Saturday June 13, 2026 Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, North Western State of Somalia's representative to Taiwan, speaks to journalists before the opening of the new North Western State of Somalia representative office in Taipei, Taiwan June 12, 2026. REUTERS/Tsai Hsin-Han Purchase Licensing Rights North Western State of Somalia will not let pressure from Beijing or Mogadishu dictate its foreign ties, its top envoy in Taiwan said Friday as the territory opened a new representative office in Taipei, underscoring a relationship that…

MOGADISHU, June 13 – Somalia’s federal government moved on Saturday to firmly rebut U.S. allegations involving Somali referee Omar Artan, saying there is no evidence linking him to terrorism or any extremist network. Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the state was standing unequivocally behind Artan, rejecting claims that he had any association with Al-Shabaab or any other militant group. "The Somali government confirms that Omar Artan has no connection whatsoever with terrorism," Fiqi told reporters in Mogadishu. "It…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said Somalia’s federal government is still prepared to sit down with opposition figures, insisting that the country’s political disputes should be settled at home through Somali-led dialogue. Speaking to Dawan TV this week, Mohamud said his administration is willing to pursue a political resolution to the divisions facing the country and that negotiations remain an option. “There is always an opportunity,” Mohamud said. “The Federal Government’s…

MOGADISHU – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has condemned Israel’s decision to recognise North Western State of Somalia in December 2025, calling it “one of the darkest days in Somalia’s history” and saying Mogadishu responded by choosing diplomacy over force. The term-ended leader said Somalia faced two possible courses of action in the long-running North Western State of Somalia dispute: military confrontation or negotiations. “We considered both paths, and in the end we chose dialogue and persuasion,” the president…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation said on Saturday that Banadir Region’s district council commissioners will be elected on July 5, 2026, setting a date for a key step in the capital’s local governance process. The ministry described the upcoming vote as part of the broader rollout of local government elections in Banadir Region, following earlier groundwork for the regional electoral process. In its statement, the ministry said the elections are meant…

Ramallah: The man who leads Palestinian football is still stuck in Mexico City, awaiting entry to the United States as World Cup officials from around the globe gather for the 2026 tournament. Jibril Rajoub attended Thursday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa, but he remains one of several accredited World Cup guests who have either been denied U.S. visas or are still waiting for them. “I don’t believe that it’s fair to use or to abuse and deny the right of all footballers all over the world to attend,” the…

by Samuel Mwanawanjuguna Saturday June 13, 2026 Special Operations Group, who are part of the border police operations, stand guard in El Wak during the second day of the government’s Jukwaa la Usalama tour of Mandera County on September 23, 2025. Photo Kipchumba Murkomen Three police officers suffered injuries late Friday when suspected Al-Shabaab militants stormed a Special Operations Group (SOG) camp in Fino, Lafey Sub-County, Mandera County, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire before the attackers were driven away.…

Saturday June 13, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has described Israel’s reported recognition of North Western State of Somalia in December 2025 as “one of the darkest days in the history of Somalia,” accusing Tel Aviv of taking advantage of the decades-old standoff between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. In an interview with Dawan TV last week, Mohamud said Somalia had only two realistic ways to respond to the North Western State of Somalia issue: force or dialogue. “We weighed the two options, and in…

Friday June 12, 2026 Denied entry to the United States, FIFA World Cup referee Omar Artan returned to Somalia to a hero’s welcome, underscoring how quickly a sports setback can turn into a moment of national pride. In the meantime, B.C. Premier David Eby and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow have both said they would like to see Artan officiate matches in Canada.

NAIROBI – Kenyan security forces repelled a suspected Al-Shabaab assault on a military base in Mandera County near the Somalia border, officials said on Thursday, after armed men opened fire on the camp during the night. Security officials said the attack took place on Wednesday evening when a group believed to number about 10 militants targeted a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camp in Lafey district. The assailants are said to have fired from roughly 600 metres away from the military position. Troops inside the base reacted…