Somalia

Somalia’s Arta Anniversary: A Quiet Milestone Amid Deepening Political Strains When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud touched down in Djibouti this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Arta Peace Conference, the trip looked at first like a ceremonial reprise of a turning point in Somali history. Villa Somalia described the visit as a working engagement “at the invitation of H.E. President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh,” noting bilateral talks and participation in the commemoration of the 2000 conference that helped birth Somalia’s…

Somalia and Turkey Mark Republic Day — And a Partnership Forged in Crisis Mogadishu’s salute to a trusted ally Under the bright Mogadishu sun, a small crowd filtered into the Turkish Embassy’s courtyard on Wednesday, where Turkish and Somali flags hung side by side and a brass band played the familiar crescendos of national anthems. It was a moment at once ceremonial and deeply personal: Somalia joined Turkey in marking the 102nd anniversary of the Republic, with Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre calling the day “a shared…

Ethiopia’s lost coastline: Abiy’s legal claim, a diplomatic gamble and the region’s fragile future When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stood before Ethiopia’s parliament this week and declared that his country “lost access to the sea” under circumstances he now calls legally flawed, he was doing more than restating a grievance. He was reviving a central theme of modern Ethiopian politics: the economic and psychological toll of being landlocked in a region where control of ports can determine a nation’s fate. What the prime…

Between a Scholarship and a Closed Door: A Somali Student’s Long Wait for a Yes The calls stopped first. Then the messages. For 12 days, a Somali student who had won a coveted Erasmus Mundus scholarship waited for a residence permit to study in Denmark—only to learn, as so many young people with dreams find out, that the hardest borders are often the invisible ones. Ali Musa, a scholar who had secured full funding to study at the University of Copenhagen, found his plans stalled when Danish authorities denied his residence…

You are a senior international journalist. First, read the source news carefully and decide whether it is best written as: Breaking News → urgent, fast-moving event, immediate facts first. Feature Story → human, textured, on-the-ground narrative. Opinion/Analysis → reflective, interpretive, connecting events to wider trends. Based on the content, automatically choose the right style (don’t ask me to specify) and rewrite into an original piece for a global audience. Rules: Length: 700–1100 words depending on…

South West Somalia Tries to Turn Down the Temperature — Online and Off Somalia’s South West State is drawing a line against those it says are fanning inter-clan tensions from afar, announcing this week it will pursue legal action against people accused of inciting violence and revenge killings. The warning comes as local elders and administrators push a fragile peace deal in Diinsoor, a town in Bay region where recent clashes between armed militias ignited long-simmering grievances. “There are people outside the conflict…

Somali forces, backed by international partners, kill founding Al-Shabaab figure in Bu'ale raid BU'ALE, Somalia — Somali security forces announced Tuesday that they killed Jaafar Gurey, a senior founding member of the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab, in a targeted operation in the southern town of Bu'ale, a bastion of the insurgency in Middle Jubba. The Defence Ministry said Gurey, who had worked closely with the group’s former leader Ahmed Abdi Godane and is believed to have ties to the current leader Ahmed Diriye, was…

The Siege of el-Fasher: A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds in Sudan As the dust settles over the war-torn landscape of Darfur, the city of el-Fasher finds itself encircled by the gripping tension of Sudan’s brutal conflict. For civilians trapped within its boundaries, the future remains grim as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declare control over this last army stronghold in the region. A City Under Siege El-Fasher, a once vibrant hub in North Darfur, is now a stage for the latest chapter in a protracted war that has torn Sudan…

El-Fasher's Desperate Exodus: A Humanitarian Crisis in North Darfur In the heart of North Darfur’s turmoil, the city of El-Fasher finds itself once again engulfed in chaos, compelling thousands to flee as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) push further into urban territories. This escalation has left a humanitarian crisis in its wake, with the UNHCR voicing urgent appeals for intervention. Renewed Instability For a city already battered by over 500 days of siege and conflict, El-Fasher’s most recent upheaval symbolizes…

Somali Youth Unemployment Deepens as Foreign Workers Take Local Jobs — A Threat to the Nation’s Future