africom related news clips 26 january 2012

8/3/2019 AFRICOM Related News Clips 26 January 2012

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U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Office +49(0)711-729-2687 [email protected]

United States Africa CommandPublic Affairs Office

26 January 2012

Please find attached news clips for January 26, 2012, along with upcoming events ofinterest and UN News Service briefs.

The succesful military operation that freed two hostages from Somali pirate hands early

on the 25th led in most media throughout the day.

Of other interest in today's clips:- Despite ongoing violence the UN special envoy to Somalia has moved into Mogadishu

for the first time in 17 years.- An appeal for a stay of deportation filed by Leon Mugesera, a former Rwandan accused

of delivering a speech that helped incite the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has been rejectedby two Canadian courts. Deportation could be on his horizon.

- Violence in Bani Walid, Libya has subsided, locals report "Allegations of pro-Gaddafielements in Bani Walid," are not true.

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U.S. Africa Command Public AffairsPlease send questions or comments to:

[email protected] (+49-711-729-2687)

--------------------------------------------

Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa

Statement by the President on Successful Hostage Rescue (The White House, Office

of the Press Secretary)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/25/statement-president-successful-

hostage-rescueJanuary 25, 2012

For Immediate Release: On Monday, I authorized an operation to rescue JessicaBuchanan, an American citizen who was kidnapped and held against her will for three

months in Somalia. Thanks to the extraordinary courage and capabilities of our SpecialOperations Forces, yesterday Jessica Buchanan was rescued and she is on her way home.

As Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out thismission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts.


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Statement by the Secretary of Defense on Hostage Rescue Operation in Somalia

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15024January 25, 2012

Last night U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted, by order of the President

of the United States, a successful mission in Somalia to rescue twoindividuals taken hostage on October 25, 2011. Ms. Jessica Buchanan, anAmerican citizen employed by the Danish Demining Group, and her Danish

colleague, Mr. Poul Thisted, were kidnapped at gunpoint by criminal suspectsnear Galcayo, Somalia.

U.S. Forces Rescue Kidnapped American, Danish Humanitarian Workers in

Somalia (AFRICOM.mil)

http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7561&lang=0

January 25, 2012STUTTGART, Germany, Jan 25, 2012 - By the order of the President of the

United States and under the direction of U.S. Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM),early Wednesday morning, January 25, 2012, U.S. Special Operations Forces

rescued an American citizen and a Danish citizen from captivity in Somalia.

Special Operations Forces Rescue Hostages in Somalia (DoD homepage)

http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=66914

January 25, 2012By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012 Special operations forces rescued an American womanand Danish man who had been held captive in Somalia for three months, President

Barack Obama announced early this morning.

Sources: US raid frees American and Dane held hostage in Somalia (AP)http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/01/25/sources-us-raid-frees-american-and-dane-

held-hostage-in-somalia/?test=latestnewsJanuary 25, 2012

U.S. military forces flew in helicopters under the cover of darkness on a raid into Somaliaearly Wednesday and freed an American and a Dane held hostage, Western officials said.

Pirates reported a gun battle with several casualties.

Aid workers kidnapped in Somalia are rescued (CNN)

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/world/africa/somalia-aid-workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

January 25, 2012By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia last year were rescued duringan operation early Wednesday, a Danish aid group said.

U.S. raid frees two pirate hostages in Somalia (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/us-somalia-hostages-idUSTRE80O0I220120125


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January 25, 2012By an unattributed author

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - U.S. helicopters swooped into central Somalia on Wednesdayand rescued two hostages, an American and a Dane, from pirates in a rare raid into the

Horn of Africa nation to free foreign captives.

Somalia: Western hostages freed in 'US military raid' (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16714344


Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia three months ago have been freed in aUS military raid, officials say.

US official: SEAL team in rescue also killed Osama (AP)

http://news.yahoo.com/us-official-seal-team-rescue-killed-osama-132142355.htmlJanuary 25, 2012

By Kimberly DozierWASHINGTON (AP) A U.S. official says the Navy SEAL team that rescued two

hostages in Somalia was the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden.

Somalia: Western hostages freed in US military raid (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-africa-16714344

By an unattributed authorJanuary 25, 2012

Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia three months ago have been freed in arare US military raid.

UN envoy moves to Somalia as violence rages (Al Jazeera)

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/01/201212418481378344.htmlJanuary 25, 2012

The UN special envoy to Somalia moved to Mogadishu for the first time in 17 years,signalling international support for a government fight against Islamist rebels and

preparations for elections this year.

Canada deports Rwandan genocide suspect Leon Mugesera (FRANCE24 / AFP)

http://www.france24.com/en/20120124-rwanda-genocide-hutu-tutsi-canada-deportation-

leon-mugeseraJanuary 24, 2012

By an unattributed authorAFP - Two Canadian courts on Monday rejected last-ditch appeals of a Rwandan man

accused of helping incite the 1994 genocide in his homeland, moving him one step closerto possible deportation.

Nigeria, U.S. Facing Similar Terror Threats, Says Envoy (allAfrica.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201250238.html25 January 2012


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By Tokunbo Adedoja and Zacheaus SomorinThe United States has said it will partner Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, a

phenomenon it described as similar to that being faced by Americans.

Africa: Aid Can Spur 'Historic Progress' - Bill Gates (allAfrica.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201250001.htmlJanuary 24, 2012By Tami Hultman

INTERVIEW: Bill and Melinda Gates, who co-chair the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation, say that they are responding to a challenge from Warren Buffet by taking on

"the really tough problems." They are optimists, they say, focusing on a few big goalsand funding innovations, as they work with a variety of partners around the world.

Anger, chaos but no revolt after Libya violence (Reuters)

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE80O03220120125January 25, 2012

By Oliver HolmesBANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) - A bullet-scarred barracks, scorched and abandoned like

the ageing tanks guarding its shattered gateway, was all that remained on Tuesday ofwhat passed for the Libyan government's grip on Bani Walid.

###

UN News Service Africa Briefs

http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA

(Full Articles on UN Website)

Outgoing UN envoy stresses importance of reconciliation for Liberia

25 January The outgoing United Nations envoy in Liberia today stressed the need for

reconciliation in the country, adding that this is an essential step to consolidate stabilityand to ensure that the progress achieved by the democratic elections held last year can

continue.

