In a move to avoid any further political distress, the Congress has instructed all its spokesperson to steer clear of making any comments on PM Modi or his public addresses.

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Congress instructs all its spokespersons not to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his public addresses.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/939149133788545025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Political leaders took to condemning Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar who recently made headlines for calling PM Modi a &#39;neech aadmi&#39;.

The veteran Congressman was asked by Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the PM and later suspended from the party.&nbsp;

Mani Shankar Aiyar later confessed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/neech-row-i-am-ready-to-accept-any-punishment-that-the-congress-wants-to-give-me-says-mani-shankar-aiyar-26240" target="_blank">his willingness to accept any punishment</a> from the Congress if the party faces loss in Gujarat elections owing to the &#39;neech&#39; row.&nbsp;

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi alluded to the topic earlier today while addressing a rally in Chotta Udaipur stating that Congress respects the PM and that nobody in the party can use ill language to talk about the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-pak-mani-shankar-aiyar-said-remove-modi-from-the-way-says-pm-modi-in-gujarat-rally-26269" target="_blank">Prime Minister</a> of the country.

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Congress party hindustan ke PM ki kursi ka aadar karti hai. Aur congress party mein galat shabd prayog karke koi bhi PM ke baare mein nahi bol sakta. Modi ji humare baare mein kuch bhi keh sakte hain. Isliye humne <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ManiShankarAiyar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ManiShankarAiyar</a> par sakht karyawahi ki: Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/pYHMJB0QRs">pic.twitter.com/pYHMJB0QRs</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/939043112025964545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Modi ji humare baare mein kuch bhi keh sakte hain. Isliye humne Mani Shankar Aiyar par sakht karyawahi ki,&quot; he noted.&nbsp;

A police official said several people have been injured

In a move to avoid any further political distress, the Congress has instructed all its spokesperson to steer clear of making any comments on PM Modi or his public addresses. Congress instructs all its spokespersons not to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his public addresses. — ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2017 × Political leaders took to condemning Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar who recently made headlines for calling PM Modi a 'neech aadmi'. The veteran Congressman was asked by Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the PM and later suspended from the party. Mani Shankar Aiyar later confessed his willingness to accept any punishment from the Congress if the party faces loss in Gujarat elections owing to the 'neech' row. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi alluded to the topic earlier today while addressing a rally in Chotta Udaipur stating that Congress respects the PM and that nobody in the party can use ill language to talk about the Prime Minister of the country. Congress party hindustan ke PM ki kursi ka aadar karti hai. Aur congress party mein galat shabd prayog karke koi bhi PM ke baare mein nahi bol sakta. Modi ji humare baare mein kuch bhi keh sakte hain. Isliye humne #ManiShankarAiyar par sakht karyawahi ki: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/pYHMJB0QRs — ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2017 × "Modi ji humare baare mein kuch bhi keh sakte hain. Isliye humne Mani Shankar Aiyar par sakht karyawahi ki," he noted.

18 dead in suicide attack on Somalia's police academy, Al Shabaab claims responsibility

The US&nbsp;military said it killed more than&nbsp;100&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;militants&nbsp;in Somalia&nbsp;on Tuesday when it launched an&nbsp;air&nbsp;strike&nbsp;against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group that wants to topple the UN-backed government.

The military&#39;s Africa Command said the&nbsp;strike&nbsp;was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target&nbsp;militants.

The&nbsp;strike&nbsp;was done in coordination with&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s federal government, the Pentagon said.

US&nbsp;air&nbsp;strikes killing such a large number of&nbsp;militants&nbsp;in&nbsp;Somalia&nbsp;are rare, but not unprecedented. In March 2016, a US&nbsp;air strike&nbsp;killed more than 150 al Shabaab fighters in&nbsp;Somalia.

Somalia&#39;s state news agency SONNA reported late on Tuesday that &quot;about&nbsp;100&nbsp;militants&quot; were killed when US&nbsp;planes and Somali commandos attacked al Shabaab bases in the Bur Elay area of Bay region.

Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the attack. &quot;It is just... propaganda,&quot; he told Reuters in&nbsp;Somalia.

Al Shabaab is fighting to topple&nbsp;Somalia&rsquo;s Western-backed transitional federal government and impose its own rule on the Horn of Africa country.

Earlier this month, the US&nbsp;warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital.

Al Shabaab has lost control of most of&nbsp;Somalia&rsquo;s cities and towns since it was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011. But it retains a strong presence in parts of the south and center and carries out gun and bomb attacks.

&quot;Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US&nbsp;and our partners in the region,&quot; the US&nbsp;military statement said.

Al Shabaab aims to topple&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s government, drive out African Union peacekeeping troops and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

Earlier this month, the US&nbsp;military also carried out its first&nbsp;strikes against Islamic State&nbsp;militants in&nbsp;Somalia&nbsp;and said it killed &quot;several terrorists.&quot;

The military's Africa Command said the?strike?was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target?militants

The US military said it killed more than 100 Islamist militants in Somalia on Tuesday when it launched an air strike against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group that wants to topple the UN-backed government. The military's Africa Command said the strike was carried out on a camp 125 miles (201 km) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target militants. The strike was done in coordination with Somalia's federal government, the Pentagon said. US air strikes killing such a large number of militants in Somalia are rare, but not unprecedented. In March 2016, a US air strike killed more than 150 al Shabaab fighters in Somalia. Somalia's state news agency SONNA reported late on Tuesday that "about 100 militants" were killed when US planes and Somali commandos attacked al Shabaab bases in the Bur Elay area of Bay region. Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the attack. "It is just... propaganda," he told Reuters in Somalia. Al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s Western-backed transitional federal government and impose its own rule on the Horn of Africa country. Earlier this month, the US warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital. Al Shabaab has lost control of most of Somalia’s cities and towns since it was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011. But it retains a strong presence in parts of the south and center and carries out gun and bomb attacks. "Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our partners in the region," the US military statement said. Al Shabaab aims to topple Somalia's government, drive out African Union peacekeeping troops and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Earlier this month, the US military also carried out its first strikes against Islamic State militants in Somalia and said it killed "several terrorists."

US says air strike kills over 100 militants in Somalia

The death toll in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twin-bomb-blasts-in-somalia-capital-kill-over-200-22466">twin bomb attack in Somalia&#39;s capital Mogadishu</a> has risen to more than 300, an official told Reuters on Monday.

No organization<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/al-shabaab-militants-kill-us-navy-seal-in-somalia-two-troops-injured-15269"> has claimed responsibility for the blasts</a> which occurred on Saturday.

&quot;We have confirmed 300 people died in the blast. The death toll will still be higher because some people are still missing,&quot; Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of the city&#39;s ambulance service, told Reuters.

Aden Nur, a doctor at the city&#39;s Madina hospital told Reuters that they had recorded 258 deaths while Ahmed Ali, a nurse at the nearby Osman Fiqi hospital, told Reuters five bodies had been sent there.

Nur said 160&nbsp;bodies could not be recognized.&nbsp;

&quot;There is still a national rescue operation underway,&quot;&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s information ministry said in a statement, adding that there would be &quot;national mourning and prayers for the victims&quot; in the coming days.

