Somali pirate: EU airstrike destroyed equipment
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The European Union Naval Force patrolling Somalia’s pirate-infested waters said Tuesday it conducted its first onshore air raid on pirate targets, and a pirate said the attack set back their operations by destroying a supply center. No deaths were reported in Tuesday morning’s attack on Handulle village, about 18 kilometers (11 [...]
Agony of hostages’ families about to end
After a long wait of 18 months, the families of the Pakistani crew held hostage on MV Albedo by Somali pirates received good news on Tuesday when a business tycoon announced to pay the remaining Rs130 million ransom amount. The 22 crew members were taken hostage on November 2010 and the pirates had threatened to [...]
Somali family granted new home in Richland
RICHLAND, Wash.– A refugee family from Somalia will soon have their very first home. Tuesday, the Farah family took a shovel to the dirt to mark the beginning of construction. The family applied for the Richland home through a non-profit called First Story. The charity was founded by Hayden Home Builders and focuses on giving [...]
Terror suspect ‘Swede’ held in Kenya was Swiss
The “Swedish” national who was arrested in Kenya on suspicions of having links to the Somali Islamist militia al-Shabaab turned out not to be Swedish at all but Swiss. Kenyan police had arrested what was first believed to be a Swedish national, suspected to have links with the Somali Islamist militia al-Shabaab, a senior police [...]
EU force frees Iranian dhow from Somali pirates.
Nairobi – A European Union naval vessel rescued an Iranian fishing dhow that was being used by Somali pirates as a “mothership” for attacks on other boats, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) said on Saturday. EU NAVFOR said its frigate HNLMS Van Amstel rescued the dhow and its crew of 17 Iranians off the [...]
Somali signs Memorandum of Understanding with United Nation.
Somali and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, both committing to improve human rights in the African country, Press TV reports. Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Ali Mohamed said his government is committed to enhancing the capacity of its institutions for the promotion and protection [...]
Dutch warship rescues 17 hostages from Somali pirates.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS : A Dutch Navy vessel on Friday rescued seventeen people who were being held hostage on a suspected pirate dhow off the coast of Somalia, the Dutch Ministry of Defense said. Eleven suspected pirates were taken into custody. The Dutch Navy warship Van Amstel came across the dhow when its helicopter carried [...]
A quick reaction force moulded by Africa’s circumstances.
JOHANNESBURG (IRIN) – Africa’s crises are both honing and stalling the formation of the African Standby Force (ASF) of the African Union (AU) – a quick reaction force that could eventually number about 30,000 troops to be deployed in a range of scenarios, from peacekeeping to direct military intervention. Originally intended to become operational in [...]
Jamal Osman named One World media journalist of the year.
Somali reporter Jamal Osman is named journalist of the year at the One World media awards for a collection of his films for Channel 4 News. The awards, presented by Channel 4 News Presenter Jon Snow on Tuesday night, recognise outstanding journalism on the developing world. Jamal beat fellow nominees Sue Lloyd Roberts (Newsnight) and [...]
Amanda Lindhout was held captive in Somalia – but went back to help others
Amanda Lindhout, founder, executive director of Global Enrichment Foundation, Canmore, Alba. Few people would return to a country, much less help to rebuild it, if they were held hostage there for 460 days. Upon her 2009 return to Calgary, former journalist Amanda Lindhout, 31, spent only four months recuperating from malnutrition and emotional fallout from [...]
