Somalia: not piracy catch all thread

[davidbfpo]

JMA - this report is dated:

14 Jan 2013

Three days later Al-Shabaab announced:

The Somali Islamist group al-Shabab says it has killed French intelligence agent Denis Allex in retaliation for a failed French operation to free him.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21056592

Denis Allex had been captured in July 2009, whilst undercover as a journalist; his colleague managed to escape - no date readily found.

[davidbfpo]

While the kids play in the street, young adults walk in groups to the city centre to play soccer. They go to a place locally know as Sallax, a centre that hires out fields for various sports, including football and basketball . There are not enough football fields in the city and with everyone at work during the day, Sallax is very popular at night. Games usually last two hours. From my flat, I can often hear the youngsters chatting away past midnight on their way back home.

Link:http://voicesofafrica.co.za/the-moga...nt-read-about/

Self-explanatory.

Yes I did note the attack on the parliament building this week.

[davidbfpo]

Ho hum Somali complaints about the Kenyan military @ Kismayo (port city) have finally been heard:

In an unannounced move by the African Union the AMISOM command in Kismayo has officially been transferred from the Kenyan Defense Forces to Sierra Leonean forces a few weeks ago.

Link:https://www.kenya-today.com/news/cha...leone-military

[AdamG]

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Al-Shabab's top leader was traveling in one of two vehicles hit Monday night in a U.S. military strike, a member of the Somali Islamic extremist group said Tuesday. The spokesman would not say whether al-Shabab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane was among the six militants killed. The two vehicles were heading toward the coastal town of Barawe, al-Shabab's main base, when they were hit, Abu Mohammed told The Associated Press.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-military-ta...075926067.html

[davidbfpo]

A commentary by Clint Watts, on FPRI, after the reported US air strike in Somalia 'Potential Implications of U.S. killing al Shabaab’s Leader In Somalia - Ahmed Godane':http://www.fpri.org/geopoliticus/201...a-ahmed-godane

[davidbfpo]

Christopher Anzalone, a Canadian PhD student studying Somalia and Al-Shabaab is an acknowledged SME and has a recent article in a Turkish academic journal, which is reproduced on:https://www.academia.edu/8439439/The..._2014_386-395_

The format has defeated my cut & paste skills.

[jcustis]

Former Special Envoy to Somalia, Ambassador Robert Oakley, passed away at age 83 earlier this month.