DR Congo: UN peacekeeping chief stresses need for stability and reconciliation

25 January The United Nations peacekeeping chief stressed today the need for stability

and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which hasexperienced a tense political climate since its presidential elections in November.

Libya facing challenging transition, but authorities striving to succeed UN

25 January Libya is going through a difficult transition, having inherited weak state

institutions and an absence of political parties, the top United Nations envoy in thecountry told the Security Council today, adding that the interim Government is

committed to addressing the challenges.


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###

Upcoming Events of Interest:

26 JANUARY 2012

WHEN: 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.WHAT: Brookings Institution Discussion on "Negotiating Humanitarian Access: How

Far to Compromise to Deliver Aid."Speakers: Introduction and Moderator Elizabeth Ferris, Co-Director, Brookings-LSE

Project on Internal Displacement; Panelists: William Garvelink, Senior Adviser, U.S.Leadership in Development, Center for Strategic International Studies; Markus Geisser,

Deputy Head of Regional Delegation, International Committee for the Red Cross;Michael Neuman, Research Director, Centre de Rflexion sur lAction et les Savior

Humanitaries , Mdecins Sans Frontires; and Rabih Torbay, Vice President forInternational Operations, International Medical Corps.

WHERE: Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NWCONTACT: 202-797-6105; [email protected]; web site: www.brookings.edu

SOURCE: Brookings Institution - event announcement at:http://www.brookings.edu/events/2012/0126_negotiating_access.aspx

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FULLTEXT

Statement by the President on Successful Hostage Rescue (The White House, Office

of the Press Secretary)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/25/statement-president-successful-

hostage-rescueJanuary 25, 2012

For Immediate Release

On Monday, I authorized an operation to rescue Jessica Buchanan, an American citizen

who was kidnapped and held against her will for three months in Somalia. Thanks to theextraordinary courage and capabilities of our Special Operations Forces, yesterday

Jessica Buchanan was rescued and she is on her way home. As Commander-in-Chief, Icould not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission, and the dedicated

professionals who supported their efforts.

Jessica Buchanan was selflessly serving her fellow human beings when she was takenhostage by criminals and pirates who showed no regard for her health and well-being.

Last night I spoke with Jessica Buchanans father and told him that all Americans haveJessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with


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her family. The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spareno effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice. This is

yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand stronglyagainst any threats to our people.

###

Statement by the Secretary of Defense on Hostage Rescue Operation in Somalia

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15024January 25, 2012

Last night U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted, by order of the President

of the United States, a successful mission in Somalia to rescue twoindividuals taken hostage on October 25, 2011. Ms. Jessica Buchanan, an

American citizen employed by the Danish Demining Group, and her Danishcolleague, Mr. Poul Thisted, were kidnapped at gunpoint by criminal suspects

near Galcayo, Somalia.

Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted have been transported to a safe location where wewill evaluate their health and make arrangements for them to return home.

This successful hostage rescue, undertaken in a hostile environment, is a

testament to the superb skills of courageous service members who risked theirlives to save others. I applaud their efforts, and I am pleased that Ms.

Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were not harmed during the operation. This missiondemonstrates our military's commitment to the safety of our fellow citizens

wherever they may be around the world.

I am grateful to report that there was no loss of life or injuries to ourpersonnel.

I express my deepest gratitude to all the military and civilian men and women

who supported this operation. This was a team effort and required closecoordination, especially between the Department of Defense and our colleagues

in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They are heroes and continue toinspire all of us by their bravery and service to our nation.

####

U.S. Forces Rescue Kidnapped American, Danish Humanitarian Workers in

Somalia (AFRICOM.mil)

http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7561&lang=0

January 25, 2012

STUTTGART, Germany, Jan 25, 2012 - By the order of the President of theUnited States and under the direction of U.S. Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM),


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early Wednesday morning, January 25, 2012, U.S. Special Operations Forcesrescued an American citizen and a Danish citizen from captivity in Somalia.

Mrs. Jessica Buchanan of the United States and Mr. Poul Thisted of Denmark,

who both worked for the Danish Demining Group, a non-profit humanitarian

organization, were kidnapped at gunpoint on October 25, 2011, near Galcayo,Somalia, and were being held for ransom.

The Department of Justice requested assistance from the Department of Defense,which, in turn, directed U.S. AFRICOM to plan and conduct the rescue

operation.

Receiving actionable intelligence, U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted acoordinated operation in the vicinity of Gadaado, Somalia. During the course

of the operation, the rescue force patrolled to the location and confirmed thepresence of Mrs. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted guarded by nine captors. All nine

captors were killed during the assault. After securing the location, U.S.Special Operations Forces found Mrs. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted unharmed in the

outdoor encampment.

"Last night's mission, boldly conducted by some of our nation's mostcourageous, competent, and committed special operations forces, exemplifies

United States Africa Command's mission to protect Americans and Americaninterests in Africa," said General Carter F. Ham, commanding general, U.S.

Africa Command. "I am extraordinarily proud of the joint-service team thatplanned, rehearsed and successfully concluded this operation. Thanks to them,

a fellow American and her Danish co-worker are safe and will soon be home withtheir families. We should remember that Mrs. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were

working to protect the people of Somalia when they were violently kidnapped.It is my hope that all those who work in Somalia for the betterment of the

Somali people can be free from the dangers of violent criminals."

At the time of their abduction, Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted had finishedconducting a demining training course for local Somali citizens.

###

Special Operations Forces Rescue Hostages in Somalia (DoD homepage)

http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=66914January 25, 2012

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012 Special operations forces rescued an American womanand Danish man who had been held captive in Somalia for three months, President

Barack Obama announced early this morning.


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Both are well and are in a secure location, and there were no American casualties in theoperation.

Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted were working as part of a Danish demining group

when Somali criminals kidnapped them near Galcayo, Somalia, on Oct. 25, according to

a statement from Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta. Galcayo is near the border withEthiopia. There was no word where the two were held.

This successful hostage rescue, undertaken in a hostile environment, is a testament tothe superb skills of courageous service members who risked their lives to save others,

Panetta said in the statement. I applaud their efforts, and I am pleased that Ms.Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were not harmed during the operation.

