Sunday 1,Dec,2024 {HMC} An Israeli strike on Gaza’s al-Mawasi has killed two young children and wounded their mother and sibling in the tent where they were sheltering, medical officials at Nasser Hospital said.

The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is pausing the delivery of aid through the key Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, between Israel and Gaza because of security concerns, its chief said.

The Ministry of Health says two people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the town of Sir in Jenin, the occupied West Bank. The identities of the Palestinians killed are not yet known, a ministry statement added.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the family of captive Edan Alexander that there are “negotiations taking place behind the scenes”, according to a statement by the president’s spokesperson.

President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal met with Alexander’s family less than a day after a video surfaced showing him held captive by Hamas. About 100 others are still held in Gaza.

“With an agreement reached regarding the northern border with Lebanon, it is time to finalise a deal and bring the hostages home,” Herzog said. “It can be done. Now is the opportunity to bring about a meaningful change that will lead to a deal to free the hostages,” he added, according to the statement

Kuwait’s ruler has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, taking place after more than 14 months of ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory.

Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah urged the international community to take action, calling for “an immediate ceasefire, providing international protection for innocent civilians and ensuring the opening of safe corridors and the arrival of urgent humanitarian aid”.

Rebel forces launched the largest offensive against the Syrian government in years on Wednesday. By Sunday, they had taken control of “large parts” of the country’s second-biggest city, Aleppo and were advancing towards Hama in the south.

The surprise offensive prompted the first Russian strikes on Aleppo since 2016, and saw Syria’s military withdraw its troops from the city. The attack was led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – which has a long and involved history in the Syrian conflict.

HTS was set up under a different name, Jabhat al-Nusra, in 2011 as a direct affiliate of Al Qaeda.

The leader of the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was also involved in its formation. It was regarded as one of the most effective and deadly of the groups ranged against President Assad.

But its jihadist ideology appeared to be its driving force rather than revolutionary zeal – and it was seen at the time as at odds with the main rebel coalition under the banner of Free Syria.And in 2016, the group’s leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, publicly broke ranks with Al Qaeda, dissolved Jabhat al-Nusra and set up a new organisation, which took the name Hayat Tahrir al-Sham when it merged with several other similar groups a year later.

The war in Syria has for the past four years felt as if it were effectively over.

President Bashar al-Assad’s rule is essentially uncontested in the country’s major cities, while some other parts of Syria remain out of his direct control.

These include Kurdish majority areas in the east, which have been more or less separate from Syrian state control since the early years of the conflict.

There has been some continued, though relatively muted unrest, in the south where the revolution against Assad’s rule began in 2011.

In the vast Syrian desert, holdouts from the group calling themselves Islamic State still pose a security threat, particularly during the truffle hunting season when people head to the area to find the highly profitable delicacy.

And in the north-west, the province of Idlib has been held by militant groups driven there at the height of the war.

HTS, the dominant force in Idlib, is the one that has launched the surprise attack on Aleppo.

Source BBC NEWS

Sunday 1,Dec,2024 {HMC} Somali federal military forces welcomed four boats carrying Jubbaland troops in Raskamboni, Lower Jubba region, on Sunday as preparations intensify for a major operation against al-Shabab militants.

In a statement, the federal government confirmed the newly arrived troops would join the anticipated operation, although specific troop numbers were undisclosed. Approximately 200 Jubbaland soldiers recently integrated into the federal forces have been deployed to Mogadishu for advanced training.

The federal troops stationed in Raskamboni are tasked with securing areas formerly under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and continuing counter-insurgency efforts against al-Shabab.

A Jubbaland military official expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “Our aim is not promotions but to stand by the government and jointly liberate the country from the enemy.”

Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Adan Mohamed Hassan Iraqi, commander of the Gorgor unit’s 18th Battalion, noted that integrating Somali forces is vital for stabilizing Raskamboni and neutralizing militant threats.

However, Jubbaland forces have mobilized separately in Raskamboni in response to federal deployments, raising fears of a potential standoff. Analysts warn that tensions between Mogadishu and Kismayo could undermine national security and complicate efforts to counter al-Shabab, a persistent regional threat.

Somalia’s federal government alleges that Madobe conspired with foreign entities to destabilize Somalia and shared classified information in violation of national security laws. Somali officials argue that his actions jeopardize the federal government’s efforts to implement a “one person, one vote” electoral system, which Jubaland has staunchly resisted.

