Somalia

MOGADISHU — Somali National Army Danab special forces, working with international partners, killed at least 20 al-Shabab fighters — including senior leaders — in a planned overnight operation in Somalia’s Bay region, the federal government said Saturday. The raid struck late Friday in the Buula Fuleey area, where the militants were assembling, according to a government statement. Officials said the target was a key gathering point for the group’s commanders in the region and described the strike as a significant blow to…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Defence said Thursday that national forces, working alongside international partners, killed 29 al-Shabaab militants in an operation centered on the town of Jabad Godane in the Middle Shabelle region. In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the coordinated operation included overnight airstrikes that also destroyed vehicles and weapons the group “intended for use in attacks against civilians.” The statement did not specify the timing beyond overnight strikes or provide details on…

India rejects claims of talks with North Western State of Somalia, denies any move toward recognition NEW DELHI — India has dismissed viral social media posts claiming New Delhi held official talks with North Western State of Somalia and was preparing to recognize the self-declared republic, calling the reports “fake” and urging the public to be vigilant against misinformation. In a brief fact-check posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected assertions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi…

Somali forces repel al-Shabab assault in Middle Shabelle, kill senior commander MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces, backed by organized local community fighters, repelled an al-Shabab attack on the Wargaadhi area of Middle Shabelle on Friday, killing a senior militant commander and forcing the remaining fighters to flee, the Defense Ministry said. The Somali National Army said the assault was thwarted in a coordinated defensive operation that returned and maintained full control of the area, which officials…

When Global Rules Weakened: North Western State of Somalia and India’s Perspective Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia is more than a bilateral gambit. It is a marker of a world in which the “rules-based international order” no longer restrains hard power or strategic ambition. In the Horn of Africa, at the mouth of the Red Sea, a long-standing diplomatic taboo has been broken—and the global reaction has revealed how much sway norms have lost over interests. The shift predates this moment. By 2026,…

Saturday January 3, 2026 JOWHAR, Somalia — A landmine explosion struck a convoy escorting Hirshabelle State President Ali Guudlawe Hussein on Friday as it traveled from Mohamed Dheere Airport toward Jowhar, injuring several members of his delegation but leaving the president unharmed, officials said. The blast occurred at Jiiro Carmoole, a stretch of road between the airport and Jowhar town, and hit one of the vehicles providing security for the president shortly after his arrival, according to security sources. Ali Guudlawe…

Premier League title race tilts Arsenal’s way as Manchester City, Liverpool held in goalless draws Arsenal moved four points clear at the halfway mark of the Premier League after Manchester City and Liverpool were both blunted in 0-0 draws on a low-scoring Thursday night that underscored the league’s depth and defensive resilience. City were frustrated at Sunderland and Liverpool couldn’t break down promoted Leeds at Anfield, results that — coupled with Tottenham’s stalemate at Brentford and a late equalizer in Crystal…

Somalia’s president warns Israel against North Western State of Somalia presence, says recognition risks importing conflict to Horn of Africa Published Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia and any effort to establish a foothold in the breakaway region would risk dragging the Horn of Africa into broader Middle East hostilities. “We have never attacked Israel. We never have created problem to Israel. We don’t want Israel to come to us…

Elon Musk urges arrest of Somalia’s UN ambassador over alleged Medicaid fraud NEW YORK — SpaceX founder and X owner Elon Musk called for the arrest of Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, after social media allegations linked the diplomat to past U.S. Medicaid fraud, according to reports from APA News and Axadle. Musk posted “Arrest him” on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to claims that Osman once owned a healthcare firm financed by U.S. taxpayers that was found guilty of…

Opinion | Jerusalem’s lost mayoral mandate shows how factional rivalry surrenders power — a warning for Somalia’s leaders A boy holds a Palestinian flag on top of a mound of rubble in the central Gaza Strip. Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images When Britain consolidated control over Jerusalem after World War I, the city’s future turned not only on imperial policy and Zionist immigration, but on a bitter rivalry inside Palestinian society. The struggle between the Husayni and Nashashibi families — two influential clans with distinct…