The president said he had spoken with Buchanans father and told him that all Americans

are thankful that his daughter is safe and will soon be home.

The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effortto secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice, Obama said in his

statement. This is yet another message to the world that the United States of Americawill stand strongly against any threats to our people.

Panetta stressed the rescue was a team effort and required close coordination between the

Defense Department and the FBI. They are heroes and continue to inspire all of us bytheir bravery and service to our nation, Panetta wrote.

The Danish Demining Group trains local people to defuse and render safe landmines and

other ordnance left in the wake of war. In addition to Somalia, the group is working in SriLanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Liberia, South Sudan and Uganda.

At the beginning of the presidents State of the Union address last night, TV cameras

caught Obama shaking Panettas hand and saying Good job. No one knew then what hewas talking about.

During his address, Obama lauded service members commitment and ability to work

together. The rescue operation is another example of that.

As commander in chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out thismission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts, the president said

in his statement.

###

Sources: US raid frees American and Dane held hostage in Somalia (AP)http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/01/25/sources-us-raid-frees-american-and-dane-

held-hostage-in-somalia/?test=latestnewsJanuary 25, 2012


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U.S. military forces flew in helicopters under the cover of darkness on a raid into Somalia

early Wednesday and freed an American and a Dane held hostage, Western officials said.Pirates reported a gun battle with several casualties.

The Danish Refugee Council confirmed that hostages Jessica Buchanan -- an American --and Poul Hagan Thisted -- a Dane -- were freed "during an operation in Somalia."

An official told The Associated Press that the raid was carried out by U.S. military forces.A second official said the helicopters and the hostages landed at a U.S. base in the tiny

East African nation of Djibouti after the raid. Both officials spoke on condition ofanonymity because the information had not been released publicly.

Maj. Kelly Cahalan, a military spokeswoman at U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart,

Germany, said she had no information on the reported raid. A spokeswoman at thePentagon had no immediate comment.

The two hostages had been held in Somalia since October. The Danish Refugee Council

said both are unharmed "and at a safe location."

A pirate who gave his name as Bilal Hussein said he had spoken to pirates at the scene ofthe raid and they reported that nine pirates had been killed. A second pirate who gave his

name as Ahmed Hashi said two helicopters attacked at about 2 a.m. at the site where thehostages were being held about 12 miles north of the Somali town of Adow.

###

Aid workers kidnapped in Somalia are rescued (CNN)

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/world/africa/somalia-aid-workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t3January 25, 2012

By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia last year were rescued duringan operation early Wednesday, a Danish aid group said.

"After being held hostage for three months, American citizen Jessica Buchanan and Poul

Hagen Thisted from Denmark have today successfully been rescued from theirkidnappers in Somalia," a statement from the Danish Refugee Council said.

The details of their rescue were not immediately available, but the group said both were

unharmed and at a safe location.

Gunmen abducted them in October after they visited humanitarian projects in thenorthern Galkayo area, the aid group said.


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Both were working for the council's de-mining unit, which aims to make civilians safefrom landmines and unexploded ordnance.

A number of high-profile abductions of foreigners have occurred in Somalia and in

Kenya, close to the border with largely lawless Somalia. The kidnappings have been

blamed on the Somali Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.

###

U.S. raid frees two pirate hostages in Somalia (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/us-somalia-hostages-idUSTRE80O0I220120125


MOGADISHU (Reuters) - U.S. helicopters swooped into central Somalia on Wednesday

and rescued two hostages, an American and a Dane, from pirates in a rare raid into theHorn of Africa nation to free foreign captives.

American Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted were working for the Danish

Demining Group (DDG) when they were kidnapped from the town of Galkayo in thesemi-autonomous Galmudug region in October.

"The Danish Refugee Council hereby confirms that Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen

Thisted have been rescued earlier today during an operation in Somalia," the aid groupsaid in a statement.

"The two aid workers from the Danish Refugee Council's demining unit, DDG, are both

unharmed and at a safe location," it said.

Galmudug's president, Mohamed Ahmed Alim, told Reuters nine pirates were killed andfive captured during the rescue operation near the pirate haven of Haradheere.

Alim was speaking from Hobyo, another major pirate base north of Haradheere, where he

said he was negotiating to secure the release of an American journalist kidnapped onSaturday.

"About 12 U.S. helicopters are now at Galkayo. We thank the U.S. Pirates have spoilt the

whole region's peace and ethics. They are mafia," Alim said.

While U.S. and French forces have intervened to rescue pirate hostages at sea beforenow, attacks on pirate bases are very rare. The only U.S. base in sub-Saharan Africa is in

neighboring Djibouti.


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NBC News, citing U.S. officials, reported that two teams of U.S. Navy SEALs landed byhelicopter and rescued the hostages after a gun battle with the kidnappers. The freed

hostages were taken by helicopter to an undisclosed location, NBC reported.

President Barack Obama was overheard congratulating Defense Secretary Leon Panetta,

apparently for the success of the rescue operation, as Obama entered the House ofRepresentatives chamber on Tuesday night to give his annual State of the Union speech.

"Leon. Good job tonight. Good job tonight," Obama said. He did not mention the rescueduring his speech.

(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh in Mogadishu, John Acher in Copenhagen, David Clarke in

Nairobi and Eric Beech in Washington; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by DavidClarke)

###

Somalia: Western hostages freed in 'US military raid' (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16714344January 25, 2012

By an unattributed author

Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia three months ago have been freed in a USmilitary raid, officials say.

The overnight raid was carried out by military helicopters and involved US Navy Seals,

unidentified Western officials said.

A shoot-out followed but a Danish humanitarian group says the two hostages wereunharmed.

The two - a US woman and a Danish man - were seized on 25 October.

They had been working for the Danish Demining Group when they were abducted by

gunmen near the town of Galkayo.

The group helps dispose of unexploded bombs and teaches communities about thedangers of land mines.

Hostages 'unharmed'

They rescue party is said to have landed close to a compound where hostages were being

held

A local security official, Mohamed Nur, told AFP news agency that several of the pirateshad been killed.


