West Africa

North Western State of Somalia on edge as rival elders mobilize after Borama killings; military probes claims of foreign snipers HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Fears of clan conflict surged Sunday in North Western State of Somalia’s western regions after rival elders in Awdal and Salal declared they were prepared for war, while the military said it is investigating reports that “foreign shooters” may have killed civilians during unrest in Borama. The warnings followed the government’s decision to cancel the Issa…

ICE raids and Trump’s rhetoric rattle Minnesota’s Somali community MINNEAPOLIS — Federal immigration raids, high-profile fraud prosecutions and escalating rhetoric from former president Donald Trump are converging on Minnesota’s Somali community, unsettling daily life in the state that is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. Since Dec. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained 12 people in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area under a Department of Homeland Security initiative called Operation…

Jubbaland declares itself a “government,” deepening Somalia’s constitutional crisis Jubbaland on Sunday said it will operate as a government rather than a federal member state, a sharp escalation in its confrontation with Somalia’s federal authorities that widens the country’s unresolved constitutional crisis. Abdi Mohamed Abdirahman, speaker of the Jubbaland Parliament, said lawmakers approved amendments removing all references to “federal member state” from the regional charter and formally rebranding the entity as the…

Analysis: Somalia’s counterterrorism campaign shows gains—but the next phase will test staying power Somalia’s government says it is closer to defeating terrorism than at any point in its modern history. The claim rests on a three-front strategy—military operations, financial disruption and ideological delegitimization—backed by institutional rebuilding and a push to normalize civic life. The figures, initiatives and timelines advanced by Somali authorities sketch a picture of momentum that is tangible in liberated territory…

Benin Thwarts Coup Attempt Amid Regional Instability Benin's government has announced the successful prevention of a coup attempt led by a faction within the military. This incident marks the latest in a series of challenges to democratic governance in West Africa. Armed forces intercepted the coup, maintaining control over national affairs. Regional stability remains threatened due to similar occurrences in neighboring nations. Official statements assured citizens to maintain daily routines. Military…

DOHA — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday presided over a high-level session on the sidelines of the Doha Forum, using the global platform to press for tighter coordination of international support behind Somalia’s state-building agenda. In a detailed briefing, Mohamud outlined the government’s push to stabilize the country and reform public institutions while waging a multi-front campaign against international terrorist groups. He said Somalia is countering the threat militarily, economically and…

Benin Military Ousts President Talon in Sudden Coup In a shocking turn of events, the government of Benin was upended early Sunday morning as military personnel took to public television to declare the removal of President Patrice Talon. The self-proclaimed Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) announced that Talon would be replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who will now lead the committee. The military's dramatic announcement has sent ripples through West Africa, raising concerns about stability in a region…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle resigned late Saturday, saying he was tasked with delivering a “bitter decision” to allow a book launch celebrating Xeer Ciise that preceded deadly unrest in the Awdal region’s Borama town. Ayaanle said President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi assigned him to announce the authorization for the ceremony, which triggered clashes between residents and security forces that left 10 people dead, according to local authorities and community…

Somalia says it maintains direct contacts with North Western State of Somalia, seeks political solution amid rising Horn of Africa stakes MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government is engaging in direct and regular contact with authorities in North Western State of Somalia and pursuing a negotiated political settlement, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said in an interview published Saturday. Speaking to Doha News, Balcad reaffirmed the federal government’s position that North Western State of Somalia remains part…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalis reacted with anger and disbelief Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump described Somalis as “garbage” and said “we don’t want them in our country,” remarks delivered during a cabinet meeting a day earlier that drew condemnation across Mogadishu and beyond. Trump, who has a long record of inflammatory language, also said Somalis “just run around killing each other” and declared “their country stinks,” intensifying a wave of rhetoric he has aimed at immigrants following last week’s shooting…