Somalia

Analysis: Jubbaland’s Broadside Against Mogadishu Exposes Somalia’s Uneasy Balancing Act Somalia’s fragile political compact wobbled again this week as the Jubbaland regional administration publicly accused the federal government in Mogadishu of drifting from core national priorities, including the campaign against al-Shabaab and the country’s hard-won political unity. In a blunt statement issued Monday, Jubbaland warned that “short-term political interests” were eroding trust and urged a return to consensus politics. “The…

Under the acacia: After a night of fire, families from Adale search for safety Displaced mother and her family sit outside their makeshift shelter/Ergo The tree offers a patch of shade and not much else. A few plastic jerrycans, a cooking pot blackened by smoke, a sleeping mat—this is all that remains for dozens of families who fled Adale, a remote town in Somalia’s Mudug region, after armed men set fire to homes and shops late on July 31. The attack, rooted in a smoldering clan dispute, pushed more than 120 families into…

Egyptian Troops Deploy to Somalia: A New Chapter in Regional Dynamics MOGADISHU, Somalia – As the sun rises over the verdant hills of Middle Shabelle, a new chapter is unfolding in Somalia's ongoing battle against the militant group Al-Shabaab. Egyptian troops have joined the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission (AUSSOM) to help restore peace in a region that has long felt the heavy hand of violence. This moment, however, carries complexities that resonate far beyond the borders of Somalia as geopolitical…

Somalia’s Political Turmoil: A Threatened Stability Amid Al-Shabaab Resurgence MOGADISHU, SOMALIA — In a country where shadows loom large, the specter of Al-Shabaab has once again taken root, troubling citizens and alarmingly opposition leaders alike. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces accusations of negligence as opposition figures blame the government’s preoccupation with constitutional revisions for the destabilization currently gripping the nation. These concerns echo the compelling narratives of a battered society,…

Somalia’s Political Crossroads: A Call for Electoral Unity MOGADISHU — As Somalia grapples with an ever-complex political landscape, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has sounded a clarion call for urgency and unity in electoral matters. In his latest press conference held in Mogadishu, the leader of the opposition Salvation Forum vehemently opposed any attempts to extend the current government’s constitutional mandate, stating, “There is still ample time to conduct a credible and inclusive election before May 15,…

Somalia Executes Two Convicted al-Shabaab Members as Military Court Steps Up Death Sentences Somalia’s military court on Monday executed two men convicted of belonging to al-Shabaab and participating in targeted killings and ambushes in Mogadishu, in the latest sign that authorities are accelerating capital punishments amid an ongoing offensive against the extremist group. The men were identified by the court as Ibrahim Adan Madeey and Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known by the noms de guerre “Maaxi” and “Yoonis.” The…

At Least 250 Dead After 6.0-Magnitude Quake Rattles Eastern Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan — A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 250 people and injuring more than 530, according to the state-run Bakhtar News Agency. The tremor hit mountainous districts in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces near the border with Pakistan, flattening homes and triggering landslides that cut off winding roads just when they were needed most. Local officials warned the death toll could climb…

Somalia’s New “Northeastern” State Emerges From the Fault Lines In a sun-baked Las Anod still bearing the scars of last year’s street battles, the Somali federal government says it has finished a job many thought impossible: bringing the disputed regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn into the federal fold as a new “Northeastern” state. It is an administrative milestone—and a political gambit—that reshapes Somalia’s internal map and tests the limits of its federal project. What Changed Today Mogadishu’s Interior Ministry…

Egypt sends senior military team to Somalia ahead of AU mission deployment CAIRO/MOGADISHU — Egypt has dispatched a high-level military delegation to Mogadishu ahead of the planned deployment of Egyptian troops to the African Union’s new mission in Somalia, signaling fresh momentum in regional security cooperation as Somalia confronts a resilient al-Shabaab insurgency. The 16-member Egyptian team, led by Maj. Gen. Islam Radwan, arrived in the Somali capital on Sunday and was received by officers from the African Union…

Analysis: Northeastern State’s warning shot tests Somalia’s fragile federal bargain Somalia’s most politically assertive region, Northeastern State, has accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of trampling the country’s basic rules — and it’s not just a routine war of words. In a sharply worded statement from Garowe, Northeastern State’s leadership warned that what it calls constitutional overreach from the federal center risks tipping the country into crisis unless Somalis agree on a shared path to the next elections. They…