Sudan: The Non- War intensifies

Olekoima Wed Jun 13 2012, 16:20

Looks like South Sudan is maturing diplomatically:-

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/sudan/articles/20120612.aspx

June 11, 2012: Sudan continues to harass South Sudan with over-flights by military aircraft. The south continues to report sporadic artillery and air attacks near the border. However, the slow war between the Sudans is now in a lull. Negotiations are one reason. Another is that Sudan already has its hands full with rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, plus the continuing low-grade turmoil out in Darfur. South Sudan has also proved to be diplomatically agile. It has used its connections with Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia quite well. The north doesn’t want to end up in a fight that brings in Uganda and certainly doesn’t want trouble with Ethiopia. Indeed, South Sudan knows it pays to have friends.

mogen Thu Jun 14 2012, 02:55

And Mogadishu is coming back to life after 20yrs!! Thanks to AMISOM

https://youtu.be/oyC8_SC292U

Thursday 14 June 2012
Mogadishu, from ‘World’s Most Dangerous City’ to your next holiday destination?

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mogadishu is losing a label it never wanted in the first place: The World's Most Dangerous City. The seaside Somali capital is enjoying a peace that, except for the infrequent attack, has lasted the better part of a year. Somalis who fled decades of war are coming back, as are U.N. workers who long operated out of Nairobi, the capital of neighboring Kenya.

Embassies are reopening and a U.S. assistant secretary of state visited here on Sunday, the highest-ranking U.S. official to set foot in Mogadishu since the infamous Black Hawk Down battle of 1993....Read more at
http://www.keydmedia.net/en/article/article/mogadishu_from_worlds_most_dangerous_city_to_your_next_holiday_destination/

Go go AMISOM!

mogen Fri Jun 15 2012, 03:27

Risasi wrote:
Spartan wrote:I think I the Somali Army is quickly professionalising. That, coupled with the baptism of fire they have got by taking part in the battles alongside AMISOM, bodes well for their future. Checkout the pic below

Somali Army at Elasha Bihaya on the outskirts of Mogadishu fighting alongside AMISOm

Weapon Handling - Check
Aggression - Check
Tactics - Check
Smartness - They've outdone themselves, so Check

Was this taken at a training school? They look like an elite squad with upgraded AK Rifles. Good fatigue gears too.

@Risasi & @Sparta man

The photo plus the additional ones below depict members of the Alpha Group, an elite unit of the Somalia National Army, in training. The unit which is the brainchild of president Sharif is 300-men strong, very well organised and operates from somewhere near Mogadishu Airport. Their training has been going on for two years and they are capable of responding to any security crisis in Mogadishu. Their role includes special operations eg bomb removal, supporting security services in maintaining security, protection of foreign dignitaries [they were first on the streets of Mogadishu during Ban ki Moon's visit] etc. They cover their faces during operations, and their commanders are only known to them. The best thing is that they are more disciplined that members of the Somalia Army.

The secretive nature of their operations and training [even payment of their salaries and management of it is secretive] has given rise to rumours that they are foreigners and this is something that the govt has often been at pains trying to dispel. Overall, it ha been a success. their salary is paid by the US through a US govt contracted security company. They recruiting more -slowly and methodically and target Al-Shabaab defectors -Perhaps, their archilles' heel

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Alpha_11

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Alpha_12

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The best account of this elite unit that I have read is here: http://www.somaliareport.com/index.php/post/3436/What_is_Alpha_Group

Spartan Fri Jun 15 2012, 08:31

These guys are the closest to our own Rangers, well, at least the attire part. Handpicked out of the initial 900 that completed the EU-led training at Bihanga Training School in August 2011 and re-drilled by Shhh - European and American 'Contractors' in Crazy Town

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Alfa-group-3

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Alfa-group-3

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Attachment

I don't know about covering faces, but I think it just might work in the Somali setting. Fear is the greatest motivator known to ~~Somalia~~ man. Pun intended.

Risasi Fri Jun 15 2012, 11:12

mogen wrote:
Risasi wrote:
Spartan wrote:I think I the Somali Army is quickly professionalising. That, coupled with the baptism of fire they have got by taking part in the battles alongside AMISOM, bodes well for their future. Checkout the pic below

Somali Army at Elasha Bihaya on the outskirts of Mogadishu fighting alongside AMISOm

Weapon Handling - Check
Aggression - Check
Tactics - Check
Smartness - They've outdone themselves, so Check

Was this taken at a training school? They look like an elite squad with upgraded AK Rifles. Good fatigue gears too.

