West Africa

Mogadishu (AX) — In a case that seems almost torn from the pages of a modern cautionary tale, a Somali court has sentenced a married couple to two years in prison. Their offense? Creating and distributing sexually explicit videos—a decision that has set off a national dialogue about digital privacy and the evolving landscape of personal security in Somalia. Is it an outcry against modern technology or a wake-up call for digital discretion? The court in question, the Waberi District Court of Mogadishu's bustling Banaadir…

File Photo In a daring operation that embraced the vast, rugged terrain of northern Somalia, over thirty militants from the infamous Daesh/ISIS faction met their demise under a barrage of airstrikes on Wednesday. Located in the Bari province of the semi-autonomous Northeastern State region, these strikes were a concerted effort to dismantle terror networks that have long cast a shadow over the area. The focal point of these airstrikes, the Sheebaab area nestled in the Almiskaad mountains, became an intense arena of…

Since the military coup in Niger in July 2023, former president Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have remained confined in a distressingly precarious situation. Their prolonged detention serves as a grim reminder of how swiftly political fortunes can shift and the consequent havoc it wreaks on lives. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent authority charged with scrutinizing cases of wrongful confinement, has labeled the incarceration of Bazoum and his spouse as arbitrary. Their conclusion…

Mogadishu (AX) – In a fervent appeal, the Northeastern State of Somalia of Somalia has reached out to international allies, urging them to lend critical logistical and technical assistance. Their goal? To fortify ongoing military operations against the entrenched ISIS insurgents within the rugged Bari region. Imagine the scene: General Abdirahman Mohamed Jama, commander of the Northeastern State Maritime Police Force (PMPF), standing stalwart yet weary, discusses the daunting task at hand. "We are devoting everything we…

The once impenetrable bastion of Dinsor, situated in Somalia's southwestern region and close to the frontier with Kenya and Ethiopia, crumbled under the combined efforts of African Union troops. Just days prior, they had seized Bardhere, another strategic location. These captures are significant as both towns represented the remaining strongholds of the Al-Shabaab insurgents. While these victories have offered a flicker of hope, a more complex issue looms over the horizon. U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman,…

Mogadishu (AX) – In a significant milestone for diplomatic collaboration and strategic alliances, Somalia and Azerbaijan have inked a groundbreaking defense cooperation agreement. This accord represents a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between the two countries. At the heart of this agreement are Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov. Together, they formalized this partnership in the vibrant city of Baku on Wednesday. Highlighted by…

In the bustling city of Mogadishu, scenes of tension unfolded as security forces apprehended three individuals during a decisive operation in the Abdiaziz district on a recent Wednesday. This maneuver followed a brazen attack on the local police station chief, who had been diligently enforcing a court order. It was a scene charged with intensity and the unmistakable sting of defiance.The encounter, vividly chaotic, resulted in the confiscation of two AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher from the…

In a momentous return, thirty years post-civil unrest, the Somali Studies International Association (SSIA) came back to its roots, convening in Mogadishu for its 15th triennial congress. This significant event marked the collaboration between the Somali National University (SNU) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education of Somalia's Federal Government. Conflict and volatility once hamstrung Mogadishu, reducing the assembly of such scholarly gatherings to a logistical impossibility. For three decades, SSIA…

Bosaso (AX) — Imagine the bleak horizon, a barren canvas where ambition and despair mingle. In such a landscape, one might think that dreams could flourish or wither silently, but not so in Northeastern State. Here, intelligence reports expose a story of exploitation, where ISIS employs a pernicious strategy to bolster its presence. It targets the vulnerable, preying upon those seeking hope across treacherous paths. What compels these militants to trap foreign migrants in their web of deceit and coercion? A senior…

In a recent email obtained by Axios, Gill unleashed a controversial message: "Friend, we should have never let Ilhan Omar into our country. The time has come to arrest and deport Ilhan Omar." One might ask, what fuels such fiery rhetoric in today's political arena? Ilhan Omar, a figure both emblematic and polarizing, symbolizes a shift in American political landscapes. Arriving in the United States in 1995 as a refugee from Somalia, she became a U.S. citizen by 17 and eventually the first Somali-American elected to…