Khamiis 24-Octo-2024 {HMC}–  The Somali community in Eastleigh, Nairobi, is reeling after the brutal murders of three women from the same family, whose bodies were discovered on Monday in separate locations across Kenya. The victims—Waris Daud, her 22-year-old daughter Amina Abdirashid, and her 12-year-old niece Nuseiba Dahir—had gone missing from their home in Eastleigh the night before.

The killings have drawn national attention, with leaders and human rights groups condemning the violence and raising concerns about the rising wave of femicide in Kenya.

The three women went missing on Sunday night after Waris left home to visit a hospital due to illness. When she didn’t return, her daughter Amina and niece Nuseiba left to search for her. That was the last time the family heard from them.

The bodies were found in different locations: Waris’s body, showing signs of extreme violence and mutilation, was discovered in Machakos, 60 kilometres from Nairobi; Amina’s body was located in the Parklands area; and the youngest victim, Nuseiba, was found in Bahati, Nairobi. The murders have shocked the Somali community and sparked national outrage.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched an investigation, with detectives reviewing CCTV footage that captured Amina and Nuseiba entering a taxi on the night they disappeared. Nairobi County Police Chief Adamson Bungei said, “We are following several leads and questioning witnesses, but at this point, we do not have a clear motive.” The police believe the women were killed elsewhere before their bodies were dumped in different locations.

The victims’ families, overwhelmed by grief, gathered at Nairobi City Mortuary to identify their loved ones. Their grief was palpable. “We don’t understand why this happened. We need justice and protection,” said Sumeya Noor, a relative of the victims.

The brutal nature of the murders has raised concerns about a rising wave of femicide in Kenya. In the past three days, six women have been found murdered across the country under mysterious circumstances, prompting calls for action from political leaders and human rights organizations.

Political leaders have joined the calls for swift justice. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said, “Given the recent wave of abductions and killings, it’s hard to believe anyone feels safe in our country right now.” Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, who represents Eastleigh, described the murders as a tragedy for the entire community. “The Eastleigh community is devastated by this tragedy. We need answers and swift action from the authorities to ensure our people are safe.”

Human rights organizations, including the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), have condemned the killings and expressed alarm over the rising violence against women. “Enough is enough! Women and girls in Kenya are facing a severe threat to their safety. The government must act now to protect us,” said Christine Kungu, Chairperson of FIDA.

FIDA has called for increased vigilance and the deployment of resources to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of violence against women. They are urging the Inspector General of Police to publicly reassure women and girls that their safety is a priority.

The Somali community in Eastleigh, a large diaspora population, remains fearful as investigations continue. Many are concerned that the murders are part of a larger pattern of targeted violence against Somalis in Kenya. The recent abduction and murder of Somali-Kenyan politician Yusuf Hussein Ahmed, who was found dead 40 days after his disappearance in September, has only heightened these fears.

“We’ve seen cases like this before, and nothing seems to change,” said Noor. “We just want justice and protection for our families.”

Ahmed’s murder, believed to involve state actors, has heightened fears that Somali politicians and community members are being targeted.

Kenya has seen a rise in forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in recent years, many of which have disproportionately affected communities like the Somalis. Human rights groups have consistently condemned this trend, calling for accountability and protection.

As the family of Waris, Amina, and Nuseiba prepares to lay their loved ones to rest according to Islamic tradition, they continue to demand justice. The Somali community is left to mourn, their grief deepened by the uncertainty of their safety in a country where, as Sifuna stated, “nobody is safe until all of us are safe.”

Khamiis 24-Octo-2024 {HMC}– The Somali Council of Ministers approved a defence cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tanzania on Wednesday night.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who chaired the meeting, highlighted the importance of the agreement, though details of the MoU were not disclosed.

In recent months, Somalia has signed similar agreements with Egypt, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to enhance defence cooperation with regional and international partners.

The latest defence pact comes as relations between Somalia and Ethiopia have soured following Ethiopia’s MoU with Somaliland, signed in January 2024. That agreement granted Ethiopia access to the Red Sea and included establishing a military base in Somaliland, a move Somalia views as violating its territorial integrity.

Somali officials expressed concern over the Ethiopia-Somaliland deal, which has led to increased diplomatic friction. Prime Minister Barre’s government has ramped up efforts to secure strategic military alliances in response to what it sees as encroachments on its sovereignty.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Somalia’s Ministers of Defense and Security also provided updates on the country’s security situation and the ongoing fight against the extremist group Al-Shabaab. The government continues to seek international support to bolster its national security and protect its territorial integrity in the face of regional challenges.

Hiiraan Online

Khamiis 24-Octo-2024 {HMC}–  After five months of relative calm, Somali pirates have returned to the high seas, posing renewed threats to global shipping lanes. The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), operating under Operation ATALANTA, has raised an alert following the departure of a suspected pirate action group (PAG) from Somalia’s northern-central coast. The warning signals a resurgence of piracy in the region, where lawlessness and instability have once again become a breeding ground for maritime crime.

According to the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSCHOA), the PAG, consisting of 13 armed pirates, left Ceel Huur near Hobyo and is heading toward the Indian Ocean. “All vessels are advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity,” the agency urged, reigniting fears of another wave of hijackings and attacks.

The last significant pirate activity in the region occurred on June 7, 2024, when the Marshall Islands-flagged PACIFIC HONOR was approached by suspicious vessels. That incident ended without harm, but the message was clear: Somali pirates are biding their time. Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group, explains the timing: “With the end of the monsoon season, weather conditions have improved. This gives pirates the opportunity to resume operations, and we’ve been warning clients of the increased risk.”

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) report from January to September 2024 reveals that while global piracy incidents have dropped to their lowest levels since 1994, Somali pirates remain active. Though the threat of Somali piracy had decreased from its notorious peak in the late 2000s, the tactics of modern-day pirates are becoming more sophisticated. Pirates no longer rely solely on small skiffs; instead, they commandeer dhows and fishing vessels, repurposing them as “mother ships.” These vessels enable pirates to strike targets as far as 800 nautical miles offshore, complicating international efforts to intercept them.

In a reminder of their capabilities, Somali pirates have made headlines with high-profile attacks in the past year. In December 2023, the MV Ruen was hijacked and held for three months before Indian naval forces freed the crew. In March 2024, the MV Abdullah was seized by pirates and only released after a ransom was paid.

Somali piracy does not exist in isolation. It is part of a broader regional crisis that includes Houthi rebel attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks have forced shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, adding thousands of nautical miles to their journeys and increasing costs. Fewer ships are available for anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean, allowing pirates to operate with fewer restrictions. “The regional landscape has shifted, and with it, pirates have more opportunities,” Kelly noted while praising the Indian Navy for its role in recent rescues.

Global piracy incidents may be declining, with the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reporting 79 incidents between January and September 2024—the lowest since 1994—but Somali waters remain a hotspot. Of the incidents reported, 111 crew members were taken hostage, 11 were kidnapped, and violence against crew members is on the rise. The IMB cautions that pirates’ ability to operate far from the Somali coastline makes them a persistent threat.

The global cost of piracy is staggering. In 2020 alone, piracy was estimated to cost the world economy $37 billion annually.

Source Hiiraan Online