Somalia

NATO intercepts ballistic missile allegedly launched from Iran en route to Turkish airspace; Tehran denies Thursday March 5, 2026 A Turkish F16 fighting jet flies over naval ships during an annual NATO naval exercise on Turkiye's western coast on the Mediterranean NATO air and missile defense systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean destroyed a ballistic munition detected after launch from Iran and tracked across Iraqi and Syrian airspace toward Turkiye, Ankara said Wednesday. Iran’s Armed Forces denied firing any…

Somalia’s Cabinet clears raft of international pacts, adopts performance policy to tighten governance Moves include IAEA safeguards ratification, U.N. drug and maritime conventions, and visa-free diplomatic travel with Pakistan MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Council of Ministers on Thursday approved a package of international agreements and domestic policy measures aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties, aligning regulations with global standards and improving the performance of federal institutions. At its weekly meeting in…

Las Anod — The newly formed Northeastern State of Somalia on Thursday welcomed the Federal Parliament’s approval of a revised national constitution, calling the move a significant step toward strengthening Somalia’s federal system and clarifying the country’s governance framework. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Justice, Religious Affairs and Constitutional Affairs, the regional administration congratulated both the House of the People and the Upper House for completing a long-delayed review. The ministry described…

African Countries Hosting U.S. Bases Face Potential Risk from Iranian Missiles DJIBOUTI — Escalating confrontation between Iran and its rivals, including the United States and Israel, is pushing parts of Africa closer to the geopolitical firing line. Security and economic analysts warn that nations hosting American military facilities — most notably Djibouti’s Camp Lemonnier, the largest U.S. base on the continent — could be drawn into a broader conflict and face potential exposure to Iran’s long-range missile capabilities.…

Iran–Israel war redraws the Horn of Africa’s security map The joint United States–Israeli strikes on Iran last week, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior security officials, have vaulted the Middle East into a wider war with immediate spillover risks for the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. Iran has hit Israel and several Arab states that host U.S. military facilities — the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan — while Hezbollah’s barrage from Lebanon…

Premier League title race tilts Arsenal’s way as Manchester City draw with Nottingham Forest; Newcastle halts Manchester United’s run; João Pedro hat trick powers Chelsea; West Ham takes vital derby win. Arsenal opened a seven-point cushion over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after a scrappy 1-0 win at Brighton, capitalizing on City’s 2-2 home draw with struggling Nottingham Forest. The Gunners have played one game more, but Wednesday’s swing tightens their grip on a title fight defined by thin margins. At…

Somalia’s Olympic Committee accuses sports minister of interference, escalating power struggle in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia’s National Olympic Committee on Wednesday accused the country’s sports minister of attempting to disrupt its work and interfere in the administration of national sports, deepening a public rift between two institutions at the heart of Somali athletics. In a statement, the Olympic body alleged the minister orchestrated “fake contacts” to undermine its operations and tried to take control of its…

‘No school, no food’: Drought pushes Bay region children out of class and into Baidoa’s camps BAIDOA, Somalia — At night in a camp on the edge of this bustling regional capital, Hassan Isaq Sabri counts his children as they file into borrowed huts to sleep. The adults bed down outside. By morning, he will borrow 20 liters of water from neighbors and begin the daylong search for a meal — and for a way to keep his four school-age children from slipping further behind. “My children had a good education before,” said Hassan, 55,…

U.S. names first troops killed in Iran conflict after Kuwait drone strike; death toll rises to six The U.S. military on Tuesday identified four of the six soldiers killed when an unmanned aircraft system evaded air defenses and struck a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Sunday — the first American troop fatalities acknowledged since the United States launched a new war against Iran with Israel. U.S. Central Command initially reported three deaths in the attack. Officials said Monday the toll had risen to six after…

Somalia, U.S. open high-level trade talks in Mogadishu, eye energy and critical minerals amid rising offshore interest Wednesday March 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and the United States held high-level talks in the capital on Tuesday to expand bilateral trade and investment, with a sharp focus on energy and critical minerals, officials said. The meeting — formally convened inside Somalia for the first time — was cast by both sides as a marker of growing confidence in the country’s security and economic trajectory. The…