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The freed hostages were believed to have been flown to nearby Djibouti by the rescuers,

he said.

They were named as American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Thisted, 60, of Denmark.

The Danish Refugee Council, which had been involved in efforts to free them viamediation, said they were unharmed and "at a safe location".

The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Washington said the first hint of the successful operation

appeared to come from US President Barack Obama himself - as he prepared to give theState of the Union address, he turned to his Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and said

"Good job tonight."

###

US official: SEAL team in rescue also killed Osama (AP)http://news.yahoo.com/us-official-seal-team-rescue-killed-osama-132142355.html

January 25, 2012By Kimberly Dozier

WASHINGTON (AP) A U.S. official says the Navy SEAL team that rescued two

hostages in Somalia was the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden.

SEAL Team Six parachuted into Somalia under cover of darkness Wednesday andrescued an American woman and a Danish man from an outdoor camp where they were

being held by Somali pirates, the official said.

The same team executed the mission last May in which al-Qaida leader bin Laden waskilled.

The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the top secret operation.

###

Somalia: Western hostages freed in US military raid (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-africa-16714344By an unattributed author

January 25, 2012

Two foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somalia three months ago have been freed in arare US military raid.

US officials have confirmed that elite US Navy Seals were dropped into Somalia to carry

out the overnight operation which resulted in a shoot-out.


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The two hostages were freed uninjured, although nine of their captors are said to havebeen killed. No casualties have been reported among US forces.

The hostages - a US woman and a Danish man - were seized on 25 October.

BBC Security correspondent Frank Gardner says Wednesday's rescue is the highestprofile US action in Somalia since it pulled its forces out of the country in 1994.

A Pentagon official has confirmed to the BBC said that the unit involved was the eliteSeal Team Six, which killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan last May, although the same

personnel were not necessarily involved.

Seal Team Six suffered heavy losses last August in a helicopter crash in Afghanistanwhich killed 38 people.

US officials said the Somali kidnappers were "criminals" rather than Islamist al-Shabab

militants.

More than 150 people are still being held hostage in Somalia - mostly sailors from shipsseized for ransom by pirates.

They include a UK tourist and two Spanish medics who were abducted in neighbouring

Kenya.

Kenya blames al-Shabab for those kidnappings, but the group - which controls much ofsouthern and central Somalia - denies any involvement.

'One hour on ground'

At the time of the raid, American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Dane Poul Thisted, 60, were

being kept about 40km (25 miles) east of the town of Adado and 100km south ofGalkayo.

A US official said the Seals parachuted from a plane into an area near the compound

where they were being held.

Shots had been fired as the team approached the compound, but there were no UScasualties.

The rescue team was on the ground for about an hour and the raid was over by 03:00

(24:00 GMT).

The freed hostages and the Seals left the area by helicopter for the nearby tiny Horn ofAfrica state of Djibouti, where the US has a military presence.


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They were taken to Camp Lemonnier - where about 2,500 personnel are based as well asarmour, fighters and drones.

Denmark's foreign minister has suggested that a rescue had become a pressing issue

because one of the hostages had a "very serious" disease, although no further details were

given.

The two had been working for the Danish Demining Group, part of the Danish Refugee

Council, when they were abducted by gunmen near the north-central town of Galkayo.

"We are so relieved and so happy that Paul and Jessica are safe," Andreas Kamm,secretary general of the Danish Refugee Council, told the BBC's Focus on Africa

programme.

He said no-one from the group had yet spoken to the pair.

'Message to world'

Correspondents say that following the 1993 killing in Mogadishu of 19 US soldiers andthe wounding of 70 others, there has been no appetite for full-scale US ground operations

in Somalia.

The country has been wracked by two decades of conflict and lawlessness, and has nothad a functioning central government since 1991.

The current UN-backed interim government controls the capital, Mogadishu, thanks to

the efforts of a 12,000-strong African Union force.

In a statement, US President Barack Obama said he had personally authorised the missionon Monday and that it constituted "another message to the world that the United States of

America will stand strongly against any threats to our people".

The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Washington said the first hint of the successful operationappeared to come from President Obama himself - as he prepared to give the State of the

Union address, he turned to his Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and said "Good jobtonight."

In his annual address, the US president praised the US Navy Seals team who killed al-

Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in a raid in Pakistan in May 2011.

###

UN envoy moves to Somalia as violence rages (Al Jazeera)

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/01/201212418481378344.html

January 25, 2012


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The UN special envoy to Somalia moved to Mogadishu for the first time in 17 years,signalling international support for a government fight against Islamist rebels and

preparations for elections this year.

High-level officials from the UN have been based in neighbouring Kenya since 1995

because of security concerns, although its Political Office for Somalia had a few officersin the Somali capital.

Al-Shabab fighters withdrew from most of their bases in Mogadishu last August aftersustained pressure from Somali and African Union troops, but violence still grips many

parts of the country.

UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, arrived onTuesday at the airport in Mogadishu, where the UN flag was raised.

Mahiga was due to meet President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and African Union force

officials.

The UN said the move showed its commitment to supporting Somali leaders who adopteda political roadmap in September that is meant to lead to parliamentary and presidential

elections in August, ending a series of fragile transitional governments.

"It is historic to bring the UN back to Somalia. The secretary-general told me I should goand join you to make the roadmap a reality," Mahiga said as he handed a letter from UN

chief Ban Ki-moon to the Somali president.

Speaking in the presidency later, where Somali men performed a traditional dance,Mahiga called on UN agencies and other countries to send their representatives to be

based in Somalia.

Baladwayne attack

Somalia descended into chaos in 1991 after dictator Siad Barre was ousted. The firstinternationally backed transitional government was established in 2004 only to lose

control to rebels and semi-autonomous administrations.

Al-Shabab, who control many parts of southern and central Somalia, have been able tolaunch guerrilla-style attacks in the capital despite a Kenyan, Ethiopian and Somali

offensive.

On Tuesday, an al Shabaab fighter rammed a minibus loaded with explosives into agovernment building in Baladwayne, a town in central Somalia about 45km from

Ethiopia.


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"A minibus carrying explosives entered Baladwayne administration headquarterscompound. Government soldiers tried to stop it by firing but all in vain," Hussein Aden, a

senior military official, told the Reuters news agency by phone.

