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Somalia
Somalia news, politics, security, diplomacy, and public affairs from Axadle, with breaking updates and analysis from Mogadishu and across the country.
Dry wells leave Sool residents without access to water
Wednesday April 1, 2026
Yasin Ahmed (left) inspects the dried-up wells /Asia Yusuf/Ergo
Residents of Taleh in Somalia’s northern Sool region are running out of choices after two shallow wells that once served the area went dry, forcing families to depend on costly water deliveries brought in by truck from elsewhere.
For many low-income households, the price is simply out of reach. At the same time, food stocks are dwindling and debts are piling up.
Yasin Ahmed Isse’s family of 10 now survives by asking neighbours for small…
Somali army captures strategic city as regional leader resigns
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Somalia’s national army seized control of Baidoa, the largest city in South West state, on Monday, setting off a political rupture that ended with the regional president stepping down two weeks after he said his administration was cutting ties with the federal government.
Baidoa, the administrative hub of South West state, is a key strategic center in a region shadowed by drought, conflict and displacement. The city also hosts international peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies, adding to its…
Somalia: Hormuud Telecom and GIZ Sign MoU to Boost Inclusive Digital Economy in East Africa
Somalia: Hormuud Telecom and GIZ Ink MoU to Bolster Inclusive Digital Economy in East Africa
MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 31 - Somalia’s biggest telecom operator, Hormuud Telecom, has joined forces with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in a new agreement aimed at widening access to the digital economy in Somalia and across East Africa.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed Tuesday in Mogadishu, is intended…
Somalia Lower House Speaker arrives in Baidoa to oversee Southwest elections
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Baidoa (AX) — Somalia’s Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur Madoobe, landed in Baidoa on Tuesday as federal authorities moved to steer preparations for presidential and local council elections in Southwest State, one day after federal forces seized control of the city.
Accompanying the speaker are Minister of Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow and Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali Hosh, both of whom are expected to be key figures in shaping a new regional administration after the…
AUSSOM takes command of British base in Mogadishu to boost capacity
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) - The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) formally took over Operating Base (OB) SHAND from British forces in Mogadishu on 28 March 2026, marking a notable shift in support for Somalia’s security mission.
First established in 2017 as the main military operating site for the United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UKMST) in Somalia, OB SHAND is now set to function as a key platform for strengthening AUSSOM’s operational reach and capacity.
At the handover…
Federal Delegation Arrives in Baidoa to Oversee Transition After Laftagareen’s Resignation
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Federal officials landed in Baidoa on Tuesday afternoon as Mogadishu moved to take charge of a political handover in South West State, one day after regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen announced his resignation.
The delegation, which included the ministers of interior, foreign affairs and religious affairs, along with Lower House speaker Sheikh Aden Madobe, arrived at Shaati Gaduud airport in Baidoa. For some of the officials, the trip marked a return to the city after years away,…
AUSSOM takes command of British base in Mogadishu to boost operations
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) - The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) took formal control of Operating Base (OB) SHAND from British forces in Mogadishu on 28 March 2026, marking a fresh phase in the mission’s support structure in the Somali capital.
First established in 2017 as the main military operating site for the United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UKMST) in Somalia, OB SHAND is now set to function as a key platform for strengthening AUSSOM’s operational reach.
At the handover…
Türkiye to expand Black Sea and Somalia drilling operations in April
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Türkiye’s drilling fleet is moving into a busier phase, with new exploration and production campaigns lined up for the Black Sea and Somalia in April as Ankara steps up efforts to tap domestic and overseas hydrocarbon resources. Türkiye's drilling ships are seen at the Filyos Port, northern Türkiye, March 15, 2026. (AA Photo)
Over the past decade, the country has invested heavily in an offshore energy armada designed to trim its dependence on imported fuel by finding more oil and natural gas at…
News outlets falsely report North Western State of Somalia sought extradition of Ilhan Omar
Faisal Ali - Tuesday March 31, 2026
The Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Photograph: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
A wave of misleading coverage has falsely suggested that North Western State of Somalia’s government was seeking the extradition of Ilhan Omar, after several outlets leaned on a social media post from an account that is not an official state channel.
Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent all published stories focused on the US…
Somali PM rejects indirect elections after federal forces seize Baidoa
Tuesday March 31, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Monday that Somalia’s federal government will not accept indirect elections, making the declaration just hours after the Somali National Army seized control of Baidoa following clashes with forces loyal to the Southwest regional administration.
Speaking in Mogadishu, Hamza said the security situation in Baidoa was now “fully under the control” of federal forces and drew a hard line against any return to clan-based or indirect voting arrangements in…