West Africa

Hargeisa (AX) — Tragedy struck on a peaceful Tuesday afternoon in Gabiley district when Buuh Ismaeil Mirre, a dutiful police officer from North Western State of Somalia, met a brutal end. Local inhabitants reported he was gunned down on his way home after tackling a university exam, a milestone he did not live to celebrate. "We both wrapped up our exam around 5:30 p.m., and Mirre mentioned he would stroll home with some other guys," recalled Abdi Yusuf, a fellow student who had ferried Mirre to the exam site earlier that…

Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud plans to journey to Beledweyne, the heart of the Hiiraan region, aiming to mediate long-standing tensions between the community and the administration of Hirshabelle. His visit comes on the heels of significant strides made by a federal group that includes notables like Army Chief General Odawaa Yusuf Raage and NISA Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe. This crew struck a deal with Hawadle clan leaders to hand over Beledweyne's security to national forces, a move…

Beledweyne (AX) — In a significant development, a delegation spearheaded by Army Chief General Odawaa Yusuf Raage and the head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe, has brokered a landmark agreement with the Hawadle clan's leadership. This pact aims to shift the security reins of Beledweyne over to federal authorities. During a Tuesday afternoon gathering with an array of community members—elder leaders, thinkers, young folk, and women—the delegation stressed the vital…

On January 18, 2024, SpaceX catapulted a Falcon 9 rocket, crowned with its Crew Dragon capsule, into the ether from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Axiom Mission Three (Ax-3) embarks with an all-European crew, spotlighting Turkey’s first astronaut, signaling an increasing tilt by nations towards the private sector for their celestial aspirations. As our stars keep drawing curious eyes, folks are looking beyond the governments to private players for their extraterrestrial adventures…

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, in a realm of significant happenings, a statement from Farmaajo drew attention for its emphasis on dismantling terror groups plaguing Somalia. His words sing the praises of a heroic move by Northeastern State’s security forces. "This valiant operation by the guardians of Northeastern State is pivotal in scrubbing our homeland of extremists that threaten our peace and stagnate our progress," Farmaajo passionately declared. Furthering his point, Farmaajo tossed a gauntlet at the Federal…

In a tragic turn of events, Charles Owino, a 19-year-old, lost his life to a gunshot wound to the head during July's anti-government demonstrations near Nairobi, according to an autopsy reported by Reuters.However, his death, as recorded by the police, was classified as a road accident, Owino's brother revealed after he saw the morgue log entry upon identifying the body. Reuters hasn't been able to access the mentioned document. Similarly, in a separate instance, police claimed Shaquille Obienge, aged 21, succumbed to a road…

The Somali government recently shed light on a significant military operation, revealing that a faction of extremists, the Khawaarij , was thwarted before executing a planned assault. Fortunately, the mission concluded without any civilian casualties, according to reports, thanks to US military airstrikes that played a pivotal role. On Monday, the United States military confirmed the demise of a high-ranking al-Shabab figure, Mohamed Mire, during an aerial assault executed on December 24, near the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow…

Hargeisa (AX) – A whirlwind of applause greeted North Western State of Somalia's House of Representatives on Monday as they gave a remarkable thumbs-up to 19 of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro's new ministers. This unfolded during the lively ninth session of their 10th seating. Making the cut among the key ministers was Ahmed Yasiin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle, snagging the role of Minister of Information with an impressive 65 votes. A closely watched figure, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, is now at the helm of Foreign Affairs…

Mogadishu (AX) – So, here's the scoop: Somali Foreign Minister and International Cooperation guru, Ambassador Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, just had a pow-wow with a crew from the Indian High Commission based out of Nairobi. What's the word on the street? They're putting the final touches on opening a swanky new visa facilitation center right in good ol' Mogadishu. On Monday, this was trumpeted by the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session was also graced by the presence of Said Jama Mire, who runs the Asia and Australia…

In the realm of Somali security, the African Union's newly minted initiative, AUSSOM, is stepping up to partner with the Somali Security Forces (SSF) in rolling out the Somalia Transition Plan (STP). The STP is an ambitious roadmap crafted by the Somali federal government alongside various partners. Its primary goal is to gradually hand over security duties to the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF). Although the plan was initially targeted for 2021, the deadline slipped, leading to the emergence of ATMIS to push the…