Aden said there was no immediate report of casualties and the area surrounding the

compound had been sealed off.

Aden Abdulle, head of a armed group fighting alongside Somali and Ethiopian soldiers

against al Shabaab, said the building housed Transitional Federal Government lawmakersand Ethiopian and Somali government soldiers.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We carried the car bomb successfully into the Ethiopian and Somali base in Baladwayne

this morning. Our brave driver is martyred. There we killed many Ethiopian and Somalitroops on a parade," Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said.

Al-Shabab said in a statement it had killed 33 Ethiopian soldiers and wounded at least 72.

There was no immediate comment from Addis Ababa.

###

Canada deports Rwandan genocide suspect Leon Mugesera (FRANCE24 / AFP)

http://www.france24.com/en/20120124-rwanda-genocide-hutu-tutsi-canada-deportation-

leon-mugeseraJanuary 24, 2012

By an unattributed author

AFP - Two Canadian courts on Monday rejected last-ditch appeals of a Rwandan manaccused of helping incite the 1994 genocide in his homeland, moving him one step closer

to possible deportation.

The Quebec Superior Court and Canada's Federal Court dismissed motions to stay thedeportation of Leon Mugesera, who hoped it could wait until the United Nations

Committee Against Torture probed a claim that he would face political persecution inRwanda if he was sent back.

Mugesera made an infamous speech in 1992 that allegedly played a major role in

sparking the 1994 genocide, in which radical ethnic Hutus killed as many as 800,000Tutsis.

He was to have been deported two weeks ago, but last-minute appeals to the two courts

and the UN Committee Against Torture earned him a reprieve until Monday.


17/27


Mugesera was taken into custody while his request for a six-month stay of deportationwas considered. Mugesera wanted the extra time for United Nations officials to carry out

their probe.

"As long as the order is not suspended (by a court), he still faces deportation," Mugesera's

lawyer Martin Roy told reporters.

"I'm afraid that at this very moment he is being extradited," Roy said.

In the infamous speech, Mugesera allegedly called Tutsis "cockroaches" and "scum," and

encouraged his fellow Hutus to kill them.

Mugesera fled to Canada the following year to avoid prosecution, then waged a 15-yearlegal battle to avoid being sent back.

###

Nigeria, U.S. Facing Similar Terror Threats, Says Envoy (allAfrica.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201250238.html25 January 2012

By Tokunbo Adedoja and Zacheaus Somorin

The United States has said it will partner Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, aphenomenon it described as similar to that being faced by Americans.

The country's Consul General, Mr. Joseph Stafford, who stated this during a courtesy

visit to THISDAY Corporate Headquarters in Lagos Tuesday, pointed out that the matterwas on the agenda of US, Nigeria Bi-National Commission summit which ended in

Abuja Tuesday.

Stafford, nonetheless, berated the wanton destruction of lives and property by BokoHaram during their attacks.

"We recognise the violence that Boko Haram represents and in the spirit of partnership,

whatever comes out of the meeting would be followed up" he stated, adding that UScould help in terms of information sharing, trainings and other helpful ways.

Stafford said the motive behind the bombings transcends recidivist attitude, but poverty

and rigorous economic survival in the Northern part of the country.

"We do not believe it is solely a security issue. The underlying political and social factorsmust be taken into consideration," he said.

He, however, said that such a condition should not be an excuse to terminate lives of

innocent people.


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He also said that US had been assisting Nigeria on security through the Bi-NationalCommission with different groups working out the mode of US intervention, adding that

the outcome of the ongoing meeting between the two countries would determine thegravity of the situation and the US appropriate response to the terrorism challenge in

Nigeria.

He pointed out that there had been trainings organised by US for the Nigerian forces inthe Gulf of Guinea and other strategic places.

Stafford emphasised the importance of good governance as one of the conditions for

peace, but pointed out that inadequacy of such should not be allowed to createopportunity for unbridled violence as being perpetrated by Boko Haram.

On arms proliferation, he said the bi-national commission's agenda included effort at

making sure that control measures are put in place to tame its excesses through acommittee set up in that regard.

While commending THISDAY for its vibrant news reportage, and harping on the need

for press freedom to enhance democracy, he said the recent revelations by Wikileaks hadnot deterred US diplomatic missions from doing its work.

He, however, said the challenge that the online whistle blower had posed was that there

was need for its diplomatic missions to be as confidential as possible and protect everyinformation given to it.

On the fight against graft in Nigeria, the envoy said there had been trainings and

retraining of officials of Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies, especially the Economic andFinancial Crimes Commission (EFCC) both in Abuja and Lagos.

He explained also that there had been concerted effort in aiding Nigeria financially, an

evidence of which, he said, was the visit by US Exim Bank's managing director to thecountry for the purpose of enhancing projects like energy.

On the speculations that China has taken over African markets and Nigeria in particular,

Stafford said it had rather been a competition by both countries, adding that manyAmerican companies are also involved in the construction and energy sectors of the

Nigerian economy as being encouraged through Africa Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA).

He said US is not threatened by China's growth. He said Nigeria imported goods worth

N5 billion in 2011 from his country.

According to him, despite the fact that its consulate in Lagos and Abuja are besieged withfusillade of applications on a daily basis, it had been able to cope and improve on its visa

service to Nigerians through its online services which he said had been user friendly.


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Meanwhile, US has said it is "extremely concerned" about what it called "horrific" spateof bombings in Nigeria.

Reacting to attacks that claimed scores of lives in Kano last Friday, Assistant Secretary of

State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Ms. Victoria Nuland, at a press briefing at the State

Department in Washington on Monday, said: "We are obviously extremely concerned,and it was a really horrific spate of bombings over the weekend."

She said US was consulting "extremely closely" with Nigeria on counter-terrorism issues,adding that US had a broad and rich counter-terrorism dialogue with Nigeria, which

included efforts to support steps to cut off funding.

Nuland added that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, WilliamFitzgerald, was in Nigeria in continuation of the security dialogue and for an assessment

of what Nigeria's security needs might be in this respect.

Also Tuesday, Nuland issued a statement on Nigeria condemning the attacks in Kano andBauchi and called for a full investigation so as to bring those responsible to justice.