Saturday&#39;s blast is the worst in Somalia&#39;s history, came six years after Shabaab militants were pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union and Somali troops.

No organization has claimed responsibility for the blasts which occurred on Saturday.

The death toll in the twin bomb attack in Somalia's capital Mogadishu has risen to more than 300, an official told Reuters on Monday. No organization has claimed responsibility for the blasts which occurred on Saturday. "We have confirmed 300 people died in the blast. The death toll will still be higher because some people are still missing," Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of the city's ambulance service, told Reuters. Aden Nur, a doctor at the city's Madina hospital told Reuters that they had recorded 258 deaths while Ahmed Ali, a nurse at the nearby Osman Fiqi hospital, told Reuters five bodies had been sent there. Nur said 160 bodies could not be recognized. "There is still a national rescue operation underway," Somalia's information ministry said in a statement, adding that there would be "national mourning and prayers for the victims" in the coming days. Saturday's blast is the worst in Somalia's history, came six years after Shabaab militants were pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union and Somali troops.

Watch Somalia bomb attack: Death toll rises to over 300

Somalia&#39;s capital Mogadishu was struck by an explosion targeted at government buildings leading to heavy casualties.

&quot;We heard a huge explosion in Wadajir district, there are some casualties, but the number is unknown,&quot; Abifutah Omar Halane, the spokesman for Mogadishu&#39;s mayor told Reuters.

At least 10 people have been&nbsp;killed and 20 others wounded, reports said.&nbsp;

al Shabaab, an al Qaida-linked terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Al Shabaab said it was a car bomb attack targeted at government buildings.

&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s a suicide car bomb in Wadajir District building in which Somali officials and their staff stay. There are government and their staff who have died at the scene. We will tell you the number of dead later,&quot; Reuters quoted Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab spokesman for military operations.

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At least 10 people were killed and 20 others were wounded on Tuesday (June 20) in a car bombing in Somali capital Mogadishu (WION)
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al Shabaab, an al Qaida-linked terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack

Somalia's capital Mogadishu was struck by an explosion targeted at government buildings leading to heavy casualties. "We heard a huge explosion in Wadajir district, there are some casualties, but the number is unknown," Abifutah Omar Halane, the spokesman for Mogadishu's mayor told Reuters. At least 10 people have been killed and 20 others wounded, reports said. al Shabaab, an al Qaida-linked terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack. Al Shabaab said it was a car bomb attack targeted at government buildings. "It's a suicide car bomb in Wadajir District building in which Somali officials and their staff stay. There are government and their staff who have died at the scene. We will tell you the number of dead later," Reuters quoted Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab spokesman for military operations. At least 10 people were killed and 20 others were wounded on Tuesday (June 20) in a car bombing in Somali capital Mogadishu (WION) ×

Car bomb attack in Mogadishu, al Shabaab claims responsibility

At least 19 people were killed after militants of the Islamist Al Shabaab group launched a suicide bomb and gun attack in a hotel and an adjoining restaurant in&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s capital Mogadishu on Thursday.

A car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into the Posh Hotel in south Mogadishu before gunmen rushed into Pizza House, an adjacent restaurant, and took 20 people hostage. 
 
District police chief Abdi Bashir told Reuters Somali security forces took back control of the restaurant at midnight after the gunmen had held hostages inside for several hours. Five of the gunmen were killed, Bashir said.

Another 27 civilians were taken to hospital with various injuries, ambulance services said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are in control of the hotel but it was mostly destroyed by the suicide bomber,&quot; he told Reuters.&nbsp;

Police cordoned off the whole district surrounding the Pizza House and the&nbsp;hotel, the only venue with a discotheque in the capital.

The spokesman for the country&#39;s interior ministry, Ahmed Mohamud Adow, said the dead included a Syrian national who worked at the restaurant.

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, Reuters reported. 
 
The group has carried out a campaign of suicide bombings in its bid to topple the Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam.

The Horn of Africa country has been racked by armed conflict since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other. 
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A suicide bomber?rammed an explosive-laden car into the hotel's entrance before Al Shabaab gunmen stormed the restaurant to take hostages

At least 19 people were killed after militants of the Islamist Al Shabaab group launched a suicide bomb and gun attack in a hotel and an adjoining restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday. A car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into the Posh Hotel in south Mogadishu before gunmen rushed into Pizza House, an adjacent restaurant, and took 20 people hostage. District police chief Abdi Bashir told Reuters Somali security forces took back control of the restaurant at midnight after the gunmen had held hostages inside for several hours. Five of the gunmen were killed, Bashir said. Another 27 civilians were taken to hospital with various injuries, ambulance services said. "We are in control of the hotel but it was mostly destroyed by the suicide bomber," he told Reuters. Police cordoned off the whole district surrounding the Pizza House and the hotel, the only venue with a discotheque in the capital. The spokesman for the country's interior ministry, Ahmed Mohamud Adow, said the dead included a Syrian national who worked at the restaurant. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, Reuters reported. The group has carried out a campaign of suicide bombings in its bid to topple the Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam. The Horn of Africa country has been racked by armed conflict since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.

Somalia: 19 dead after suicide bomber targets Mogadishu restaurant

A bombing claimed by Islamist insurgents killed five civilians and injured six more in the Somali capital on Wednesday, a spokesman for the city&#39;s mayor said, underscoring the militants&#39; ability to carry out attacks despite territorial losses.

Bombings are a near-daily occurrence in Mogadishu. Most are claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militia, which is fighting to overthrow the weak UN-backed government and drive out the African Union peacekeeping force that supports it.

&quot;We have confirmed that five civilians, including a mother and her son, have died,&quot; said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu mayor.

A Reuters reporter at the scene saw burnt bodies and a wrecked car near a damaged police checkpoint.

A spokesman for al Shabaab&#39;s military operations said one of the group&#39;s fighters was killed in the incident.

&quot;One mujahid (fighter) was martyred after he targeted security officials with his car bomb,&quot; said the spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab.

Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, al Shabaab has lost control of most of Somalia&#39;s cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in swathes of the south and centre.

Also on Wednesday, eight Kenyan security officers were killed on the Kenyan side of the Somali border in two separate roadside bombings. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Adding to the violence, a small jihadist group in the north of Somalia has split from the main insurgency and declared allegiance to Islamic State. That group claimed responsibility for a bombing in the northern city of Bosasso that killed five people on Tuesday.

Somalia has been mired in civil war since 1991. It is also suffering from a regional drought that threatens to tip its population of 12 million into famine.

