Somalia

Dubai — Citigroup and Standard Chartered have told staff in Dubai to leave their offices and work from home as Gulf lenders step up precautions after Iran threatened to strike regional banking interests linked to the United States and Israel, according to people familiar and a staff memo. Citigroup instructed employees at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and in the Oud Metha neighborhood to evacuate and work remotely until further notice, a memo reviewed by Reuters showed. A Citi spokesperson said the bank is…

Hormuud Salaam Foundation pledges $700,000 for Somalia drought relief MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation said it is committing $700,000 in emergency aid to families hit by severe drought across south-central Somalia, aiming to deliver water, food and other essentials as conditions deteriorate. The foundation — the humanitarian arm of Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank — said the funding will target communities facing worsening shortages after months of below-average rainfall that have dried traditional…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council on Wednesday condemned what it described as the use of force against Bajaj drivers protesting soaring fuel prices in the capital, as well as the arrest of some drivers and journalists covering the demonstration. In a statement, the council said the drivers had been peacefully expressing grievances over sharp increases in fuel costs and should not have faced intimidation or detention. “It is unacceptable that young people who are creating jobs and contributing to…

Farmaajo condemns arrests of Bajaj drivers as Mogadishu fuel price spike sparks protests Thursday March 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Wednesday condemned the arrest and alleged mistreatment of Bajaj drivers who staged protests in Mogadishu over soaring fuel prices and rising living costs. In a statement, Farmaajo criticized authorities for detaining drivers he said were demonstrating peacefully to express concerns about inflation and worsening economic conditions. He urged…

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone call Tuesday with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, to discuss bilateral relations and the latest security developments in Sudan, according to Ankara’s communications directorate. In a statement posted on X, Turkey’s Directorate of Communications said the two leaders exchanged views on the situation in Sudan as well as broader issues shaping ties between the countries. The readout did not specify the duration of the…

Thursday March 12, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — Israel is weighing the establishment of a strategic base in North Western State of Somalia to help counter Yemen’s Houthi movement, according to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday that cites unnamed North Western State of Somalia officials and people familiar with the talks. The exploratory assessments have focused on sites along North Western State of Somalia’s northern coastline, including elevated terrain west of the port city of Berbera — about…

SHALANBOOD, Somalia — The sand moves like a tide here, swallowing lanes, schools and low-slung homes on the edge of the Indian Ocean. Among the dunes, hundreds of farming families who fled Lower Shabelle’s contested villages are piecing together life in makeshift shelters, rationing water by the cup as fighting and failed rains erase the certainty of the past. Families from Mushani, Garilow and Barire streamed into the outskirts of Shalanbood in November after government forces and African Union troops clashed with Al-Shabab…

Egypt, Turkey step up African security coordination in Cairo talks on Libya, Horn of Africa and Sahel CAIRO — Egypt and Turkey held new diplomatic consultations in Cairo on Wednesday focused on instability in Libya, the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, deepening their coordination on regional security and political mediation amid mounting pressures across several African theaters. The meetings, organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, marked the third round of…

Iran lays mines in Strait of Hormuz; U.S. says it struck Iranian minelayers as oil prices whipsaw Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, according to two people familiar with U.S. intelligence. The move escalates a high-stakes standoff in a waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and has already been largely closed to commercial traffic amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The mining remains limited for now — a few…

DOHA, Qatar — Iran launched missiles and drones across the Gulf on Wednesday, claiming strikes on U.S. forces in Kuwait, as several Gulf states reported intercepts and casualties and maritime authorities said two commercial ships were hit near the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation comes hours before a United Nations Security Council vote on a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed resolution demanding Tehran halt attacks on its Arab neighbors. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired four missiles at the headquarters of…