West Africa

Over the past year, more than 1,500 civilians in Somalia were either killed or injured by 600 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as revealed in a recent UN report.In a statement late Thursday, James Swan, UN Secretary-General's Acting Special Representative for Somalia, underscored the severe threat IEDs pose to Somalia as it strides toward self-reliance and sustainable national security."The gravity of this threat isn't lost on any of us. Our primary goal is to safeguard your comrades in the Somali National Army (SNA).…

    This week's episode of The Horn features an intriguing discussion as Alan sits down with Omar Mahmood, the senior analyst for Eastern Africa at Crisis Group, to delve into the growing tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, the new Egypt-Somalia defense agreement, and the outlook for peacekeeping missions in Somalia. Kicking off the fresh season of The Horn, Alan converses with Omar Mahmood about the complex web of regional frictions involving Somalia, Egypt, and Ethiopia. They're set to examine the uncertain future of…

Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali National Army (SNA), along with Jubbaland State's Darawish troops, has ramped up its offensive against Al-Shabaab insurgents in Lower Jubba. This week's mission aims to uproot key militant strongholds around Bulo Haji. The effort zeroes in on the thick scrublands of Lagta Anole, where military leaders report that numerous Al-Shabaab hideouts have been obliterated. Jubbaland Darawish Commander Ismail Sahardid announced that Somali and Jubbaland forces have significantly pushed back the militants.…

The Somali government has issued a vehement denunciation concerning the unapproved importation of arms and ammunition from Ethiopia into the Northeastern State region of Somalia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation labeled this act as a “grave infringement” on Somalia’s sovereignty and a notable danger to both national and regional security. “We have irrefutable proof of two trucks delivering weapons from Ethiopia to Northeastern State without any official diplomatic protocol or authorization,” the…

Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, recently unveiled a staggering statistic: in 2022, hepatitis, a severe liver infection, claimed the lives of 15,000 individuals in Ghana. This grim figure breaks down to approximately 42 lives lost each day, with young adults bearing the brunt of this health crisis. “Many cases remain hidden,” Dr. Aboagye emphasized, pointing out that a considerable segment of the population doesn’t even realize their infection status, which complicates efforts to…

As Africa grapples with the rising financial toll of climate change, accessing climate finance becomes vital for both addressing these challenges and adapting to them. Moreover, it's essential for steering the continent's development in line with the global aim of capping temperature increases to 1.5°C.  African representatives face a pivotal moment at COP29 in Azerbaijan, where they are encouraged to push for fair climate finance allocation for their continent. A new financing strategy is anticipated to be established by a…

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Federal Government of Somalia have doubled down on their pledge to foster regional peace, security, and economic cooperation. During a pivotal meeting, IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud discussed bolstering these shared goals. The IGAD head honcho landed in Mogadishu, Somalia, to engage in high-stakes talks with the Somali government. In his speech, Dr. Workneh zeroed in on the indispensable part Somalia…

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared that Türkiye is planning to hold individual discussions with Ethiopia and Somalia. The aim is to pave the way for new negotiations tackling the contentious deal where Ethiopia agreed to lease North Western State of Somalia's coastline. Türkiye, striving for peace in the region, has already facilitated two rounds of these crucial meetings between the East African neighbors. However, a third round, originally scheduled for Tuesday in Ankara, got derailed and didn't happen.…

On Thursday, a military helicopter transporting international peacekeepers experienced a mishap near the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Remarkably, several military personnel aboard, including three Ugandan soldiers part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), survived the crash, as per security sources.Fortunately, the incident led to no fatalities, a military official disclosed to Anadolu via a phone call. They asked to stay anonymous due to lack of media authorization.At this point, neither the Somali…

A recent study conducted by the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education sounds the alarm on how climate change is intensifying both the frequency and severity of extreme weather phenomena. This escalation is placing the world’s aging network of dams—more than 70,000 in total—under increased threat, particularly in regions marred by conflict where some structures lie neglected and abandoned. Take, for instance, the catastrophic failure of the Arbaat Dam in Port Sudan last August. The region experienced an unprecedented…