(Reuters)

Bombings are a near-daily occurrence in Mogadishu, where al Shabaab fights to overthrow the weak UN-backed government

A bombing claimed by Islamist insurgents killed five civilians and injured six more in the Somali capital on Wednesday, a spokesman for the city's mayor said, underscoring the militants' ability to carry out attacks despite territorial losses. Bombings are a near-daily occurrence in Mogadishu. Most are claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militia, which is fighting to overthrow the weak UN-backed government and drive out the African Union peacekeeping force that supports it. "We have confirmed that five civilians, including a mother and her son, have died," said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu mayor. A Reuters reporter at the scene saw burnt bodies and a wrecked car near a damaged police checkpoint. A spokesman for al Shabaab's military operations said one of the group's fighters was killed in the incident. "One mujahid (fighter) was martyred after he targeted security officials with his car bomb," said the spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab. Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, al Shabaab has lost control of most of Somalia's cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in swathes of the south and centre. Also on Wednesday, eight Kenyan security officers were killed on the Kenyan side of the Somali border in two separate roadside bombings. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for both attacks. Adding to the violence, a small jihadist group in the north of Somalia has split from the main insurgency and declared allegiance to Islamic State. That group claimed responsibility for a bombing in the northern city of Bosasso that killed five people on Tuesday. Somalia has been mired in civil war since 1991. It is also suffering from a regional drought that threatens to tip its population of 12 million into famine. (Reuters)

Al Shabaab bombing in Somali capital kills five, injures six

A US&nbsp;Navy SEAL was killed and two troops wounded in a clash with al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, US&nbsp;officials said on Friday, in what appeared to be the first US combat death in the country since the 1993 &quot;Black Hawk Down&quot; disaster.

The White House has granted the US&nbsp;military broader authority to carry out strikes in Somalia against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, the latest sign President Donald Trump is increasing US military engagement in the region.&nbsp;

US Africa Command said a service member was killed by small arms fire on Thursday while US forces were advising and assisting a Somali National Army operation in Barii about 40 miles (60 km) west of Mogadishu.

They did not give further details on the identities of any of the three casualties.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man killed was a US Navy SEAL. It was not immediately clear whether the wounded US forces were also from the elite military unit.

The US troops were hunting an al-Shabaab commander near the Shabelle river alongside Somali special forces, a Mogadishu-based security source told Reuters. There were no Somali casualties.

The raid took place at Darusalam village, where Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame, known as Mahad Karate, was believed to be hiding, said another security source.

Warsame is the deputy leader of al-Shabaab and US authorities have offered $5 million for information that brings him to justice.&nbsp;

&quot;Warsame played a key role in the Amniyat, the wing of al-Shabaab responsible for assassinations and the April 2, 2015 attack on Garissa University College that resulted in 150 deaths,&quot; said a statement on the Rewards for Justice website, which is run by the US State Department.

It was not clear yet if Warsame was the target of the raid, the security source said.&nbsp;

A spokesman for al-Shabaab, which wants to overthrow the weak Western-backed Somali government and impose its own strict brand of Islamic law, said US troops had attacked one of their bases.&nbsp;

&quot;Last night at 1 am&nbsp;US forces attacked us in Darusalam village, in lower Shabelle region. After fighting, the US forces ran away,&quot; said Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabaab&rsquo;s military operation spokesman.

&quot;They left ammunition and weapons on the scene and blood stains. First they had a helicopter which landed some kilometres away from our base, to which they walked. We inflicted heavy casualties -- some forces died and others were wounded but we do not have the exact figure.&quot;

Residents of Darusalam village said the gunfire lasted for around 10 minutes. &quot;Last night, helicopters hovered over us and we were scared. Then late at night, there was fighting,&quot; resident Mohamed Hassan told Reuters.

US Africa Command said US personnel were working alongside members of the Somali military.

&quot;US forces are assisting partner forces to counter al-Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the al Qaeda affiliate`s ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in America,&quot; it said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;Although US forces are not engaged in direct action (in Somalia), advise and assist missions are inherently dangerous,&quot; added Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman at the US military&rsquo;s Africa Command.&nbsp;

Somalia has been shattered by civil war that began when clan-based warlords overthrew a dictator in 1991 and then turned on each other.&nbsp;

A US military intervention there in 1993 ended after the &quot;Black Hawk Down&quot; incident, when 18 US soldiers were killed after Somali militia shot down two US helicopters in the capital of Mogadishu.&nbsp;

African Union peacekeeping forces have been in Somalia since 2007, gradually expanding from the airport to secure the capital and eventually pushing into other major towns. US military advisers have also secretly operated in the country since around 2007.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

The Navy SEAL was killed by small arms fire on Thursday while US forces were advising and assisting a Somali National Army operation in Barii about 40 miles west of Mogadishu

A US Navy SEAL was killed and two troops wounded in a clash with al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, US officials said on Friday, in what appeared to be the first US combat death in the country since the 1993 "Black Hawk Down" disaster. The White House has granted the US military broader authority to carry out strikes in Somalia against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, the latest sign President Donald Trump is increasing US military engagement in the region. US Africa Command said a service member was killed by small arms fire on Thursday while US forces were advising and assisting a Somali National Army operation in Barii about 40 miles (60 km) west of Mogadishu. They did not give further details on the identities of any of the three casualties. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man killed was a US Navy SEAL. It was not immediately clear whether the wounded US forces were also from the elite military unit. The US troops were hunting an al-Shabaab commander near the Shabelle river alongside Somali special forces, a Mogadishu-based security source told Reuters. There were no Somali casualties. The raid took place at Darusalam village, where Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame, known as Mahad Karate, was believed to be hiding, said another security source. Warsame is the deputy leader of al-Shabaab and US authorities have offered $5 million for information that brings him to justice. "Warsame played a key role in the Amniyat, the wing of al-Shabaab responsible for assassinations and the April 2, 2015 attack on Garissa University College that resulted in 150 deaths," said a statement on the Rewards for Justice website, which is run by the US State Department. It was not clear yet if Warsame was the target of the raid, the security source said. A spokesman for al-Shabaab, which wants to overthrow the weak Western-backed Somali government and impose its own strict brand of Islamic law, said US troops had attacked one of their bases. "Last night at 1 am US forces attacked us in Darusalam village, in lower Shabelle region. After fighting, the US forces ran away," said Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabaab’s military operation spokesman. "They left ammunition and weapons on the scene and blood stains. First they had a helicopter which landed some kilometres away from our base, to which they walked. We inflicted heavy casualties -- some forces died and others were wounded but we do not have the exact figure." Residents of Darusalam village said the gunfire lasted for around 10 minutes. "Last night, helicopters hovered over us and we were scared. Then late at night, there was fighting," resident Mohamed Hassan told Reuters. US Africa Command said US personnel were working alongside members of the Somali military. "US forces are assisting partner forces to counter al-Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the al Qaeda affiliate`s ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in America," it said in a statement. "Although US forces are not engaged in direct action (in Somalia), advise and assist missions are inherently dangerous," added Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman at the US military’s Africa Command. Somalia has been shattered by civil war that began when clan-based warlords overthrew a dictator in 1991 and then turned on each other. A US military intervention there in 1993 ended after the "Black Hawk Down" incident, when 18 US soldiers were killed after Somali militia shot down two US helicopters in the capital of Mogadishu. African Union peacekeeping forces have been in Somalia since 2007, gradually expanding from the airport to secure the capital and eventually pushing into other major towns. US military advisers have also secretly operated in the country since around 2007. (Reuters)

Al-Shabaab militants kill US Navy SEAL in Somalia, two troops injured

Somali pirates have seized an Indian vessel carrying 11 crew members, the ship&#39;s owner said Monday, the third such hijacking in less than a month as piracy resurges in the country.