In the statement, she noted that this was a time for all Nigerians to stand united against

the enemies of civility and peace, adding, "Nigeria's ethnic and religious diversity is asource of strength for the country and those who seek to undermine that strength with

divisive tactics cannot succeed."

###

Africa: Aid Can Spur 'Historic Progress' - Bill Gates (allAfrica.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201250001.html

January 24, 2012By Tami Hultman

INTERVIEW

Bill and Melinda Gates, who co-chair the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, say that they

are responding to a challenge from Warren Buffet by taking on "the really toughproblems." They are optimists, they say, focusing on a few big goals and funding

innovations, as they work with a variety of partners around the world.

In his fourth annual letter about the work of the foundation, Bill Gates covers a range oftopics related to improving lives by reducing poverty, with a particular emphasis on the

benefits of investing in agriculture. He links food scarcity to a number of developmentchallenges, and the letter is an argument to wealthy nations even in the midst of fiscal

austerity to make the choice "to keep on helping extremely poor people build self-sufficiency".


20/27


On Wednesday, 25 January at the London School of Economics, Bill Gates will launchthis year's letter at the inauguration of a Global Poverty Ambassadors project during a

live webcast. Swedish public health scholar Hans Rosling of the Karolinska Institute,whose Gapminder Foundation illustrates complex data through imaginative, interactive

graphics, will also argue the benefits of development assistance at the event.

AllAfrica's Tami Hultman talked by phone with Bill Gates about Africa, the letter, and thesources of his optimism.

HULTMAN: Your letter links food scarcity to poor nutrition to higher rates of

disease and death - and then notes that climate change could add further pressure

on food security by reducing crop yields by as much as 25 percent. And you want to

eradicate polio, deliver other life-saving vaccines, attack malaria, stem the tide of

HIV - and attract funding for all these things. With so much to be done - and all of it

inter-related - how is it possible to avoid discouragement and donor fatigue?

GATES: The key is to show the success stories. Certainly the state of the world - and thestate of Africa - is far better today than ten years ago, fifty years ago. And there is a direct

connection between aid generosity and government policies and those improvements.

One of my favorite books on this is Charles Kenny's "Getting Better" that talks abouthow improvements in literacy and health actually outdistance what the pure economic

figures would say. That's not to discount economic growth - but over time, we've doneeven better than that one metric would indicate.

Malaria is a great story, with about a 20 percent reduction. HIV drug treatment is a good

story. Even the agricultural story although in the last decade we lost focus on it, andAfrica has had nowhere near the benefit that big parts of Asia have had to the degree

that people have focused on agriculture, there are some good things that have happened.

So that's the one that I spend the most time on, because at a time when people are lookingat what they do with their aid budgets, trying to get agriculture back at a higher level of

funding is pretty important. You still have a billion people that haven't moved up theirproductivity level to have enough to eat, with all the negative consequences that has.

HULTMAN: In your letter you discuss innovation - the necessity for it and the need

to share it. How do you go about spreading the word about effective interventions,

like the drought-resistant seeds I recently saw boosting crop yields in Kenya? How

can strategies and mechanisms that work get communicated and replicated most

efficiently?

GATES: One way you can do it is try to have market mechanisms where farmers hear

the reputation of new seeds from each other and allow entry of new seed companies.Kenya has been particularly good on this. AGRA [Alliance for a Green Revolution in

Africa], through our seeds program, is working with farmers, and a whole bunch of newseed companies have come in. Some of those seeds have developed really good


21/27


reputations and are being used. A lot of African countries don't allow new seed entrantsto come in, so particularly for the non-staple crops fruits, vegetables, things like that

the kind of innovation, the variety, the choice that should be there is not there.

For other things like getting mothers to know how to treat newborns and getting them

to seek out vaccination services there we have to be innovative. With women's groupsor radio, or other kinds of media approaches: how do you create that demand forinnovative solutions, both in health and agriculture? Those are things that we continue to

learn. And, of course, some things that work in one country may not work as well inanother country.

HULTMAN: To follow up on that, at AllAfrica we get a lot of announcements

people send us, wanting us to tell the story about their initiatives, whether a better

toilet or a cleaner cook stove. How can you combine forces to let market

mechanisms work, so that the best kind of intervention can be adopted and scaled

up to reach more people?

GATES: Well, we fund a lot of toilet-related work, and I have looked at the different

stove-related things. Ideally, you would like to have vouchers in the hands of the peoplewho need those things, and then they could look at which products meet their particular

needs. Cook stoves is one area where there has been a fair bit of naivet about whatpeople are used to, in terms of how their food ends up tasting, or what cooking practices

people are used to. So there have been a lot of things that haven't been that well adopted,just because they don't tend to meet the needs, or they tend to be out of the price range,

even though some in terms of fuel efficiency or health benefits look very good onpaper. That's been a tough one.

In the area of toilets, frankly most of the new designs really didn't solve the smell

problem perfectly. So compared to the gold standard, which is the flush toilet, it has beenvery difficult. And there are all sorts of maintenance and servicing costs that come in

so, you picked two that are fairly difficult! You know, what you would like is to have thedonors or someone who is neutral do the evaluation in terms of what the particular local

needs are and then use the voucher program to get those things out there.

Fortunately, in the case of farming, the understanding of what is productivity isreasonably straight forward. So if you can get a critical mass of adoption, then you tend

to get very good spread. Now you may have to be patient; you may have to pick the rightpeople to be your pilot-type users. But there are great success stories unfortunately

more in Asia than in Africa because there were better seeds. But there are lots of greatstories where seeds did get very high uptake over a five-year period.

HULTMAN: This all leads into the role of research and science and science

education. The new seeds being used in Kenya's Machakos area are produced

locally. What do you think is the role of African science education and African

researchers doing science in Africa, adapted to local conditions and sensibilities?


22/27


GATES: In the long run, that is what you have to have, because they know what theparticular needs are. So if you look at the relative lack of success in African agricultural

productivity increase versus Asian, this education thing is one of many factors that youwould look at. We've got, through Agra, a couple of PHD programs; one at the

University of Kwazulu Natal and another in Ghana, that are going to start to turn out,

over the next five years, some meaningful numbers.

