West Africa

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AX) — The Trump administration is preparing to deploy about 2,000 federal immigration agents to Minnesota, significantly expanding enforcement operations in the state as federal officials renew scrutiny of alleged welfare and child care fraud linked to nonprofits run by members of the Somali community, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the plans. The operation, expected to center on the Twin Cities, will include personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S.…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar arrived in Hargeisa on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after Israel announced it had recognized North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, in a visit that immediately sharpened diplomatic tensions across the Horn of Africa. Saar is expected to meet North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and hold a joint news conference later in the day, according to a North Western State of Somalia diplomatic source cited…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has categorically denied a report alleging that the facility is shutting down for maintenance, labeling the claim as "false and misleading." In a statement issued on Monday, refinery officials emphasized that production is currently ongoing, stable, and uninterrupted. This announcement comes in response to a wave of misinformation that has circulated online regarding the refinery's operational status. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, situated in Lagos, Nigeria, is one of the largest in Africa and…

In Dhusamareeb, AFI 2025 turned a fragile moment into a political opening for Somalia The 9th Annual Forum for Ideas (AFI 2025) in Dhusamareeb was expected to be another policy conference. It became something else: an improbable stage-setter for dialogue between a wary federal government and a skeptical opposition, and a stress test of Somalia’s political resilience amid a fast-moving geopolitical storm. Organized by the Heritage Institute in partnership with the Galmudug administration, the gathering drew roughly 500…

Somalia condemns Israeli foreign minister’s Hargeisa visit as breach of sovereignty MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government on Tuesday condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Hargeisa as an unauthorized incursion and a “serious violation” of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, escalating tensions after Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia last month. Somalia’s Foreign Ministry calls Saar’s visit illegal and “null and void.” Mogadishu urges Israel to cease actions it…

African Union and Member States React to U.S. Intervention in Venezuela The African Union (AU), along with several countries including Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa, has expressed significant concern over the recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela. This situation escalated when U.S. authorities seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as part of an indictment involving drug and weapon charges. In an official statement, the AU stated it would be "following with grave concern the recent developments in…

Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia upends Horn of Africa politics — and tests Somalia’s path forward HARGEISA and MOGADISHU — The split screen was stark. In late December, flags rose over Hargeisa and crowds flooded the streets after Israel announced it would formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. In Mogadishu, tens of thousands rallied beneath Somali and Palestinian flags, denouncing the move as a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous precedent for the region.…

MOGADISHU — North Western State of Somalia has instructed Air Djibouti to suspend all flights to its territory starting Jan. 7, deepening a diplomatic rift with neighboring Djibouti amid tensions tied to Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, according to BBC Somali. Neither North Western State of Somalia officials nor Djibouti’s state-owned carrier immediately commented on the reported directive, and BBC Somali said the airline is expected to issue a statement. Air Djibouti has been operating several…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — A woman, her sister and three young girls were killed early Monday when a fire ripped through their corrugated-iron home in Hargeisa’s 26 June district, authorities said. The blaze, which broke out in neighborhood 150 before dawn on Jan. 5, quickly engulfed the modest structure and nearby tin-walled huts packed closely together, leaving the family little chance to escape, according to the Hargeisa Fire Department. Fire officials said the children who died were girls ages 12, 7 and…

Somalia Cabinet reviews security, lauds Mogadishu vote, approves Uganda, Saudi pacts MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting Monday to review the national security situation, assess recent operations against extremist groups and mark the completion of one-person, one-vote local council elections in the Banadir region, government officials said. Chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the session signaled the political weight the…