The &quot;Al Kausar&quot; cargo ship was carrying items such as wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia&#39;s Bossaso port when it came under attack, owner Isaak Them told AFP.

&quot;The vessel was hijacked on Friday (March 31) from mid sea. One of the crew members called me on Saturday evening and informed me about the hijacking,&quot; said Them.

&quot;We have asked those who loaded their goods in the vessel in Dubai to make efforts to salvage our crew and the vessel.&quot;&nbsp;

The president of the Kutch Seafarers Association, Adam Them, from the western state of Gujarat where the vessel originated, told AFP that the pirates had already made ransom demands. &nbsp;

&quot;We got a call from one of the crew members today that the pirates have demanded money from the owners of the goods in the vessel,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;Negotiations are on. The crew member further informed that five gunmen were onboard the vessel ... However, nobody has been hurt.&quot;

Mohamed Samater, a security official from Puntland on the northeastern tip of Somalia, confirmed that a ship had been hijacked.

&quot;We have been informed about another hijack of a ship ...but we don&#39;t have the details yet, the pirates boarded the ship with more than ten crew members on-board,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Piracy resurges | 
 
On March 13, pirates seized the Aris 13 oil tanker and eight Sri Lankan hostages in the first such incident since 2012, but released them four days later.

A week later a local cargo dhow was hijacked and taken out to sea, with the Oceans Beyond Piracy NGO warning it may be used as a &quot;mother ship&quot; for further attacks against larger vessels.

Somali pirates began staging waves of attacks in 2005, seriously disrupting a major international shipping route and costing the global economy billions of dollars.

At the peak of the piracy crisis in January 2011, 736 hostages and 32 boats were held.&nbsp;

Though anti-piracy measures ended attacks on commercial vessels, fishing boats have continued to face attacks.

Oceans Beyond Piracy said the recent attacks showed &quot;that Somali pirates still possess the capability and intent to capture vessels. Additionally tensions in coastal communities about illegal fishing in Somali waters continue to escalate.&quot;

Village elders said last month that the attack on Aris 13 was driven by anger over illegal fishing.

John Steed -- a former British army officer with Oceans Beyond Piracy, who has spent years negotiating the release of piracy hostages in Somalia -- has warned that the presence of foreign vessels emptying Somali waters could reverse the gains against piracy.

He told AFP last month that while the international community had taken steps to boost security, &quot;the one thing that&#39;s not really been addressed is the real root cause of this, which is poverty and the lack of jobs on the ground.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The vessel is heading towards the Somali shore

Somali pirates have seized an Indian vessel carrying 11 crew members, the ship's owner said Monday, the third such hijacking in less than a month as piracy resurges in the country. The "Al Kausar" cargo ship was carrying items such as wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia's Bossaso port when it came under attack, owner Isaak Them told AFP. "The vessel was hijacked on Friday (March 31) from mid sea. One of the crew members called me on Saturday evening and informed me about the hijacking," said Them. "We have asked those who loaded their goods in the vessel in Dubai to make efforts to salvage our crew and the vessel." The president of the Kutch Seafarers Association, Adam Them, from the western state of Gujarat where the vessel originated, told AFP that the pirates had already made ransom demands. "We got a call from one of the crew members today that the pirates have demanded money from the owners of the goods in the vessel," he said. "Negotiations are on. The crew member further informed that five gunmen were onboard the vessel ... However, nobody has been hurt." Mohamed Samater, a security official from Puntland on the northeastern tip of Somalia, confirmed that a ship had been hijacked. "We have been informed about another hijack of a ship ...but we don't have the details yet, the pirates boarded the ship with more than ten crew members on-board," he said. Piracy resurges | On March 13, pirates seized the Aris 13 oil tanker and eight Sri Lankan hostages in the first such incident since 2012, but released them four days later. A week later a local cargo dhow was hijacked and taken out to sea, with the Oceans Beyond Piracy NGO warning it may be used as a "mother ship" for further attacks against larger vessels. Somali pirates began staging waves of attacks in 2005, seriously disrupting a major international shipping route and costing the global economy billions of dollars. At the peak of the piracy crisis in January 2011, 736 hostages and 32 boats were held. Though anti-piracy measures ended attacks on commercial vessels, fishing boats have continued to face attacks. Oceans Beyond Piracy said the recent attacks showed "that Somali pirates still possess the capability and intent to capture vessels. Additionally tensions in coastal communities about illegal fishing in Somali waters continue to escalate." Village elders said last month that the attack on Aris 13 was driven by anger over illegal fishing. John Steed -- a former British army officer with Oceans Beyond Piracy, who has spent years negotiating the release of piracy hostages in Somalia -- has warned that the presence of foreign vessels emptying Somali waters could reverse the gains against piracy. He told AFP last month that while the international community had taken steps to boost security, "the one thing that's not really been addressed is the real root cause of this, which is poverty and the lack of jobs on the ground." (AFP)

Somali pirates hijack Indian ship with 11 crew members

Somalia&#39;s prime minister announced today that 110 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region as a severe drought threatens millions of people across the country.

It was the first death toll announced by Somalia&#39;s government since it declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday.

The United Nations estimates that 5 million people in this Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine. 
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire spoke during a meeting with the Somali National Drought Committee. The death toll he announced is from the Bay region in the southwest part of the country alone.

Somalia was one of four regions singled out by the UN secretary-general last month in a USD 4.4 billion aid appeal to avert catastrophic hunger and famine, along with northeast Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.

All are connected by a thread of violent conflict, the UN chief said. The government has said the widespread hunger &quot;makes people vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and to criminal and terrorist networks&quot;.

The UN humanitarian coordinator, Stephen O&#39;Brien, was expected to visit Somalia in the next few days.

Thousands have been streaming into Somalia&#39;s capital, Mogadishu, in search of food aid, overwhelming local and international aid agencies. Over 7,000 internally displaced people checked into one feeding center recently.

The drought is the first crisis for Somalia&#39;s newly elected Somali-American leader, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Previous droughts and a quarter-century of conflict, including ongoing attacks by extremist group al-Shabab, have left the country fragile. Mohamed has appealed to the international community and Somalia&#39;s diaspora of 2 million people for help.

About 363,000 acutely malnourished children in Somalia &quot;need urgent treatment and nutrition support, including 71,000 who are severely malnourished,&quot; the US Agency for International Development&#39;s Famine Early Warning Systems Network has warned.

Because of a lack of clean water in many areas, there is the additional threat of cholera and other diseases, UN experts say. Some deaths from cholera already have been reported.

The UN humanitarian appeal for 2017 for Somalia is USD 864&nbsp;million to provide assistance to 3.9 million people. But the UN World Food Program recently requested an additional USD 26 million plan to respond to the drought.