Sunday 1,Dec,2024 {HMC}  Somali State Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Mohamed Omar, met with French State Minister for Francophonie and International Partnerships, Thani Mohamed-Soilihi, in Paris on Saturday to discuss enhancing bilateral relations across various sectors.

The Somali Foreign Ministry reported that the talks focused on security, migration, economic cooperation, and diplomatic engagement. The French State Minister congratulated Somalia on its recent election to the United Nations Security Council and expressed hopes for close collaboration on global challenges during Somalia’s tenure.

France reiterated its commitment to supporting Somalia’s counterterrorism efforts and enhancing maritime security, emphasizing Somalia’s critical role in advancing peace in the Horn of Africa. Minister Ali Mohamed Omar praised France’s contributions through the European Union, including support for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and sought France’s assistance for the incoming African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The AUSSOM mission is expected to start in January 2024,

The two officials also addressed the urgent need to tackle migration challenges following the tragic deaths of 22 Somali migrants off Madagascar’s coast last month. France proposed an administrative agreement to strengthen cooperation on migration management, focusing on combating illegal trafficking and enhancing humanitarian support.

The tragedy, which saw two boats carrying 70 Somali migrants capsize, underscored the risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Mayotte, a French overseas territory.

According to the government, France also expressed interest in reopening its embassy in Mogadishu, a move aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic ties.

Source Hiiraan online

Sunday 1,Dec,2024 {HMC} The Somali government has drawn a red line in its dealings with Ethiopia, insisting that Addis Ababa’s controversial pact with Somaliland must be scrapped before any dialogue can proceed. The January 2024 deal grants Ethiopia a 50-year lease on 20 kilometres of Somaliland’s coastline—an arrangement Mogadishu views as a brazen affront to its sovereignty.

“Somalia welcomes the regional leaders’ efforts to maintain peace, security, and stability in the HoA,” said Ilyas Ali Hassan, Somalia’s ambassador to Tanzania, in a carefully worded statement posted to his X account. “However, its position remains unchanged: unless the January 1, 2024, MoU is declared null and void and Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity must be respected.”

Ambassador Ilyas’s declaration came hours after Kenyan President William Ruto proposed a mediation effort involving Kenya and Uganda. The initiative, announced during a press conference in Tanzania, aims to broker talks between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Yet, Mogadishu’s position leaves little room for compromise.

For Somalia, the stakes are existential. Allowing Ethiopia to formalize its agreement with Somaliland—a self-declared independent region that Somalia considers an integral part of its territory—would set a dangerous precedent in Mogadishu’s view. Officials have repeatedly stressed that the agreement violates Somalia’s territorial integrity and undermines efforts to preserve its unity.

The maritime agreement has become a flashpoint for regional tensions. Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally, entered the deal to bolster its bid for formal recognition. Ethiopia, a landlocked nation seeking access to the Red Sea, saw the agreement as a strategic opportunity to establish a naval base and commercial port.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi has previously ruled out negotiations with Ethiopia unless the deal is nullified. “This reckless move undermines Somalia’s territorial integrity,” Fiqi said in a recent statement. “We will not engage in talks until Ethiopia reverses course and respects Somalia’s sovereignty.”

Turkey, a key player in the Horn of Africa, has attempted to mediate between Somalia and Ethiopia, although it has failed. Ankara hosted two rounds of indirect talks in July and August 2024 but indefinitely postponed a third round scheduled for September, citing the complexity of the negotiations. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is now pursuing separate discussions with both sides to bridge the divide.

International actors, including the United States, the European Union, China, and the African Union, have urged Ethiopia to respect Somalia’s sovereignty. Egypt, who has emerged as a staunch ally of Mogadishu, has also weighed in, delivering military aid to Somalia and signing a security pact.

Mogadishu has sought to rally international support, leveraging its alliances with Egypt and Eritrea—both historical rivals of Ethiopia—to counter Addis Ababa’s ambitions. This alignment has further complicated an already volatile regional landscape.

Despite intense diplomatic pressure from Mogadishu, the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement remains in limbo. Ethiopian authorities have yet to implement the deal, a delay Somali officials attribute to their persistent lobbying efforts.

Hiiraan online