This past week, in Somalia…

It was another tragic week for Somalia’s embattled local journalists, with two more falling victim to the most recidivist of Somali criminals, the “unknown gunman.” FormerSomaliweyn Radio director Abukar Hassan Kadafwas gunned down in front of his home on Tuesday in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, whileRadio Galkayo journalist Ali Ahmed Abdiwas killed by two assailants as he returned to his house on Sunday. Their deaths bring to four the total number of Somali journalists murdered over the last three months.

Last month at the AMISOM compound in Mogadishu,Somalia Report’seditorssat down with the surprisingly blunt UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), Augustine Mahiga, who labeled Somali members of parliament as future war criminals, accused former prime minister Mohamed Farmajo of clawing his way back into power, and referred to the TFG Islamist faction Ala Sheikh as al-Shabaab militants minus the guns.

Not surprisingly, the interview has created quite a stir. After being widely translated and reprinted in the Somali press, TFG President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed publicly blasted Mahiga for having claimed that a “palace coup” had taken place in the presidential compound, Villa Somalia (declaring, in undoubtedly poetic Somali, that the Special Representative’s“clothes had fallen off.”)

Your humble editor also published thesecond entry in his three-part series on financial corruptionwithin Somali government ranks, which discusses the TFG’s makeshift annual budget, its revenue shortfalls, and its “briefcase ministries.”

Al-Shabaab

In an interesting development in Shabaabistan, the militant organization may have deployed for the first time theSA-18 heat-seeking surface-to-air missilesthey have been trotting out for photo ops since 2009. Local residents reported that man-portable missiles fired by al-Shabaab fighters “followed” two retreating helicopters passing over the Shabaab stronghold of Elasha Biyaha on Sunday.While further corroboration of the incident is required, AMISOM may find the eventual fulfillment of its repeated request for “force enablers” (read: choppers) from the UN Security Council to be something of a mixed blessing.

Nearly 300 foreign fighters continued the exodus out of the southern al-Shabaab stronghold of Kismayo…well, at least as far as some nearby islands. While local residents report fewer fighters in the city, their absence can be explained as a strategic redeployment to Shabaab’s heavily forested offshore bases in anticipation of a Kenyan push towards Kismayo.

In the most intense fighting of the past week,17 people were killed as al-Shabaab fighters attempted to retake Garbaharey, the capital of the front line southern region of Gedo. After occupying the center of the city for a short time, the militants withdrew with a reported 15 dead. Naturally, al-Shabaab claimed victory.

Piracy

The pirates continued their post-monsoon spree this week,hijacking a fishing dhow north of Socotra on Tuesday, followed by the United Arab Emirates-ownedchemical oil products tanker MT ROYAL GRACEthree days later.

The perils of hostage rescues–perhaps forgotten in the heady aftermath of the recent commando rescue of aid workers Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted–were brought back home last week, asthe Danish warship Absalon engaged a pirate mother ship(reportedly on NATO orders)upon its entering the Gulf of Aden. In the ensuing firefight, two hostages were killed, although the precise circumstances of their deaths will not be clear until the conclusion of an inquest by the Danish military judge advocate.

Lastly, another pesky reminder that our weekly Piracy Report is about to switch to a subscription service. For details, please contact Venetia Archer, at[email protected].

The Great Yellow North

In “news” about as shocking as al-Shabaab declaring itself a branch of al-Qaeda last month, Sheikh Atom’s Galgala militiaofficially declared itself part of al-Shabaabearly last week, contradictingan official denial of such a link only one week prior.

In celebration of the nuptials, Galgala militantsattacked a police checkpoint in Bosasoon Saturday, sparking renewed clashes that claimed the lives of at least seven people, including several civilians. Following the fighting, al-Shabaab spokesman Abdiaziz Musab claimed responsibility for the attack, demonstrating at least that the public declaration of marriage had not been completely one-sided.

Finally, and against all odds, something actually happened in Somaliland.Demonstrations by small business owners in Hargeisa broke out into violenceas government security forces began demolishing kiosks lining the capital’s main road, pursuant to a state-sanctioned urban beautification project. Police responded to stone-throwing protestors by opening fire above the crowd, in the process killing one and wounding two others.

And that was this past week, in Somalia…

Jay Bahadur

Managing Editor,Somalia Report