(PTI)

The government said widespread hunger 'makes people vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and to criminal and terrorist networks'

Somalia's prime minister announced today that 110 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region as a severe drought threatens millions of people across the country. It was the first death toll announced by Somalia's government since it declared the drought a national disaster on Tuesday. The United Nations estimates that 5 million people in this Horn of Africa nation need aid, amid warnings of a full-blown famine. Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire spoke during a meeting with the Somali National Drought Committee. The death toll he announced is from the Bay region in the southwest part of the country alone. Somalia was one of four regions singled out by the UN secretary-general last month in a USD 4.4 billion aid appeal to avert catastrophic hunger and famine, along with northeast Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen. All are connected by a thread of violent conflict, the UN chief said. The government has said the widespread hunger "makes people vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and to criminal and terrorist networks". The UN humanitarian coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, was expected to visit Somalia in the next few days. Thousands have been streaming into Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, in search of food aid, overwhelming local and international aid agencies. Over 7,000 internally displaced people checked into one feeding center recently. The drought is the first crisis for Somalia's newly elected Somali-American leader, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. Previous droughts and a quarter-century of conflict, including ongoing attacks by extremist group al-Shabab, have left the country fragile. Mohamed has appealed to the international community and Somalia's diaspora of 2 million people for help. About 363,000 acutely malnourished children in Somalia "need urgent treatment and nutrition support, including 71,000 who are severely malnourished," the US Agency for International Development's Famine Early Warning Systems Network has warned. Because of a lack of clean water in many areas, there is the additional threat of cholera and other diseases, UN experts say. Some deaths from cholera already have been reported. The UN humanitarian appeal for 2017 for Somalia is USD 864 million to provide assistance to 3.9 million people. But the UN World Food Program recently requested an additional USD 26 million plan to respond to the drought. (PTI)

Somalia drought: ?110 dead from hunger in past 48 hours

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday.

More than 20 million people face&nbsp;starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters.

&quot;We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe,&quot; he said.

So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades.

South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year.

There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program.

The UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months.

Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as &quot;man-made food crises.&quot;

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the &quot;largest food insecurity emergency in the world,&quot; said Guterres.

Un-blocking aid

The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports.

The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians.

&quot;The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas,&quot; said Guterres.

Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on.&nbsp;

Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action.

The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis.

The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late.

&quot;These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd,&quot; said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC.

&quot;The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

More than 20 million people face?starvation in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. More than 20 million people face starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters. "We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe," he said. So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades. South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year. There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program. The UN children's agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months. Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as "man-made food crises." In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the "largest food insecurity emergency in the world," said Guterres. Un-blocking aid The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports. The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians. "The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas," said Guterres. Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on. Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food. Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action. The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis. The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late. "These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd," said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC. "The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears," he added. (AFP)

UN needs emergency funding of $4.4 bn for famine relief in four countries

The death toll in&nbsp;the Somali hotel attack has risen to 28 as more people succumbed&nbsp;to injuries, AFP news wire quoting&nbsp;emergency services in Mogadishu has informed.

Earlier, at least 13 people were killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu when a suspected suicide car bomb rammed into the gate of a hotel shortly before a second bomb was detonated as security forces and journalists gathered at the scene.

The second blast was caught by a Reuters camera, sending journalists running for cover. A number of journalists were injured by the bomb blast.

Politicians often stay at the Dayah hotel. Around a dozen were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment. The dead included civilians and members of the security forces.

&nbsp;

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Andalus radio station reported Somalia&#39;s militant group al-Shabaab was behind the attack (WION)
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Somalia&#39;s militant group al Shabaab was behind the attack, Andalus radio station - which is close to the group - reported.

Al Shabaab, which until 2011 controlled Mogadishu and much of Somalia, often launches bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying it wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam on the nation.

In the past two years, a campaign by African Union troops and Somali forces has driven the group out of key urban strongholds, but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Andalus radio station reported Somalia's militant group al Shabaab was behind the attack

The death toll in the Somali hotel attack has risen to 28 as more people succumbed to injuries, AFP news wire quoting emergency services in Mogadishu has informed. Earlier, at least 13 people were killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu when a suspected suicide car bomb rammed into the gate of a hotel shortly before a second bomb was detonated as security forces and journalists gathered at the scene. The second blast was caught by a Reuters camera, sending journalists running for cover. A number of journalists were injured by the bomb blast. Politicians often stay at the Dayah hotel. Around a dozen were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment. The dead included civilians and members of the security forces. Andalus radio station reported Somalia's militant group al-Shabaab was behind the attack (WION) × Somalia's militant group al Shabaab was behind the attack, Andalus radio station - which is close to the group - reported. Al Shabaab, which until 2011 controlled Mogadishu and much of Somalia, often launches bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying it wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam on the nation. In the past two years, a campaign by African Union troops and Somali forces has driven the group out of key urban strongholds, but it remains active from bases in rural areas. (Reuters)

Mogadishu hotel bomb attack: Death toll rises to 28

&nbsp;Somali pirates on Saturday freed 26 Asian sailors they had held captive in a small fishing village for more than four years, according to government officials, Reuters reporte

The sailors are from&nbsp;&nbsp;China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Taiwan .&nbsp;They were captured near Seychelles in February 2012.

&quot;The crew is here (in Galkayo). They will be flown to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Saturday,&quot; local mayor Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters.

Barre told Reuters that the ship&#39;s captain was killed in the hijacking&nbsp;and two&nbsp;others died from illness during their time in captivity , one of the longest among hostages seized by pirates in the Horn of Africa nation.

&quot;The crew did not say if ransom was paid,&quot; he added.

According to Reuters, the sailors were held in Dabagala&nbsp;some 400 km (250 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, a&nbsp;hamlet &nbsp;known to be&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s main pirate base when pirate attacks were rampant&nbsp;in waters linking Europe with Africa and Asia.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The sailors are from??China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Taiwan

Somali pirates on Saturday freed 26 Asian sailors they had held captive in a small fishing village for more than four years, according to government officials, Reuters reporte The sailors are from China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Taiwan . They were captured near Seychelles in February 2012. "The crew is here (in Galkayo). They will be flown to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Saturday," local mayor Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters. Barre told Reuters that the ship's captain was killed in the hijacking and two others died from illness during their time in captivity , one of the longest among hostages seized by pirates in the Horn of Africa nation. "The crew did not say if ransom was paid," he added. According to Reuters, the sailors were held in Dabagala some 400 km (250 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, a hamlet known to be Somalia's main pirate base when pirate attacks were rampant in waters linking Europe with Africa and Asia. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Somali pirates release 26 Asian sailors held captive since 2012

A car bomb went off outside the president&#39;s residence in Somalia&#39;s capital on Tuesday, damaging nearby hotels, police informed. 
 
&quot;A suicide car bomb exploded outside the presidential palace. So far two hotels opposite 
the palace are partially destroyed,&quot; Major Mohamed Ali, a police officer, told Reuters over 
phone. 
 