We have a huge effort to work with African scientists. I highlight [in the letter] Joseph in

Tanzania, who is doing cassava work. I was just down in Australia seeing some bananawork and the key to the success of that is people in Uganda and the national agriculture

research organization there, who partnered up on that banana project. So, fortunately,there is a generation now that hopefully will become role models, and the young

generation will come along and learn from the very modest number of senior agriculturalexperts that Africa has today.

HULTMAN: You opened your letter by saying that 15 percent of the world's

population lives in extreme poverty compared to 40 percent 50 years ago which bysome calculations represents a decline in absolute numbers of the very poor, despite

a doubling of population.

GATES: One amazing statistic is that China is a huge part of that. In other words, therewould be more people living in poverty today if China hadn't done such a very good job.

The numbers are unbelievable, because they went from having about 75 percent of theirpopulation in poverty to now under 10 percent. There are things that aren't perfect, but in

terms of poverty, that is a very amazing story.

Sadly, Africa, because of its high population growth and relative lack of progress, is thecontinent that has more people who face malnutrition and poverty than in the past a

smaller percentage, but a higher absolute number. That is unacceptable, no matter what isgoing on with financial issues up in the north. I am arguing that cutting back the aid that

is going to enable that to change that shouldn't happen.

HULTMAN: So you end your letter by saying that you are going to spend the next

year spreading the word that modest investments in development can improve the

lives of billions of people. You've just cited challenges in Africa. How can you make

the case compelling that Africa, too, can reduce poverty?

GATES: There are great success stories going on in Africa. The last decade in Africa has

been pretty good. You always have the problem that bad news is more of a headline thangood news. So as people in the West are reading about Africa, they are reading about

Sudan instead of the relative progress that is taking place that's very gradual, one day at atime.

In a country like Kenya, which has certainly had its fair share of difficulties, there have

been a lot of good things going on in both agriculture and health. You know, part of ourgoal is to get more people to come and visit and see the progress.


23/27


My wife Melinda was just in Tanzania 10 days ago with six United States senators, and

the most impactful part of that visit was talking to a woman farmer. They noticed she hadno electricity, no running water, and yet when they asked her: "What would you do if you

had more productivity," she thought that was a silly question because it was obvious

that she wanted to be able to pay her children's school fees and get her kids moreeducation. She wasn't going to spend the money on getting running water or electricity!

So I think people have to see the sense of commitment and what it looks like when itworks. In health work, the Global Fund [to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria], is an

overwhelming success story. The very small percentage of corruption that they did agood job to spot has become more the impression of what's going on with Global Fund

than the fact that 95 percent of the money is saving millions of lives in their targetdiseases.

We have a real communications challenge that we have to rise to. Sometimes donors may

think that they are not getting the proper appreciation for the aid [they give]. So it'stough. We need to make sure that they feel better about that and really assure them that

we are getting smarter about how it's spent and its impact, a lot of which is health andagricultural work. If people think of Africa as a whole, they might just think about the

toughest parts, and you know better than I that there is incredible variety, including a lotof great progress.

###

Anger, chaos but no revolt after Libya violence (Reuters)

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE80O03220120125January 25, 2012

By Oliver Holmes

BANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) - A bullet-scarred barracks, scorched and abandoned likethe ageing tanks guarding its shattered gateway, was all that remained on Tuesday of

what passed for the Libyan government's grip on Bani Walid.

But a day after townsmen put to flight a force loyal to the Western-backed interimadministration in Tripoli, elders in the desert city, once a bastion of support for Muammar

Gaddafi, dismissed accusations they wanted to restore the late dictator's family to poweror had any ambitions beyond their local area.

"Allegations of pro-Gaddafi elements in Bani Walid, this is not true," said Miftah

Jubarra, who was among dozens of leading citizens gathered at a local mosque to form amunicipal council now that nominal representatives from the capital have fled.

"In the Libyan revolution, we have all become brothers," Jubarra told Reuters. "We will

not be an obstacle to progress."


24/27


That might reassure the National Transitional Council, the body which won NATObacking to oust Gaddafi last year but which is now struggling to restore services and

impose order on myriad armed groups. An official of the NTC's government in Tripoliinsisted it saw no threat from the "limited local incident".

Yet the violence, 150 km (90 miles) south of the capital, was also symptomatic of majorobstacles to Libyan hopes of a rapid transition to peace, democracy and oil-fueledprosperity.

Residents heard warplanes overhead late on Monday as NTC forces hastily drove south

from Tripoli to take up positions 50 km from Bani Walid. But those troops had, as yet, noorders to move on the town, where Gaddafi loyalists fought rebel forces to a standstill

before negotiating a surrender in October.

Interior Minister Fawzi Abd al-All told a news conference in Tripoli would "strike withan iron fist" anyone who posed a threat to Libyan security - but he also said there would

be no NTC move against Bani Walid until it was clear what happened.

People in Bani Walid urged the NTC to keep back and the government official in Tripoli,speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the interim administration was in

no hurry to get mired in a dispute he characterised as a spat between local factions, ratherthan a counter-revolution.

"GREEN FLAGS" ABSENT

Though pro-government militiamen who fled on Monday spoke of their barracks being

overrun by fighters flying the green flag of the old regime, Reuters journalists who touredthe town of 75,000 on Tuesday saw little overt sign of such allegiances to Gaddafi, whose

now captive son Saif al-Islam staged a last stand in Bani Walid before fleeing into theSahara three months ago.

Rather than green flags, the most common banners flying were the red, green and black

tricolour of the NTC.

Some graffiti spoke of lingering nostalgia for the Gaddafis in a town whose dominantWarfalla tribe fared well under him. But those willing to talk to reporters insisted the

violence was no revanchist putsch but was provoked by local abuses allegedly committedby The May 28th Brigade, a militia loyal to the NTC.

"When men from Tripoli come into your house and harass women, what are we to do?"

said Fati Hassan, a 28-year-old Bani Walid resident who described the men of May 28thas a mixture of local men and outsiders, former anti-Gaddafi rebels who had turned into

oppressors when given control over the town.


