Saturday May 23, 2026 Maths teacher Hassan Mohamed Ibrahim lost his job in one of eight IDP schools in Baidoa closed by funding cuts/Abdullahi Mohamed/Ergo More than 120 teachers in Baidoa’s displacement camps have been left without work after aid cuts shut down eight schools, pushing hundreds of families deeper into hardship in one of Somalia’s busiest hubs for the displaced. The schools, located in the Bookay area north of Baidoa, had been educating about 1,500 children from internally displaced families. With the…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Police in Mogadishu have detained several young people accused of interfering with security checkpoints and taking part in violent incidents, authorities said Friday, even as opposition leaders denounced the arrests as a political crackdown. The Banadir Regional Police Command said the suspects were taken into custody in security zones after allegedly engaging in conduct that could endanger public safety, disrupt stability and restrict movement in the capital. Police said initial…

Saturday May 23, 2026 A tanker in the Gulf of Aden came under a suspicious approach on May 22, prompting its armed security team to fire warning shots in a bid to turn away a small boat — the latest in a string of incidents tied to active Somali pirate groups. The reported encounter was passed to UK Maritime Trade Operations by the tanker’s company security officer. The vessel was underway when it was approached about 98 nautical miles from Socotra, the Yemeni-controlled island off the Horn of Africa. A small craft carrying…

ANKARA, May 23, 2026 - Turkey expects to wrap up offshore oil drilling in Somali waters within six to nine months, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, if weather and atmospheric conditions hold steady. Erdogan said the operation carries "historical significance," calling it Turkey’s first deep-sea drilling effort beyond its own borders. "We hope to bring long-awaited good news to the brotherly people of Somalia, who have long struggled with internal instability and famine," Erdogan said at an official event in…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a meeting that underscored mounting attention to rights protections in Somalia, Somali Police Force chief Brig. Gen. Asad Osman Abdullahi held talks with leaders of the Independent National Human Rights Commission on cooperation in safeguarding human rights, improving accountability and strengthening oversight of detention facilities. The commission was represented by Chairperson Dr. Maryam Qaasim, Deputy Chairperson Mohamed Harun, Director General Mustafa Ahmed and other…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali government forces killed six al-Shabab militants on Friday in a planned operation in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defense said. According to the ministry, the Somali National Army, working alongside international partners, launched the operation in the Ugunji area after intelligence indicated that al-Shabab fighters were massing there in preparation for an attack. The ministry said six militants were killed and that weapons and other military equipment used…

Turkey to Dispatch Delegation to Somalia Amid Election Row: Sources MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 23 — Türkiye is set to send a senior delegation to Mogadishu after the Eid holidays in an effort to help chart a path through Somalia’s widening electoral dispute between federal leaders, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move comes as Turkish officials step up diplomatic outreach, with tensions rising over the country’s electoral framework and proposed constitutional changes, the sources said. People with knowledge…

by Joseph Ogungo Saturday May 23, 2026 An undated image of a police vehicle at a crime scene Photo kenyans.co.ke The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has asked the court to hold a police officer accused of fatally shooting a taxi driver in Garissa, citing fears that he could tamper with witnesses and derail the case. In an application filed on Friday, May 22, the authority told the court that releasing the officer on bond would put the investigation at risk, arguing that he may also interfere with key evidence…

By Khadar M Leyli Saturday May 23, 2026 Abdirahman Mahdi (Ex-Chairman of ONLF) and Ahmed Hassan Baaje (Chairman of pro-TPLF Congress for Somali Cause online movement) Anonymity as a Weapon In an era when rumors can travel faster than facts, anonymity has increasingly become less a safeguard for the vulnerable than a tool for political warfare. What was once meant to shield whistleblowers from retaliation is now often deployed to create the appearance of broad agreement around stories that cannot be verified. One person,…

Somalia’s diaspora—Somali citizens and families living abroad—has long played a role in the country’s public life. In recent years, that influence has become more visible in discussions about elections, governance, and political debate. From financial support sent home to advocacy in host countries and input through media and civic groups, diaspora ties can shape how political actors communicate, how campaigns mobilize voters, and how communities discuss national issues. This explainer outlines how that influence works,…