Eye on Africa

  The process of flood evacuation organized by the Kenya Red Cross. Photo: X/@kenyaredcrossNAIROBI (AX) — Severe floods have wreaked havoc on parts of Kenya, Somalia, Burundi, and Tanzania in Eastern Africa. The latest reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicate that approximately 848,773 individuals have been affected by the intense seasonal rains, resulting in the displacement of over 350,155 people. Immediate international assistance is required to support the ongoing humanitarian…

Somalia faces various obstacles, including climate change, affecting security and humanitarian efforts. There's a growing understanding among Somalis that more needs to be done, and Mohamed Okash is among those leading the way. Born in Mogadishu in 1992, Okash pursued education amidst civil unrest. He obtained a Diploma in Education and then a bachelor's degree in public administration and a master's in development studies. His educational pursuits have always been aimed at improving community life. Okash co-founded Rays…

The tragic incident took place in 2013 at the intersection of 12th and Washington avenues S., where Haji-Ahmed was found dead with gunshot wounds in a car parked outside a gas station. Authorities located five .45 caliber shells in the vehicle, pinpointing the direction of the gunfire. Surveillance footage captured Ali in a vibrant varsity jacket exiting the car before the shooting.A security guard witnessed a man in a similar jacket jumping a fence and escaping the scene. Nearby, a torn piece of fabric believed to be from…

In a heated competition, Fiqi raised concerns about Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, accusing him of supporting Somalia's division in the past. Fiqi stressed the importance of Somali unity behind Adan. Fiqi's comments come amidst rumors of diplomatic talks, with Kenya reportedly pushing for Somalia to withdraw its nomination in favor of Odinga, who is vying for the East African Community's endorsement. Despite Kenya's efforts, Somalia enjoys support from nearly 30 African nations in the Organization of Islamic…

In Kunyabarow, South West State security forces triumphantly apprehended an Al-Shabaab official named Adan Mohamed Ali Dhayoow. Disguised in a Federal Government Army uniform, Dhayoow was armed and subsequently handed over to local security forces. The capture of Dhayoow is just one in a series of actions aimed at rooting out Al-Shabaab militants in the Bay region. A dozen members of the group were recently seized in military operations in and around Baidoa, the interim headquarters of South West Somalia. These operations…

The judge presiding over a pregnancy discrimination case against Donald Trump's 2016 campaign approved the request to switch to new legal counsel. They are now represented by the Maryland law firm Schulman Bhattacharya. The former defense team, LaRocca, Hornik, Greenberg, Kittredge, Carlin & McPartland, requested to withdraw from the lawsuit, citing an irreparable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship. This came after GOP operative Arlene "A.J." Delgado filed a lawsuit in 2019, claiming that campaign leadership…

Beledweyne, the capital of Somalia's Hiraan region, is gearing up to host the inauguration of Ugas Yusuf Ugas Hassan Ugas Khalif, leader of the Hawadle clans, on May 13.The ceremony has attracted a notable influx of dignitaries, including delegates from the Hawadle communities in Somalia's Federal Parliament and Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloshe, the head of the National Security and Intelligence Agency (NISA). A plethora of participants have also arrived in the city.Nevertheless, the choice of location for the event has…

In Mogadishu, the Somali government has officially requested the United Nations to begin planning a shift from a political mission to a development-oriented UN Country Team to foster stability in the nation. The letter dated May 9, 2024, from Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi to the Security Council outlined the strategic shift following discussions between Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasizing a systematic transition to address Somalia's governance and…

A European naval force apprehended six suspected pirates after they attacked an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, possibly part of a surge in piracy originating from Somalia.The assault on the Marshall Islands-flagged Chrystal Arctic occurred amid Yemen's Houthi rebels' attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. These attacks have disrupted commercial traffic through the area towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.The pirates fired on the tanker from a vessel carrying weapons and ladders, armed…

A key figure from the Al-Shabaab organization has turned himself in within Somalia, as the Somali National Army ramps up efforts to combat the group aiming to overthrow the weak UN-supported federal government. Working alongside the African Union Transition Mission and US Africa Command, SNA troops have successfully freed multiple key towns in the region. The surrendered individual, Sidow Ali Ibrahim, responded to government appeals to surrender and is now alongside other former militants from Galmudug, preparing to join…