@Risasi & @Sparta man

The photo plus the additional ones below depict members of the Alpha Group, an elite unit of the Somalia National Army, in training. The unit which is the brainchild of president Sharif is 300-men strong, very well organised and operates from somewhere near Mogadishu Airport. Their training has been going on for two years and they are capable of responding to any security crisis in Mogadishu. Their role includes special operations eg bomb removal, supporting security services in maintaining security, protection of foreign dignitaries [they were first on the streets of Mogadishu during Ban ki Moon's visit] etc. They cover their faces during operations, and their commanders are only known to them. The best thing is that they are more disciplined that members of the Somalia Army.

The secretive nature of their operations and training [even payment of their salaries and management of it is secretive] has given rise to rumours that they are foreigners and this is something that the govt has often been at pains trying to dispel. Overall, it ha been a success. their salary is paid by the US through a US govt contracted security company. They recruiting more -slowly and methodically and target Al-Shabaab defectors -Perhaps, their archilles' heel

The best account of this elite unit that I have read is here: http://www.somaliareport.com/index.php/post/3436/What_is_Alpha_Group

in addition

Its most likely that the security force are face masked to prevent stigmatization by the community due to the nature of their work.
It seems SNA has borrowed a page from Middle Eastern security firms. Face masking is a simple concept used by security firm esp. Afghanistan or Iraq to prevents identification which will lead to revenge attacks and reprisal from out laws.

mogen Mon Jun 18 2012, 08:35

Now this is interesting indeed. Anyway, read on:

Indigenous drones to be dispatched to all regions in Iran
Sun Jun 10, 2012 4:13PM GMT

Managing Director of the Iranian Defense Ministry Aviation Industries Organization Manouchehr Manteqi has underlined Iran's capabilities in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), saying the aircraft can fly the country’s skies round-the-clock.

Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran on Sunday, Manteqi said that by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20) UAVs can be sent off to any region in the country.

In past years, Iran has developed a number of variants of the indigenous remotely-piloted Ababil aircraft, including the tactical Ababil-5 for medium-range reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the Ababil-T for short/medium-range attack missions, and also the Ababil-B and -S.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in the capital on January 29, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the Islamic Republic would soon unveil a new indigenous naval surveillance plane.

The new maritime patrol plane has high flight duration, enabling it to keep maritime areas under surveillance via optical and radar subsystems.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and gained self-sufficiency in essential military hardware and defense systems.

Iran has repeatedly assured other nations, particularly regional neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

Photo below shows the Iranian-made Ababil unmanned aerial vehicle (file photo)
REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Irania10

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Irania10

The US drone that they felled recently must have been a gold-mine of sorts. What will stop them from reverse engineering the technology?

Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/06/10/245514/indigenous-drones-to-fly-iran-skies/

Spartan Tue Jun 19 2012, 12:04

As a security officer in a country with healthy populations of both Christians and Muslims, I am very apprehensive of the way the Nigerian authorities are handling the situation. For these terrorists to transport kilos worth of explosives, rent or steal vehicles to wire them in and detonate them week after week for two years and security has no breakthrough, it's just not very reassuring. To the point that christians are now turning on their Muslim neighbors!

Uganda went thru this with the ADF bombings of 1998-99, and we were no where near the capabilities and experience we have now but we banished the terrorists out of the country.

Nigeria is always showcased as the biggest market in sub Saharan Africa. What goes on there matters to all of us, and the time of watching as your neighbor's house is on fire should now be behind us in Africa, but we can only watch and hope that this sleeping giant gets its act right in time. Otherwise the counter-terrorism picture doesn't look good, for the whole of West Africa, it seems now.

Olekoima Tue Jun 19 2012, 14:39

It looks like there is no political will to arrest the situation. I reckon some fat cats must be benefiting from all these chaos.

Olekoima Tue Jun 19 2012, 15:43

Natural gas discoveries put East Africa on world energy map? Good to have been born in East Africa then. How nice:-

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/06/natural-gas-discoveries-put-east-africa-on-world-energy-map/

mogen Thu Jun 21 2012, 02:19

75% of Somalis support Draft Constitution
Posted Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 at 3:05 pm

A new VOA survey offers a rare look at the political views of people in war-torn Somalia. More than 3,000 people throughout Somalia responded to an unprecedented survey about the country's proposed constitution.