(WION)

The explosion in the capital damaged nearby hotel buildings

A car bomb went off outside the president's residence in Somalia's capital on Tuesday, damaging nearby hotels, police informed. "A suicide car bomb exploded outside the presidential palace. So far two hotels opposite the palace are partially destroyed," Major Mohamed Ali, a police officer, told Reuters over phone. (WION)

Car bomb explodes outside president's residence in Somalia

US Secretary of State John Kerry and counterparts from eight African nations meet in Nairobi on Monday to discuss ways to prevent South Sudan from sliding back into civil war and advance a political transition in Somalia. 
 
Kerry arrived in the Kenyan capital late on Sunday - after a two-week summer break - for his second trip as secretary of state to Nairobi since May 2015. 
 
On Tuesday, he travels to Sokoto, Nigeria, the historic Muslim city in the remote northwest, followed by talks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. 
 
&quot;We will ... talk about how we move forward in trying to implement peace in this country,&quot; a senior State Department official said of South Sudan. 
 
&quot;The people of South Sudan have suffered for far too long, and the continued instability there has led almost a million refugees and a humanitarian crisis that is far beyond the abilities of even the international community to respond to,&quot; the official told a conference call. 
 
The international community has poured billions of aid into supporting the world&#39;s youngest nation, which gained independence in 2011. Oil production, by far the biggest source of government revenue, has plummeted. 
 
But worsening violence has raised fears of a return to civil war that erupted in late 2013, which broadly ran along ethnic lines, pitting President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against his rival and vice president Riek Machar, a Nuer. 
 
Violence flared when Machar withdrew his forces from the capital Juba in July and was sacked by Kiir as vice president. 
 
Machar was picked up by UN peacekeepers in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo a week ago with a leg injury and was handed over to authorities in Congo. 
 
Machar led a two-year rebellion against forces loyal to rival Kiir before the two sides reached a peace deal in August 2015. Under the deal, Machar returned to Juba in April to resume his role as vice president. 
 
On Monday, Kerry will meet Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta before joining foreign ministers from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Djibouti, Tanzania, Somalia and Ethiopia to discuss South Sudan and Somalia, where there are concerns that delays in the approval of new election rules could dampen its recovery from conflict. 
 
World powers and regional states have struggled to find leverage over the warring factions in South Sudan, despite US and European sanctions on some military leaders and African threats of punitive actions. 
 
Especially of concern to Washington was an attack on a Juba hotel in July by uniformed men who killed a U.S.-funded journalist and raped civilians, including aid workers. 
 
The UN has launched an investigation into accusations UN peacekeepers in Juba failed to respond properly to the attack. 
 
In Kerry&#39;s talks with Kenyatta, he will also discuss Kenya&#39;s presidential election set for August 2017, the senior State Department official said. 
 
Opposition protests in Nairobi since April have stoked fears among church leaders and Western diplomats of a repeat of the violence following the 2007 election in which 1,200 people were killed. 
 
In a letter to Kerry before his visit, the Human Rights Watch group urged him to discuss rights concerns with Kenyatta. The group said it had documented 34 cases of extrajudicial killings and another 11 deaths of people last seen in state custody over alleged links with al-Shabaab militants in Nairobi and in the northeast. 
 
(Reuters)

World powers and regional states have long struggled to find leverage over the warring factions in South Sudan

US Secretary of State John Kerry and counterparts from eight African nations meet in Nairobi on Monday to discuss ways to prevent South Sudan from sliding back into civil war and advance a political transition in Somalia. Kerry arrived in the Kenyan capital late on Sunday - after a two-week summer break - for his second trip as secretary of state to Nairobi since May 2015. On Tuesday, he travels to Sokoto, Nigeria, the historic Muslim city in the remote northwest, followed by talks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. "We will ... talk about how we move forward in trying to implement peace in this country," a senior State Department official said of South Sudan. "The people of South Sudan have suffered for far too long, and the continued instability there has led almost a million refugees and a humanitarian crisis that is far beyond the abilities of even the international community to respond to," the official told a conference call. The international community has poured billions of aid into supporting the world's youngest nation, which gained independence in 2011. Oil production, by far the biggest source of government revenue, has plummeted. But worsening violence has raised fears of a return to civil war that erupted in late 2013, which broadly ran along ethnic lines, pitting President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against his rival and vice president Riek Machar, a Nuer. Violence flared when Machar withdrew his forces from the capital Juba in July and was sacked by Kiir as vice president. Machar was picked up by UN peacekeepers in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo a week ago with a leg injury and was handed over to authorities in Congo. Machar led a two-year rebellion against forces loyal to rival Kiir before the two sides reached a peace deal in August 2015. Under the deal, Machar returned to Juba in April to resume his role as vice president. On Monday, Kerry will meet Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta before joining foreign ministers from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Djibouti, Tanzania, Somalia and Ethiopia to discuss South Sudan and Somalia, where there are concerns that delays in the approval of new election rules could dampen its recovery from conflict. World powers and regional states have struggled to find leverage over the warring factions in South Sudan, despite US and European sanctions on some military leaders and African threats of punitive actions. Especially of concern to Washington was an attack on a Juba hotel in July by uniformed men who killed a U.S.-funded journalist and raped civilians, including aid workers. The UN has launched an investigation into accusations UN peacekeepers in Juba failed to respond properly to the attack. In Kerry's talks with Kenyatta, he will also discuss Kenya's presidential election set for August 2017, the senior State Department official said. Opposition protests in Nairobi since April have stoked fears among church leaders and Western diplomats of a repeat of the violence following the 2007 election in which 1,200 people were killed. In a letter to Kerry before his visit, the Human Rights Watch group urged him to discuss rights concerns with Kenyatta. The group said it had documented 34 cases of extrajudicial killings and another 11 deaths of people last seen in state custody over alleged links with al-Shabaab militants in Nairobi and in the northeast. (Reuters)

US Secretary of State John Kerry, African ministers to meet on South Sudan violence, Somalia

At least seven people, including two attackers, were killed in a bombing and shooting attack by the Islamist al Shabaab group on Somalia&#39;s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters today, police said. 
 
&quot;We have confirmed seven dead, including civilians and two militants,&quot; Ali Mohamed, a police officer, told Reuters. 
 
He said police had killed two gunmen who stormed into the building in the capital after two car bombs exploded outside. 
 
(Reuters)

Police killed the two Islamist al Shabaab militants, who stormed into the building after two car bombs exploded outside

At least seven people, including two attackers, were killed in a bombing and shooting attack by the Islamist al Shabaab group on Somalia's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters today, police said. "We have confirmed seven dead, including civilians and two militants," Ali Mohamed, a police officer, told Reuters. He said police had killed two gunmen who stormed into the building in the capital after two car bombs exploded outside. (Reuters)

7 killed in attack on Somalia's central investigation department headquarters

At least eight people were killed today when two huge bombs went off near Mogadishu&#39;s airport, including one close to the UN&#39;s political office in the Somali capital, a security source told AFP. 
 
An AFP journalist at the scene heard gunfire after the explosions tore through the area, one of which was believed to be a car bomb. 
 
Somalia&#39;s Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab has carried out a string of similar attacks. 
 
