By Hussein Mohamed and Matthew Mpoke BiggHussein Mohamed reported from Mogadishu, Somalia, and Matthew Mpoke Bigg from Nairobi, Kenya.Friday June 5, 2026 Smoke drifted above Mogadishu on Thursday as heavy fighting engulfed parts of the Somali capital, where residents said the violence was the most intense in years. The U.S. Embassy called the clashes reckless and appealed for calm. Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Gunfire and explosions shook Somalia’s capital on Thursday, with residents describing the clashes as…

Friday June 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a move that could ease rising political friction in Somalia’s capital, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Friday left the temporary homes they had taken up in two Mogadishu neighborhoods, according to sources familiar with the situation. Sharif had recently relocated to Mirinaayo in Abdiaziz district, while Khaire had been staying in the Bermudo area. Opposition figures said the relocations were tied to efforts to mobilize supporters…

Mogadishu — Former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Friday agreed to vacate the compound where he had been staying in the Mirinaayo area of Abdiaziz district, a move that came as international actors urged calm and a return to talks. The convoy escorting the former president included the Commander of the Somali National Army, the Chief of the Somali Military Court and several traditional elders. At one point, officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) set up a roadblock and demanded the…

Friday June 5, 2026 This handout photograph taken on January 30, 2024 and released by the Indian Navy shows an Iranian fishing vessel after it has been freed by the Indian Navy from Somali pirates, off the Somali coast, some 850 nautical miles (1,574 kilometres) west of the Indian city of Kochi. (AFP/ file) ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday that efforts were still under way to win the release of ten Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates since April, while warning that the vessel’s highly explosive cargo had narrowed…

Friday June 5, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — A protest in Sheikh district in North Western State of Somalia’s Sahil region turned deadly on Thursday, leaving one person dead and another injured, according to residents and witnesses. The unrest followed the recent arrest of Sultan Qabile in Mandera district. Residents said anger over the detention quickly spilled into the streets of Sheikh, where crowds gathered before confrontations erupted between demonstrators and security forces. The woman killed was identified by residents as…

Friday June 5, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State’s lawmakers on Thursday chose Mahad Mohamed Sheikh Hassan as speaker of the regional House of Representatives, marking a major step in completing the new parliamentary leadership. In a vote held at the regional parliament hall in Baidoa, Mahad secured 70 votes. His rival, Abdihakim Fiqi, won 25. Lawmakers also elected Aden Hassan Mohamed Osama as first deputy speaker. He secured 82 votes, defeating Abdirisaq Hussein Aden, who received 12. Shamso Mohamed Yarow was elected…

Sub-Saharan Africa, recognized for its rapidly expanding population, tragically accounts for 70% of the global maternal death toll. Annually, the continent witnesses about 180,000 women succumbing to pregnancy-related conditions, accompanied by nearly 1 million newborn fatalities. The situation is particularly dire in war-torn regions like the Central African Republic, where conflict, displacement, and dwindling aid transform childbirth into a perilous endeavor. Maude Ahmad Fadala experienced this grim reality after…

Amid escalating tensions, violent clashes erupted between opposition supporters and state security forces in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, sparking ongoing confrontations as of Thursday. The unrest followed a turbulent night of violence amidst plans for an "anti-government" demonstration. While authorities have yet to release official casualty numbers, international voices including the U.N. and the U.S. have issued urgent calls for restraint, with both the Somali government and opposition trading accusations over the…

Mohamed DhaysaneWednesday June 3, 2026 Somali forces, working with international partners, killed 28 al-Shabaab militants in coordinated operations in the Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions, according to an official statement released Tuesday. Among those killed in the airstrikes was Abdirahman Abdi Mudallib, identified as a senior terrorist figure in Hiran, along with five other militants. The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency said Mudallib had played a direct role in organizing and plotting attacks in the…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State on Thursday mounted a sharp attack on Somalia’s federal leadership, accusing it of creating a "constitutional vacuum" and blaming President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for armed raids carried out against former state leaders in Mogadishu. The rebuke came after a cabinet session in Garowe led by Puntland State’s Acting President and Vice President, Ilyaas Lugatoor. In a strongly framed statement, the cabinet denounced "armed confrontations targeting civilians and former senior leaders" in the…