More than three-quarters of the respondents supported the draft constitution.......
http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/06/20/survey-offers-rare-glimpse-of-somalis-political-views-2/

cylon Fri Jun 22 2012, 11:00

Can a stronger EAC or the AU break the control of AFRICOM's influence in geopolitical issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/14/africom-imperial-agenda-marches-on

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/1432464/-/item/0/-/svvn8s/-/index.html

Clear insight guys into this matter???

Olekoima Fri Jun 22 2012, 14:38

Somalia: Islamic Radicals In Retreat:-

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20120621.aspx

Batian Fri Jun 22 2012, 19:44

cylon wrote:Can a stronger EAC or the AU break the control of AFRICOM's influence in geopolitical issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/14/africom-imperial-agenda-marches-on

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/1432464/-/item/0/-/svvn8s/-/index.html

Clear insight guys into this matter???

Right now EAC union is in tatters, with each player seeking to peddle their own long-term agenda. So uncle Sammy has seen this, and is dangling the carrot, through increased leasing of sophisticated equipment. And if the news of the guardian is anything to go by, GEO-POLITICAL tools had a hand in libya affairs by equipping proxy militia.
EAC might live to fight another day.[/b][/i]

@cycoh "DUDAS"
Its a matter of putting your enemies and friends alike under tight microscopic study. such geopolitical tools might be for a good course but may aid in increasing future potentially dangerous proxy activities within the region.

cylon Sat Jun 23 2012, 01:13

Efrommers wrote:
cylon wrote:Can a stronger EAC or the AU break the control of AFRICOM's influence in geopolitical issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/14/africom-imperial-agenda-marches-on

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/1432464/-/item/0/-/svvn8s/-/index.html

Clear insight guys into this matter???

Right now EAC union is in tatters, with each player seeking to peddle their own long-term agenda. So uncle Sammy has seen this, and is dangling the carrot, through increased leasing of sophisticated equipment. And if the news of the guardian is anything to go by, GEO-POLITICAL tools had a hand in libya affairs by equipping proxy militia.
EAC might live to fight another day.[/b][/i]

Tanzania has been slowing down the whole process they will not budge until land issues in kenya are solved, Uganda,Rwanda,Burundi,Kenya,Goss, and probably somalia(Azania) are ready for this union and pressure isnt really being felt by Tanzania after the recent gas finds in the region is feeling rather optimistic that they can weather the storm alone but its not very far until kenya discovers its own massive potential in the gas region that will make tanzania realize that it new found wealth isn't going to edge anything out same was with the Oil find in Uganda when Kenya discovered oil M7s heart sank as he knew he couldnt change the dynamics in his favor. Other than that sammy is actually struggling to do anything in Tanzania that is all Uncle Wu's garden lol..... Uganda is only milking the cash cow since they know where kony resides and kenya is just being kenya...

Batian Sat Jun 23 2012, 08:41

cylon wrote:
Efrommers wrote:
cylon wrote:Can a stronger EAC or the AU break the control of AFRICOM's influence in geopolitical issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/14/africom-imperial-agenda-marches-on

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/1432464/-/item/0/-/svvn8s/-/index.html

Clear insight guys into this matter???

Right now EAC union is in tatters, with each player seeking to peddle their own long-term agenda. So uncle Sammy has seen this, and is dangling the carrot, through increased leasing of sophisticated equipment. And if the news of the guardian is anything to go by, GEO-POLITICAL tools had a hand in libya affairs by equipping proxy militia.
EAC might live to fight another day.[/b][/i]

Tanzania has been slowing down the whole process they will not budge until land issues in kenya are solved, Uganda,Rwanda,Burundi,Kenya,Goss, and probably somalia(Azania) are ready for this union and pressure isnt really being felt by Tanzania after the recent gas finds in the region is feeling rather optimistic that they can weather the storm alone but its not very far until kenya discovers its own massive potential in the gas region that will make tanzania realize that it new found wealth isn't going to edge anything out same was with the Oil find in Uganda when Kenya discovered oil M7s heart sank as he knew he couldnt change the dynamics in his favor. Other than that sammy is actually struggling to do anything in Tanzania that is all Uncle Wu's garden lol..... Uganda is only milking the cash cow since they know where kony resides and kenya is just being kenya...

