the Somali Mujahideen (Islamist fighters) to unite and work as a block. Speaking on Thursday in a workshop for religious leaders, teachers and scholars in Mogadishu, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys said that it was important for the Mujahideen [...]
Somali militia attack Kenya village again and shoot 4 civilians
Listen Wajir (Alshahid) – Four days after the Somalia rebels Alshabab warned Kenya of an attack for “interfering in the affairs of Somalia”, the militia crossed the Kenya border into Wajir district Thursday May 27, 2010 and shot five people seriously injuring them. This is the fourth attack by al Shabaab, a militia linked to [...]
Somalia High court stops election of speaker
Listen Mogadishu (Alshahid) – The high court of Somalia’s Transition Federal Government (TFG) has on Thursday put on hold the election of House speaker ostensibly until parliament resolves the dispute over the deputy speaker. TFG’s deputy speaker Professor Mohamed Omar Dalha, had held a press conference and said that it was unconstitutional for members to [...]
When Somalis were Rendered Stateless*
Listen On October 14th 1977, a young Somali man was arrested by the Kenya Police in what they claimed was an undercover operation. His name was Mohamed Ahmed and he was described as a former Kenya army private from Mandera. His crime was being found with a Somali passport issued to him by the Second [...]