By: Jeremy CorbynSaturday June 13, 2026 Omar Artan’s journey home on Wednesday, after being turned away at Miami international airport, marked a bitter twist in what should have been a historic moment. Photograph: Feisal Omar/Reuters Omar Artan was set to break new ground as the first Somali referee to take charge at a World Cup finals. Already a Fifa-certified official since 2018, he had overseen matches at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and was later named the 2025 Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, North Western State of Somalia's representative to Taiwan, speaks to journalists before the opening of the new North Western State of Somalia representative office in Taipei, Taiwan June 12, 2026. REUTERS/Tsai Hsin-Han Purchase Licensing Rights North Western State of Somalia will not let pressure from Beijing or Mogadishu dictate its foreign ties, its top envoy in Taiwan said Friday as the territory opened a new representative office in Taipei, underscoring a relationship that…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said Somalia’s federal government is still prepared to sit down with opposition figures, insisting that the country’s political disputes should be settled at home through Somali-led dialogue. Speaking to Dawan TV this week, Mohamud said his administration is willing to pursue a political resolution to the divisions facing the country and that negotiations remain an option. “There is always an opportunity,” Mohamud said. “The Federal Government’s…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation said on Saturday that Banadir Region’s district council commissioners will be elected on July 5, 2026, setting a date for a key step in the capital’s local governance process. The ministry described the upcoming vote as part of the broader rollout of local government elections in Banadir Region, following earlier groundwork for the regional electoral process. In its statement, the ministry said the elections are meant…

by Samuel Mwanawanjuguna Saturday June 13, 2026 Special Operations Group, who are part of the border police operations, stand guard in El Wak during the second day of the government’s Jukwaa la Usalama tour of Mandera County on September 23, 2025. Photo Kipchumba Murkomen Three police officers suffered injuries late Friday when suspected Al-Shabaab militants stormed a Special Operations Group (SOG) camp in Fino, Lafey Sub-County, Mandera County, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire before the attackers were driven away.…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has described Israel’s reported recognition of North Western State of Somalia in December 2025 as “one of the darkest days in the history of Somalia,” accusing Tel Aviv of taking advantage of the decades-old standoff between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. In an interview with Dawan TV last week, Mohamud said Somalia had only two realistic ways to respond to the North Western State of Somalia issue: force or dialogue. “We weighed the two options, and in…

Friday June 12, 2026 Denied entry to the United States, FIFA World Cup referee Omar Artan returned to Somalia to a hero’s welcome, underscoring how quickly a sports setback can turn into a moment of national pride. In the meantime, B.C. Premier David Eby and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow have both said they would like to see Artan officiate matches in Canada.

Friday June 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency said Thursday that it had intercepted a major haul of explosive chemical materials allegedly destined for al-Shabab during an operation in Lower Shabelle region. NISA said security forces uncovered more than 100 yellow jerrycans packed with volatile chemical precursors that had been buried in the Jilib Marka area. The agency said al-Shabab operatives concealed the materials after realizing that security forces had identified their…

Boko Haram factions, alongside various extremist organizations, are increasingly harnessing TikTok and other social media channels for their propaganda efforts, taunting authorities while sharing content related to kidnappings and acts of violence—a troubling trend that raises alarms about digital security in Nigeria. A recent online video associated with Boko Haram depicted captured individuals, accusing the government of downplaying casualty statistics before it was swiftly taken down. This incident illustrates a…

Friday June 12, 2026 Jowhar (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlawe marked a major milestone on Thursday with the inauguration of Villa Hirshabelle and newly completed buildings for the regional ministries of education and finance. Mohamud said the developments underscored Hirshabelle’s leadership’s push to improve government services, strengthen economic infrastructure and widen access to public services for residents. He also laid the foundation stone for the…