If I was Tanzania, I would not count on such resource discoveries as the rock-of-ages. Probably when under vicious interference from unknown forces does one understand the benefits of regional body. Same case as Malawi and boycott and suspension of key regional meetings. No wonder it's evident that AZANIA and GoSS as young as they are, have understood this and are seeking membership. I can see a very worrying trend, where forces are renting such resources and are being allowed to milk the cash-cow at the expense of EAC's well-being.

The recent discoveries in Kenya sunk Ug's heart and it will not be unusual if gas finds can be found in Kenya. I know if extensive explorations for gas are made then all those EAC ambitions will slow down.

Spartan Sat Jun 23 2012, 10:00

Efrommers wrote:Tanzania has been slowing down the whole process they will not budge until land issues in kenya are solved, Uganda,Rwanda,Burundi,Kenya,Goss, and probably somalia(Azania) are ready for this union and pressure isnt really being felt by Tanzania after the recent gas finds in the region is feeling rather optimistic that they can weather the storm alone but its not very far until kenya discovers its own massive potential in the gas region that will make tanzania realize that it new found wealth isn't going to edge anything out same was with the Oil find in Uganda when Kenya discovered oil M7s heart sank as he knew he couldnt change the dynamics in his favor. Other than that sammy is actually struggling to do anything in Tanzania that is all Uncle Wu's garden lol..... Uganda is only milking the cash cow since they know where kony resides and kenya is just being kenya...

If I was Tanzania, I would not count on such resource discoveries as the rock-of-ages. Probably when under vicious interference from unknown forces does one understand the benefits of regional body. Same case as Malawi and boycott and suspension of key regional meetings. No wonder it's evident that AZANIA and GoSS as young as they are, have understood this and are seeking membership. I can see a very worrying trend, where forces are renting such resources and are being allowed to milk the cash-cow at the expense of EAC's well-being.

The recent discoveries in Kenya sunk Ug's heart and it will not be unusual if gas finds can be found in Kenya. I know if extensive explorations for gas are made then all those EAC ambitions will slow down.[/quote]

Tanzania will be Tanzania, the more we try to match them at our pace the more they will resist. They seem to have a special suspicion for Kenya, so if any holier-than-thou noises are needed to whip them into line, those noses should come from elsewhere. And talking of 'sunken hearts', when you see Uganda allowing its oil to be refined in Kenya and not in Uganda, then you will have evidence of 'sunken hearts', whatever that means. Uganda intends to use its oil to create jobs, within Ug, to cater for the Uganda, East DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, even South Sudan and Western Kenya markets. If Kenya thinks it can compete, throw your hut in, this is a market economy. Our resources including oil are instruments to bring us together, not to divide us.

Of course Kenyans are welcome to apply for jobs here, and stand to benefit because of your long experience with refining.

Batian Sat Jun 23 2012, 10:46

Spartan wrote: They seem to have a special suspicion for Kenya, so if any holier-than-thou noises are needed to whip them into line, those noses should come from elsewhere. And talking of 'sunken hearts', when you see Uganda allowing its oil to be refined in Kenya and not in Uganda, then you will have evidence of 'sunken hearts', whatever that means. Uganda intends to use its oil to create jobs, within Ug, to cater for the Uganda, East DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, even South Sudan and Western Kenya markets. If Kenya thinks it can compete, throw your hut in, this is a market economy. Our resources including oil are instruments to bring us together, not to divide us.

Of course Kenyans are welcome to apply for jobs here, and stand to benefit because of your long experience with refining.

Of-course @Spartan, nobody is denying its a new fresh dawn with the recent regional resource discoveries. But as the western media puts it, there needs to be more resolve than ambitious rhetoric to ensure that income gotten as a result of mining, refining and selling the "curse" will be channeled to the intended course. Survey has witnessed that such resources have remained a conduit for commercial exploitation and resource transfer activities by foreign multinationals. I do not need to refer you far. Just observe the mess in some SADC states.

Plus you can see that the Kenya's initial building of Oil refineries years before oil discoveries shows that it can handle the commodity professionally without interference. The point we are saying about kenya remains kenya, is its resources have remained on point, in relation to others within the region that foreign multinationals have 100% autonomy.

That is why you can see that most upcoming countries in EAC trust Kenya in many reasons despite suspicions from other neighbors. I have heart-felt reservations for our long time friend DRC, she is the richest in the continent but is still yet to find peace and stability from the "suspicions". I suggest you uphold your neighbor well with esteem because there is no telling when you might need them.

