MOGADISHU – A Somali military court on Tuesday examined a case involving two Ethiopian nationals accused of ties to the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, judicial officials said. The men, named by prosecutors as Hamza Ibrahim Ali Abu Irshad and Nasri Abdirahman Ali Abu Safiya, appeared before the First Instance Court of the Somali Armed Forces, where military prosecutors detailed allegations that they were connected to the al Qaeda-linked insurgency. Prosecutors said both suspects were born in Harar, Ethiopia, and speak…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State’s newly elected House of Representatives members were sworn in on Saturday in Baidoa, a ceremony that unfolded against the backdrop of intense fighting between federal government forces and troops loyal to former regional President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Southwest State’s interim leader, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, attended the event alongside federal government officials, traditional elders and other dignitaries. The new lawmakers formally took the oath of office,…

IPI calls on the international community to intensify pressure on the Somali government to ensure accountability for attacks against journalists The International Press Institute’s global network has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in attacks, arrests, intimidation and harassment targeting journalists across Somalia, with May 2026 standing out as a particularly volatile month. IPI is urging diplomats and international partners to press Somali authorities to make the protection of journalists and…

Sunday May 31, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — An emergency security meeting was convened in Baidoa on Saturday by commanders of the Somali National Army’s 60th Division, hours after fierce clashes erupted between federal government forces and troops aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The session was aimed at tightening security in the city, improving coordination among security agencies and forestalling any fresh attacks following the morning confrontation. Military officials said…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A delegation of senior Somali politicians and former legislators has returned to Mogadishu after several days of closed-door talks in Dhuusamareeb with Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Kaariye “Qoorqoor,” according to people familiar with the discussions. The group, made up largely of political figures from the Galmudug region, had been shuttling messages between regional and federal players as part of a wider effort to ease tensions and build a path toward agreement, the sources said. One of the central…

Somalia’s federal government has floated a plan to channel an expected opposition protest into designated parts of Mogadishu, according to security sources, as tensions mount ahead of a major anti-government rally scheduled for next week. MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has proposed assigning specific locations in Mogadishu for opposition groups to hold demonstrations, according to security sources, as political tensions rise ahead of a planned anti-government rally next week. The proposal was recently…

Garowe, Somalia, May 30, 2026 – Puntland State’s education minister has accused Somalia’s federal government of standing in the way of efforts to deepen cooperation in the education sector and win backing from international partners, underscoring fresh friction between the semi-autonomous region and Mogadishu. Addressing the launch of Puntland State’s 2025-2026 national certificate examinations, Education Minister Fuad Abshir Ahmed said the regional government had spent more than a year seeking dialogue with Somalia’s…

Saturday May 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Intense fighting erupted early Saturday on the outskirts of Baidoa, where federal government troops clashed with fighters aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, officials said. The confrontation took place near Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State. No independent casualty count has been verified, though social media videos appeared to show wounded soldiers. Bay regional police commander Sadiiq Duushisho told local media that the battle…

Friday May 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s infantry chief, Gen. Sahal Abdullahi Omar, held talks in Mogadishu on Thursday with an Italian government delegation focused on deepening military cooperation, training and support for the Somali National Army. The delegation, joined by Italy’s military attaché in Somalia, was welcomed at the Somali military headquarters by Sahal and senior officers of the Somali National Armed Forces. Military officials said the discussions centered on broadening ties between the Somali and…

Somalia: Rift Deepens Between President and Intelligence Chief Over Galmudug Election MOGADISHU, Somalia — A widening clash between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Mahad Salad has raised alarm over the risk of unrest in central Galmudug, according to people familiar with the talks. What began as a round of political consultations in Mogadishu has now soured into a breakdown in negotiations over who should lead Galmudug ahead of the regional presidential…