The city&#39;s airport is heavily fortified and adjoins the capital&#39;s main base for the African Union mission to Somalia, the 22,000-strong force backing the government in the battle against Shabaab insurgents. 
 
The jihadists were chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 but remain a serious threat in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya, where they carry out frequent attacks. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab has carried out a string of similar attacks

At least eight people were killed today when two huge bombs went off near Mogadishu's airport, including one close to the UN's political office in the Somali capital, a security source told AFP. An AFP journalist at the scene heard gunfire after the explosions tore through the area, one of which was believed to be a car bomb. Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab has carried out a string of similar attacks. The city's airport is heavily fortified and adjoins the capital's main base for the African Union mission to Somalia, the 22,000-strong force backing the government in the battle against Shabaab insurgents. The jihadists were chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 but remain a serious threat in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya, where they carry out frequent attacks. (AFP)

Twin explosions kill at least 8 in Somali capital

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama&#39;s secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. 
 
At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America&#39;s ongoing battle against violent extremism. 
 
In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America&#39;s principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. 
 
The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. 
 
Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. 
 
Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. 
 
The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. 
 
Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday&#39;s release did not appear to change that narrative. 
 
Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments.&nbsp; 
 
The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s hard to credit the government&#39;s death count, which is lower than all independent assessments,&quot; said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU&#39;s National Security Project. 
 
&quot;The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings,&quot; Hina added. 
 
Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. 
 
&quot;Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur,&quot; the DNI said in a statement. 
 
Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. 
 
Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. 
 
&quot;Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it&#39;s not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. 
 
&quot;Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict,&quot; Obama&#39;s order states.&nbsp; 
 
Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. 
 
&quot;The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities,&quot; Pitter noted. 
 
The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. 
 
However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama&#39;s eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. 
 
&quot;If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge,&quot; said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. 
 
(AFP)

It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments: American Civil Liberties Union director

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama's secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America's ongoing battle against violent extremism. In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America's principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday's release did not appear to change that narrative. Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments. The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. "It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments," said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project. "The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings," Hina added. Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. "Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur," the DNI said in a statement. Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. "Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it's not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law," she said. Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. "Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict," Obama's order states. Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. "The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities," Pitter noted. The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama's eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. "If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge," said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. (AFP)

In a first, US releases death toll from drone strikes in Libya, Somalia and Pakistan

Kenya aims to reduce by almost half the population of Dadaab refugee camp which is home to about 326,000 mostly Somali refugees by the end of the year, a committee that groups Kenya, Somalia and the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. 
 
Kenya has said it wants to close the camp, which was once home to more than half a million refugees, citing security threats. Nairobi says the Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab has used the camp as a recruiting ground to launch attacks on Kenya. 
 
But Kenya has been urged by United States, United Nations and others to ensure no one is forced to return to Somalia, which is still struggling to rebuild after decades of conflict and continues to face an Islamist insurgency. 
 
After a meeting on Saturday, the so-called Tripartite Commission said Dadaab had 326,000 refugees at the end of May, already 100,000 fewer than five years earlier, many of whom it said were believed to have returned to Somalia. 
 
&quot;The parties noted the prospect of the reduction of the population in the Dadaab camps by 150,000 individuals by the end of 2016,&quot; the joint communique said, referring to string of sites that make up the Dadaab camp complex. 
 
It said the number would be reduced due to &quot;voluntary returns to Somalia, relocation of non-Somali refugees, the de-registration of Kenyan citizens who registered as refugees, and a population verification exercise.&quot; 
 
The UN had said earlier this year that it planned to reduce the number of people in Dadaab by 50,000 by the end of 2016, but had said that it could be a challenge given continued security concerns in Somalia and lack of schools and other public services there. 
 
A UN official said on Sunday that the new target of reducing the Dadaab population by 150,000 was a prospective figure and it was not guaranteed to be achieved. 
 
The Tripartite Commission also said it had agreed to meet again in October 2016 to review progress made &quot;on the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees from Kenya.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The Somali Islamist group, al-Shabaab, has used Dadaab refugee camp as a recruiting ground to launch attacks on Kenya, says Nairobi

Kenya aims to reduce by almost half the population of Dadaab refugee camp which is home to about 326,000 mostly Somali refugees by the end of the year, a committee that groups Kenya, Somalia and the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. Kenya has said it wants to close the camp, which was once home to more than half a million refugees, citing security threats. Nairobi says the Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab has used the camp as a recruiting ground to launch attacks on Kenya. But Kenya has been urged by United States, United Nations and others to ensure no one is forced to return to Somalia, which is still struggling to rebuild after decades of conflict and continues to face an Islamist insurgency. After a meeting on Saturday, the so-called Tripartite Commission said Dadaab had 326,000 refugees at the end of May, already 100,000 fewer than five years earlier, many of whom it said were believed to have returned to Somalia. "The parties noted the prospect of the reduction of the population in the Dadaab camps by 150,000 individuals by the end of 2016," the joint communique said, referring to string of sites that make up the Dadaab camp complex. It said the number would be reduced due to "voluntary returns to Somalia, relocation of non-Somali refugees, the de-registration of Kenyan citizens who registered as refugees, and a population verification exercise." The UN had said earlier this year that it planned to reduce the number of people in Dadaab by 50,000 by the end of 2016, but had said that it could be a challenge given continued security concerns in Somalia and lack of schools and other public services there. A UN official said on Sunday that the new target of reducing the Dadaab population by 150,000 was a prospective figure and it was not guaranteed to be achieved. The Tripartite Commission also said it had agreed to meet again in October 2016 to review progress made "on the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees from Kenya." (Reuters)

Kenya to halve size of Somali refugee camp by 2016 end

A Somali cabinet minister is among the 15 killed in an Islamic extremist attack on a hotel in Somalia&#39;s capital, police said today. 
 
Four attackers also died in the assault which was claimed by al-Shabab, Somalia&#39;s militant rebels who are allied to al-Qaida. 
 
State minister for the Prime Minister&#39;s Office, Buri Hamza, was among those killed, said Capt Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali police officer. 
 
Hamza died when his hotel room collapsed on Saturday because of the powerful car bomb which extremists used to blast their way into the Nasa-Hablod Hotel. 
 
At least 34 people were injured, according to police and hospital sources. 
 
It is the second attack on a hotel since the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan in early June. Both attacks have been claimed by al-Shabab. 
 
The attacks have raised concerns about the security of hotels in the seaside capital which has seen numerous attacks by al-Shabab in recent years. 
 
&quot;The trend and lethality of such attacks suggest how vulnerable the security of hotels and the city in general are now,&quot; said Mohamed Sheikh Abdi, a Somali political analyst. 
 