Spartan Wed Jun 27 2012, 12:45

If electricity use is anything to go by, we (East Africa) are doing badly
REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Earthlights_dmsp_big

livefire Wed Jun 27 2012, 15:52

Spartan wrote:If electricity use is anything to go by, we (East Africa) are doing badly

@spartan, EA is selective, we in africa are in a hole of darkness.

Olekoima Wed Jun 27 2012, 17:57

Landslides again? Sorry our Ugandan brothers and sisters. Poleni sana:-

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501710_162-57460809/uganda-landslides-destroy-3-villages-toll-unknown/

mogen Fri Jun 29 2012, 10:14

somalia piracy is condoned and that is why it continues to thrive

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Pirate10

countersniper Fri Jun 29 2012, 14:29

if you cant deliver the kitchen sink then get out

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/US+envoy+to+Kenya+Gration+resigns+/-/1056/1439590/-/se6iorz/-/index.html

jasiri Fri Jun 29 2012, 17:55

KDF has officially lost its wingman in the U.S embassy. me thinks this guy was told to do some funny manenos Ranneberger style and refused. a real gentleman even in his demeanor, sasa let's wait and see which mad man will be posted Mashariki.

jasiri Fri Jun 29 2012, 18:09

i warned here some months ago that Bashir risks a coup in the Sudan. Seems events are transpiring to suggest exactly that! Bashir accuses U.S of inteferencekimeumana Khartoum

Batian Mon Jul 02 2012, 12:55

Gentlemen, for the first time within the press, this mysterious force (Rangers Strike force) has some light shed on it. Is it an improvement of an existing division or a completely new strike force coined from the foundation?

Spartan Mon Jul 02 2012, 19:20

The Turkish game plan on the border with Syria is begining to take shape. Aparrently the Turks want to create a buffers zone, in Syria, to be used by the Free Syrian Army to re-supply and re-org. Already, hawkish members of the US senate were last week in Turkey where they met leaders of the FSA. Having decided against NATO attacks on Syria, the West is hedging its bets on the FSA to do their bidding.

But Syria's allies Russia and Iran are not sitting idly by. Russia last week insisted the AD systems and choppers that Syria had bought would be delivered, by air if necessary, after the ship carrying them was forced back when the company insuring it was arm-twisted by Johnny to withdraw the premium. In the meantime, the Syrians are shopping around for more weapons.
REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Koy20120628009

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS: - Page 27 Koy20120628009

A Syrian delegation impressed by an AK104 with silencer and scope at the Moscow Arms Expo last week.

Spartan Tue Jul 03 2012, 14:06

I am intrigued, as usual, by Kenya's diplomatic balancing act. While other nations are reducing Iranian oil imports, it looks like we will be burning Iranian gasoline for years to come. What I am yet to figure out - Do the Iranians appreciate the friend in need that Kenya is at this time when other nations are shunning them? It's difficult to see how that is so when Iran is shipping explosives to Kenya with an unknown agenda.

The Iranians must have offered a hell of a deal for Kenya to put other considerations, like Sammy's support, aside. Kenya's stubbornly independent diplomatic stance is to be admired nonetheless.

Olekoima Tue Jul 03 2012, 16:35

Add that to these stories below and you begin to wonder/marvel at how some things get done. Pew:-

http://www.kbc.co.ke/news.asp?nid=77185

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/9372416/Tourist-facilities-used-by-Brits-among-suspected-targets-of-Iranian-agents-in-Kenya.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304211804577503220777649372.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Olekoima Tue Jul 03 2012, 16:37

And then this also:-

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/07/03/Kenya-arrests-Iranian-terror-suspects/UPI-52951341318889/?spt=hs&or=tn

Batian Wed Jul 04 2012, 10:26

shabaab claims resposnibilty

Initial shabaab extremism was aimed at fighting to hit western targets but now the ideology has changed quickly to a crusade to destroy the "infidels" who don't swear allegiance to Allah.

In other news I know Israel claims might hold some water concerning Iran's intentions globally.

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Sudan: The Non- War intensifies

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SOMALI SPECIAL FORCES

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Boko Haram and Nigeria

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ELECTRICITY USE

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Piracy is condoned

Obama man in kenya quits

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The Kenya-Iran Balancing Act

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Shabaab claim responsibility for Garissa attacks

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