25/27


"They were arresting people from the first day after liberation. People are still missing. Iam a revolutionary and I have friends in The May 28th Brigade," said Hassan, who said

he urged them to ease off. "The war is over now."

A sleep-deprived doctor at the poorly supplied local hospital in Bani Walid, as well as

other residents of the town, said at least seven people were killed on Monday whentempers boiled over, and an eighth died of wounds on Tuesday.

It was unclear if this figure included four militiamen whose comrades in the NTC brigadesaid were killed.

Jubarra, who sat at the meeting of elders, gave details of the incident which, he said,

caused patience to snap among the people of the town.

"On Friday, the May 28th Brigade arrested a man from Bani Walid. After Bani Walidresidents lodged a protest, he was finally released. But he had been tortured.

"This caused an argument that escalated to arms.

"Bani Walid fighters took over the 28th May camp, confiscated weapons and pushed

them out of the city," Jubarra explained to the elders, who sat in silence around him,many of them wrapped in traditional white woollen blankets.

SIGNS OF BATTLE

At the barracks once used by Gaddafi's army, which had been their headquarters, spent

cartridge cases crunched under foot, testifying to an intense gunfight. A metre-wide holein the perimeter wall showed where a rocket had blasted through. Local people said the

two sides exchanged fire with anti-tank weapons.

Clearly conscious of the risk that the NTC, keen to assert an authority that has beenebbing in recent weeks as memories fade of the victory over dictatorship, local people

were anxious to send a message to Tripoli not to hit back:

"We are asking the NTC not to escalate this issue by sending troops," Jubarra said,turning his from the assembled town elders gaze to address Reuters journalists directly.

Another of those gathered at the mosque to form a local government, Ali Zargoun, said

they would reject any attempt by NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Libya's de factohead of state, to impose an authority on them: "If Abdel Jalil is going to force anyone on

us, we won't accept that by any means."

Abdel Jalil was already having a bad week and has warned Libyans of a "bottomless pit"if trouble goes on in a country awash with guns. His deputy quit, bemoaning an

"atmosphere of hatred" after being roughed up by disgruntled citizens.


26/27


And Abdel Jalil found himself besieged in his office by protesters in Benghazi, the seat ofthe revolt. They were complaining about delays in providing services for people in a

country impatient to see its oil riches shared out more widely.

There is also growing dismay at progress toward an election due in June, with details still

unclear on how the vote will be conducted and complaints of a lack of transparency froma body that includes many who held important positions under Gaddafi.

TENSIONS NATIONWIDE

While Bani Walid was and remains a particular headache for the NTC, it is not alone.Towns and cities across the country are being run with little reference to central authority

and in a number of areas old scores and local frictions are being fought over by groupsthat were nominally allies in the revolt.

"The civil war has produced new conflicts that are far from settled and that have yet to

play out, namely power struggles at the local level, and conflicts between local centres ofpower for influence at the national level," said Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute

for International and Security Affairs who has been in the country researching post-Gaddafi Libya.

"Most of these are unlikely to develop into violent conflicts as in Bani Walid," Lacher

said from Berlin. "But they will be playing out across the country in the coming months."

The government official acknowledged the difficulties. Speaking to Reuters on conditionof anonymity, he said: "As we all know, some regions are fragile in view of the vastness

of the country and the presence of huge quantities of arms."

Among the issues being disputed is determining who will replace those who held powerunder Gaddafi, and who might be punished or otherwise held accountable for past abuses.

Many Libya watchers urge caution, however, in branding any of those competing groups

as "Gaddafi loyalists", and few see any real threat of the late leader's exiled sons, or Saifal-Islam who is being held captive by pro-NTC fighters in the town of Zintan, becoming

a focus for a fight back by the old guard.

Rather, the label "pro-Gaddafi" has tended to be applied to adversaries by groups keen toundermine their rivals' cause:

"We should be cautious regarding reports of Gaddafi loyalists," Libya expert Lacher said.

"This may be one local party to the conflict trying to get other forces to intervene bypainting its adversaries as pro-Gaddafi."

During clashes between rival militias since "liberation" was declared in October, Reuters

journalists have often been told by both sides in various disputes that they are alignedwith the NTC and are fighting the remnants of Gaddafi's troops.


27/27


Though there are those among the six million Libyans who yearn for the old days, and

there is pro-Gaddafi graffiti in Bani Walid, as well as boisterous children ready to yell"Only Gaddafi!" at foreign journalists, many regard that as largely evidence of irritation

with the NTC than of a serious threat to turn the clock back on Libya's "Arab Spring"

revolution.

LOCAL PRIDE

Mustafa Fetouri, an academic and writer who comes originally from Bani Walid, saw this

week's violence there as a matter of local pride, notably among elders of the Warfallatribe, who felt ill used by the incoming powers in Tripoli - even though many Warfalla

clansmen fought for the NTC during the war.

"It's tribal dignity not necessarily in support of the old regime," Fetouri told Reuters."The (NTC's) goal is to teach the Warfalla a lesson ... It will be bloody and fruitless."

Many townspeople were keeping indoors on Tuesday, although markets were being held

and life seemed relatively normal. Handfuls of armed local men manned checkpoints outthe edges of the town, which sits in a desert ravine that proved hard for NTC forces to

take during the fighting last September and October.

The fighters themselves were distinguishable from the motley forces loyal to the interimgovernment only in that they did not wear the laminated identity badges distributed to

NTC militiamen. They carried the same automatic rifles and drove the same pick-uptrucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns that became the emblem of the chaotic war against

Gaddafi's army.

Potential adversaries from men who describe themselves as part of the NTC's "nationalarmy" sat by the road closer to Tripoli. "We have received no orders to enter Bani

Walid," said Mohammed al-Ajali, who said his unit had been sent there from easternLibya on Monday to deal with the trouble in the town.

He had little patience for the protestations of the townsfolk that they were not counter-

revolutionaries: "The solution for Bani Walid is to disarm them," Ajali said.

"I think 75 percent are Gaddafi supporters."

A Libyan air official said warplanes were being mobilised to fly to Bani Walid. But itwas not immediately clear what the government in Tripoli could do. It has yet to

demonstrate that it has an effective fighting force under its command.

###

END REPORT

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