&quot;By carrying out such attacks, al-Shabab aims to portray itself as the stronger and dominant force when it comes to the security of the city,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Many residents now shun going to hotels that provide some of the few sources of entertainment available in Mogadishu.&quot; 
 
Mogadishu resident Ahmed Ali said that he has stopped going to hotels because they are &quot;death traps because they are favourite targets for al-Shabab ... Having fun at hotels is good but my safety comes first.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

State minister Buri Hamza died when his hotel room collapsed on Saturday because of a powerful car bomb used by extremists

A Somali cabinet minister is among the 15 killed in an Islamic extremist attack on a hotel in Somalia's capital, police said today. Four attackers also died in the assault which was claimed by al-Shabab, Somalia's militant rebels who are allied to al-Qaida. State minister for the Prime Minister's Office, Buri Hamza, was among those killed, said Capt Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali police officer. Hamza died when his hotel room collapsed on Saturday because of the powerful car bomb which extremists used to blast their way into the Nasa-Hablod Hotel. At least 34 people were injured, according to police and hospital sources. It is the second attack on a hotel since the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan in early June. Both attacks have been claimed by al-Shabab. The attacks have raised concerns about the security of hotels in the seaside capital which has seen numerous attacks by al-Shabab in recent years. "The trend and lethality of such attacks suggest how vulnerable the security of hotels and the city in general are now," said Mohamed Sheikh Abdi, a Somali political analyst. "By carrying out such attacks, al-Shabab aims to portray itself as the stronger and dominant force when it comes to the security of the city," he said. "Many residents now shun going to hotels that provide some of the few sources of entertainment available in Mogadishu." Mogadishu resident Ahmed Ali said that he has stopped going to hotels because they are "death traps because they are favourite targets for al-Shabab ... Having fun at hotels is good but my safety comes first." (PTI)

Somali minister among 15 killed in extremist attack on hotel

Somalia&#39;s al Shabaab Islamist group launched a suicide bomb attack on a hotel in the centre of Mogadishu on Saturday before fighters stormed inside, police and the militant group said. 
 
Police said at least seven people had died and 10 others were wounded. Gunfire echoed round the seaside city after the blast and ambulances raced to the scene. 
 
&quot;We attacked the hotel which was frequented by the apostate government members,&quot; al Shabaab military operations spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters, adding that the group&#39;s fighters were inside the building. 
 
Al Shabaab frequently carries out attacks in the capital in its bid to topple the Western-backed government. 
 
&quot;Those who died included civilians and hotel guards,&quot; police major Ali Hassan told Reuters. 
 
&quot;We have rescued many people from the back door. No one can enter the building from the front or near the front. There are snipers there,&quot; he said as fighting continued. 
 
Earlier, another police officer said the initial blast was caused by a suicide bomber before fighters stormed into the Nasahablood hotel. There was a heavy exchange of gunfire. 
 
Muslims in&nbsp;Somalia&nbsp;and around the world are observing Ramadan. In previous years, al Shabaab has often intensified attacks during the fasting month, often picking targets where people gather just before or after breaking the fast. 
 
(Reuters)

Somalia's al Shabaab Islamist group launched a suicide bomb attack on a hotel in the centre of Mogadishu on Saturday before fighters stormed inside, police and the militant group said. Police said at least seven people had died and 10 others were wounded. Gunfire echoed round the seaside city after the blast and ambulances raced to the scene. "We attacked the hotel which was frequented by the apostate government members," al Shabaab military operations spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters, adding that the group's fighters were inside the building. Al Shabaab frequently carries out attacks in the capital in its bid to topple the Western-backed government. "Those who died included civilians and hotel guards," police major Ali Hassan told Reuters. "We have rescued many people from the back door. No one can enter the building from the front or near the front. There are snipers there," he said as fighting continued. Earlier, another police officer said the initial blast was caused by a suicide bomber before fighters stormed into the Nasahablood hotel. There was a heavy exchange of gunfire. Muslims in Somalia and around the world are observing Ramadan. In previous years, al Shabaab has often intensified attacks during the fasting month, often picking targets where people gather just before or after breaking the fast. (Reuters)

Somalia Islamist group al Shabaab launch suicide bomb attack before storming inside Mogadishu hotel

Somalian al Shabaab militants said their fighters rammed a car laden with a bomb into a base of Ethiopian troops serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and stormed inside and killed 43 soldiers today. 
 
Residents near the base in the central town of Haglan said they heard a huge explosion and heavy exchanges of gunfire shortly before dawn. Gun shots were heard for at least an hour after the initial blast, they added. 
 
There was no immediate comment from the African Union&#39;s AMISOM force, made up of African nations supporting Somalia&#39;s Western-backed government in its fight against the al Qaeda-linked militants. 
 
AMISOM usually says it is up to troop-contributing countries to announce casualties. In the past, casualty figures cited by al Shabaab have been much higher than official numbers. 
 
&quot;Our fighters stormed the Halgan base of AMISOM,&quot; al Shabaab&#39;s military operations spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters. He said the group used a suicide car bomb and then militants opened fire on Ethiopian troops there. 
 
He said &quot;several&quot; al Shabaab fighters died but did not give a number. 
 
&quot;It was a huge blast. It destroyed the gate and parts of the base,&quot; the spokesman said, adding al Shabaab fighters overran the base and drove out the Ethiopian troops before withdrawing. 
 
Al Shabaab fighters also repelled a counter-attack by troops from Djibouti&nbsp;deployed from another base in the area, he said. 
 
The group often launches gun and bomb attacks on officials, Somali security forces and AMISOM in a bid to topple the government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam on Somalia. 
 
In January, Kenyan troops serving with AMISOM suffered heavy losses when al Shabaab made a dawn raid on their camp in El Adde, near the Kenyan border. Al Shabaab said it killed more than 100 soldiers but Kenya gave no exact casualty figure.

Somalian al Shabaab militants attacked Ethiopian military base; slain troops were serving the African Union's Mission in Somalia

Somalian al Shabaab militants said their fighters rammed a car laden with a bomb into a base of Ethiopian troops serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and stormed inside and killed 43 soldiers today. Residents near the base in the central town of Haglan said they heard a huge explosion and heavy exchanges of gunfire shortly before dawn. Gun shots were heard for at least an hour after the initial blast, they added. There was no immediate comment from the African Union's AMISOM force, made up of African nations supporting Somalia's Western-backed government in its fight against the al Qaeda-linked militants. AMISOM usually says it is up to troop-contributing countries to announce casualties. In the past, casualty figures cited by al Shabaab have been much higher than official numbers. "Our fighters stormed the Halgan base of AMISOM," al Shabaab's military operations spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters. He said the group used a suicide car bomb and then militants opened fire on Ethiopian troops there. He said "several" al Shabaab fighters died but did not give a number. "It was a huge blast. It destroyed the gate and parts of the base," the spokesman said, adding al Shabaab fighters overran the base and drove out the Ethiopian troops before withdrawing. Al Shabaab fighters also repelled a counter-attack by troops from Djibouti deployed from another base in the area, he said. The group often launches gun and bomb attacks on officials, Somali security forces and AMISOM in a bid to topple the government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam on Somalia. In January, Kenyan troops serving with AMISOM suffered heavy losses when al Shabaab made a dawn raid on their camp in El Adde, near the Kenyan border. Al Shabaab said it killed more than 100 soldiers but Kenya gave no exact casualty figure.

43 soldiers killed in attack on Ethiopian base in Somalia, al Shabaab claims

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