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Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen stepped down Monday, just hours after federal government troops and armed groups aligned with regional opposition leaders entered Baidoa following fierce fighting that killed at least two people and injured 25 others. “Effective today, March 30, 2026, I, Mr. Abdicasiis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, resign as President of the Southwest State,” Laftagareen said in a post on his official Facebook page, offering no explanation for…

Live: South Lebanon attack leaves two UNIFIL peacekeepers dead

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday held talks with ambassadors and representatives of international organizations at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. According to the presidency, the discussions centered on the government’s record in security, counterterrorism operations, preparations for direct elections, response to drought conditions and efforts to bolster national unity. President Mohamud updated the diplomats on gains made through cooperation between the…

With the war’s economic shockwaves still rippling through energy markets, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russia to agree to a reciprocal pause in strikes on energy infrastructure, arguing that such a move could help calm pressure on global oil prices. Mr Zelensky told reporters that Kyiv was prepared to mirror any such step if Moscow stopped targeting Ukraine’s energy network. "If Russia is ready to stop hitting Ukrainian energy facilities, we will not respond against their energy sector," he said. He…

In a notable declaration, President John Mahama articulated that the foundational policies of the nation are intricately linked to its legal frameworks, cultural ethos, and collective societal agreement. He emphasized his dedication to upholding the rule of law amidst the increasingly complex landscape of global discussions surrounding human rights. "I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. It is the responsibility of the people's representatives to debate the bill, and once it is approved, it will be presented to the…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Federal government troops, supported by armed groups allied with opposition figures in Southwest State, pushed into Baidoa on Monday after fierce clashes with the Southwest regional administration. Witnesses said heavy gunfire rattled the town’s outskirts earlier in the day as the two sides fought over control of strategic sites in the interim administrative capital. The scale of the casualties remains uncertain, and neither camp has issued official numbers. Footage circulating on social…

Violence along the Lebanese-Israeli border has struck UN peacekeepers again, with members of the force wounded in an "incident" near Bani Hayyan, according to a spokesperson, in the latest blow to a mission increasingly exposed to the conflict. "There has been an incident involving peacekeepers near Bani Hayyan, and we have injuries," Kandice Ardiel said. The development follows the death of a UNIFIL peacekeeper yesterday after a projectile detonated at one of the mission's positions near the southern Lebanese village of…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Heavy fighting erupted on Monday in and around Baidoa, pitting Southwest State forces against federal government troops and allied armed groups loyal to the regional administration. Residents said intense bursts of gunfire rang out from early morning and continued for hours. The violence reportedly began near a livestock market close to a checkpoint on the main road connecting Baidoa and Mogadishu, then spread into other parts of the town. The number of casualties remains unclear, and…

Algeria declared three days of national mourning after announcing the death of former president Liamine Zeroual, who died at 84 following a serious illness. Born in Batna in 1941, Zeroual fought with the National Liberation Army during Algeria’s struggle for independence from France. He later steered a transitional government through the country's brutal civil war and organised the first multi-party presidential election in 1995, emerging as its victor. In 1998 he left office before his term concluded, clearing the way for…

BAIDOA, Somalia — Intense fighting flared Monday on the outskirts of Baidoa, where Southwest State security forces battled troops from the Federal Government of Somalia backed by armed militias, according to officials and witnesses, in the latest sign that the region’s political standoff is deepening. The confrontation unfolded in the peri-urban belt around the city and involved both light and heavy weaponry. Southwest State media said its regional forces pushed back what it described as an attempt by “armed groups” to force…