Somalia decries deadly attacks in Nigeria’s Zamfara State

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government on Monday condemned deadly attacks in Nigeria’s Zamfara state that killed more than 50 civilians and led to the abduction of women and children, expressing solidarity with Abuja and urging the “immediate and unconditional” release of all captives. More than 50 civilians were killed in Tungan Dutse, Bukkuyum area of Zamfara state, according to local authorities and residents. Armed men on motorcycles reportedly torched homes and abducted women and children. Somalia called for the…

North Western State of Somalia Proposes U.S. Access to Minerals and Potential Military Bases

Monday, February 23, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — North Western State of Somalia said it is prepared to grant the United States exclusive access to mineral resources and potentially host U.S. military bases, sharpening its bid for international recognition three decades after declaring independence from Somalia. In comments published Saturday by Agence France-Presse, North Western State of Somalia’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said the territory is open to exclusive agreements…

Somali Government Says al-Shabab Faces Financial Crisis After Targeted Crackdown

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government says al-Shabab is facing mounting financial strain after a string of operations that killed senior operatives overseeing the group’s revenue networks and a sustained push to dismantle its funding channels. State news agency SONNA reported Saturday, citing intelligence sources, that the al-Qaida-linked group is struggling to reconstitute income streams amid a coordinated financial offensive aimed at its economic backbone. Independent verification of the internal figures was…

Federal Government, Opposition Resume Negotiations as Election Dispute Deepens

Sunday, February 22, 2026 MOGADISHU — High-level talks between Somalia’s federal government and the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council resumed Sunday at Villa Somalia, with both sides still divided over the country’s electoral direction as current mandates near expiration. The meeting is part of an ongoing consultative conference launched last week to resolve disputes over elections and constitutional reform. The stakes are rising as political actors face pressure to agree on a roadmap that averts a constitutional…

Libya, Greece Recover Eight Bodies as Mediterranean Death Toll Rises

TRIPOLI/ATHENS — At least eight people died in two separate Mediterranean crossings this weekend, as five bodies washed ashore near Libya’s capital and Greek authorities recovered three more off the island of Crete while rescuing dozens. Residents in the coastal town of Qasr al-Akhyar, east of Tripoli, found five bodies Saturday and alerted police, according to Hassan al-Ghawil, head of investigations at the local station. He told Reuters the dead were “dark-skinned people,” including two women, and said bystanders reported…

Former North Western State of Somalia leader urges transparency on Israel agreement

Hargeisa — Former North Western State of Somalia President Muse Bihi Abdi has urged the current administration to publicly release the full text of its agreement with Israel, warning that any pact must be balanced and protect religious sensitivities as diplomatic tensions surge across the Horn of Africa. In remarks delivered this week in the North Western State of Somalia capital, Bihi said the government has not clarified the legal nature of its arrangement with Israel — whether it is a treaty, a memorandum of understanding…

Former North Western State of Somalia President Calls for Transparency on Israel Agreement

Sunday February 22, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Former North Western State of Somalia President Muse Bihi Abdi has urged the current administration to publicly disclose the terms of its agreement with Israel, pressing for transparency and caution over any provisions that could affect religion. Speaking in Hargeisa this week, Bihi said the government has yet to clarify the nature of the arrangement — whether it is a treaty, a memorandum of understanding or another form of legal agreement. “The government…

Villa Somalia Negotiations Collapse Amid Fierce Dispute Over Electoral Framework

MOGADISHU, Somalia — High-stakes talks at Villa Somalia between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders collapsed Sunday without agreement, laying bare deep divisions over the electoral model meant to guide Somalia’s next vote. The second round of discussions between the presidency and figures grouped under the Somali Future Council ended in deadlock after the sides failed to reconcile positions on core political questions tied to Somalia’s electoral framework, according to sources familiar with the talks. At…

Is It Time for a Unified Horn of Africa Economic Bloc?

Opinion: Somalia should lead a Horn of Africa economic bloc built on connectivity corridors The Horn of Africa is at a hinge moment. After decades marked by fragmentation and instability, the region faces a practical imperative: build a regional economic bloc anchored in modern connectivity corridors or cede another generation to missed potential. For Somalia, whose Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden coastline sits astride one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, the choice is stark. With recent macroeconomic stabilization,…

Soomaaliya iyo isbahaysiga dhaqaale ee Geeska Afrika: Fursad Cusub

Somalia’s Geoeconomic Moment: Why the Horn of Africa Needs a Regional Economic Alliance Built on Connectivity Corridors The twenty-first century rewards regions that trade, build, and secure prosperity together. After decades battered by conflict and fragmentation, the Horn of Africa stands at a historic inflection point. Integration is no longer optional; it is the price of resilience, investment, and influence. With strategic coastline, a reviving economy and a deep mercantile heritage, Somalia can help shape a regional…