Al Shaabab announce death of three Kenyan solders in blast, unusually doesn’t claim responsibility

Al Shaabab announce death of three Kenyan solders in blast, unusually doesn’t claim responsibility

Al Shabaab controls large swathes of southern and central Somalia and frequently makes cross-border attacks on military and civilian targets, which security analysts say are aimed at pressuring Kenya into withdrawing its troops from peacekeeping missions in Somalia.

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Elders in terror-prone northeastern Kenya meet to evaluate ethnic relations in fragile region rocked by clan hostilities

Elders in terror-prone northeastern Kenya meet to evaluate ethnic relations in fragile region rocked by clan hostilities

In the coming days, the elders plan to launch a community sensitisation campaign and a peace caravan led by religious leaders (ulamaa) to spread messages of reconciliation and unity. There will also be a coordinated effort to mobilize support for the safe return of displaced persons to their homes and villages.

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Al-Shabaab is 18 years old: six factors behind the Somali militant group’s resilience

Al-Shabaab is 18 years old: six factors behind the Somali militant group’s resilience

The west and its African partners have focused on the “hearts and minds” approach to counterinsurgency in Somalia. Building democratic institutions and democracy is part of this strategy. But these are institutions that don’t always function in a war zone, and fail to have the intended effects.

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Humanitarian aid trap: Somali official calls for state control over aid funds as ‘aid community actors are only accountable to themselves’

Humanitarian aid trap: Somali official calls for state control over aid funds as ‘aid community actors are only accountable to themselves’

Budget support is justified, Ainte said, because the government is responsible for what happens in Somalia, even if the conflict means it does not control all of the country’s territory. Ainte did not specify which institutions might work with the government to programme any redirected money, though he mentioned it could be done by UN agencies.

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A leap into hellish Mogadishu, then I realise Daadab camp in Kenya may be heaven on earth

A leap into hellish Mogadishu, then I realise Daadab camp in Kenya may be heaven on earth

‘I’ve been caught three times in explosions and gun battles already, and I worry that one day my luck might run out.’ I can’t take this city anymore – I need to get out. I’ve spent 10 months trying to build a better future for myself, and now I admit...

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