Author Archives
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Kenya Election Round-Up: Historic Results, Protests, and Anomalies
The tallying of votes after national elections in Kenya has kicked off, and the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is posting updates live on its website. Local media outlets are providing breathless coverage, as well explanations of how the… Read More ›
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Around the Horn: Kenyan Elections, Somalia Airstrike, AMISOM Withdrawal
Kenyan Elections Today National elections in Kenya are today. Finally, there will be answer for who will be victorious in the presidential race between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and his perennial challenger in Raila Odinga. In 2013, Kenya’s predominately peaceful polls… Read More ›
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U.S. Assists into Counter-Terror Operations in Central Somalia, Posing Risks Again
This week, the United States provided “limited tactical advisory support” in the arrest of five al-Shabaab suspects in the central Somalia town of Galkayo, including a known facilitator named Abdirizak Hussein Tahliil who held a U.S. green card and lived… Read More ›
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Around the Horn: “Fake News” In Kenya Elections, AMISOM Challenges, and Al-Shabaab Tax on Refugees
Here is a brief overview of some of the inter-related stories in Kenya and Somalia the last week: AMISOM CHALLENGES IN SOMALIA Somalia’s Traffic Police Commissioner General Ali Hersi blamed AMISOM for being involved in approximately 500 traffic accidents and… Read More ›
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Will the Gulf Crisis Impact Conflict and Development in Somalia and East Africa?
Does the Gulf crisis between Qatar and its rivals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others others have the potential to impact conflict and development in the Horn of Africa? The UAE-Saudi alliance has accused Qatar of funding terror groups… Read More ›
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Ways to Improve Somalia’s Plans to Take Over Security from Foreign Troops
Earlier this month, Somalia’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) announced a new effort to overhaul the country’s security sector with a new security architecture to define how the government, regional leaders, police, and the army could operate more effectively. The plan lacks specifics in many areas… Read More ›
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Somali Forces Tackle Pirates, Tanzanian Security Mystery, and Weekend Longreads
Piracy Somali pirates suffered some notable defeats in a week that also highlighted the capacity of Somali forces to contribute to counter-piracy operations. However, many of the factors that motivate piracy — including foreign illegal fishing, availability of weapons, perceived corruption over foreign fishing… Read More ›
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Piracy, Drought, and Security Shakeups in Somalia
SOMALI PIRATES SEIZE FOURTH VESSEL SINCE MID-MARCH. On 3 April, pirates hijacked the Salama 1 near the Socotra Island and it was later moved to Ceel Huur. Last month, a Reuters report found local frustration in Puntland region over licensing with foreign fishermen… Read More ›
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Around the Horn: Ethiopian Exits, Somaliland Courts Trump, and U.S. Expands Drone War
ETHIOPIAN WITHDRAWALS: Ethiopian troops reportedly withdrew from three areas in central Somalia, including Ceelbuur, Dhusamareeb, and El-lahelay. Last October, Ethiopia made similar withdrawals citing “lack of support” from the international community for its Somalia operations, while some attributed it to the need to discuss… Read More ›
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Somali Refugees Returned from Kenya to Somalia Amid Ongoing Drought
According to a new report issued by UNHCR: In 2017, a total of 17,359 Somalis have returned from Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya to Somalia under the international community’s “voluntary repatriation” process, despite the ongoing drought and threat of famine…. Read More ›
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Kenya Fails to Apply Lessons Learned from Last Al-Shabaab Mass Raid
In the aftermath of al-Shabaab’s latest mass raid attack against Kenyan troops, the government showed it had not effectively applied lessons learned from the January 2016 El Adde attack where over 140 soldiers were thought to have been killed. At around 5 AM last… Read More ›
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A Primer for Understanding How the African Union Mission in Somalia is Funded
The International Peace Institute’s Global Observatory has published a must-read primer on how the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is funded — written by George Washington University Associate Professor Paul D. Williams. The article covers: What AMISOM Financing Issues Are… Read More ›
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Political Sands Shift in Central Somalia: Galmudug’s Political Crisis
This week, the Interim Galmudug Administration’s (IGA) parliament voted to oust regional president Abdikarim Guled from office, citing “incompetent leadership” in a no-confidence vote that had been looming for months. Earlier in the week, Guled’s presidential guards reportedly blocked access to the… Read More ›
