Somalia

Congo's Escalating Conflict with M23 Rebels The Democratic Republic of Congo intensified military operations in the east following reports of the death of M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma. This escalation comes amidst ongoing tensions over territorial control in mineral-rich regions. Drone attacks targeted M23 positions near Rubaya, a key mining town. Rubaya's coltan deposits significantly impact global electronics supply chains. The conflict involves multiple armed factions competing for resources. Clashes in…

Deni, Turkish envoy discuss security cooperation and political transition in Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State state President Said Abdullahi Deni met Thursday with Turkey’s ambassador to Somalia, Alper Aktaş, for talks centered on security cooperation, political stability and humanitarian pressures as the country navigates a tense electoral transition and persistent militant threats. The high-level meeting, attended by a delegation of senior Turkish Embassy officials, reviewed the general situation across Somalia…

Iran remains a ‘very grave threat’ to U.S., Rubio warns ahead of Geneva talks WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iran remains a “very grave threat” to the United States and its regional allies, pointing to Tehran’s efforts to rebuild elements of its nuclear program and expand its ballistic missile capabilities as high-stakes talks set to begin in Geneva. Speaking to reporters in Saint Kitts and Nevis, Rubio said Iran is not currently enriching uranium but is working to reach a threshold that…

ANKARA, Türkiye — Türkiye vowed Wednesday to stand firmly with Somalia and denounced Israel’s recognition of breakaway North Western State of Somalia, with Ankara’s communications chief warning that regional aggression would not be allowed to spill into the Horn of Africa. “Any attempt targeting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and actions to legitimize them are unacceptable. Türkiye stands with Somalia as it did in the past,” said Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has declared its full solidarity with Kuwait in a burgeoning maritime border dispute with Iraq, cautioning that a recent Iraqi filing at the United Nations could impinge on Kuwait’s sovereignty and recognized maritime zones. In a statement released Feb. 25, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it is closely monitoring Iraq’s submission of maritime coordinate lists to the U.N., a procedural step used by states to lodge their claims under international law.…

Israel accredits first North Western State of Somalia ambassador, cementing new diplomatic ties TEL AVIV — Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday formally accredited North Western State of Somalia’s first ambassador to Israel, deepening a swiftly developing relationship less than two months after Israel recognized the self-declared republic’s independence. The ministry said Dr. Mohamed Omar Haaji Mohamud, widely known as Mohamed Hagi, has been received as a plenipotentiary ambassador in Tel Aviv. His appointment follows the…

Hormuud Salaam Foundation ramps up Ramadan food aid for families, hospital and people with disabilities MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation has launched an expanded round of Ramadan relief across Mogadishu, delivering food assistance to low-income families, mental health patients and people with disabilities as part of its 14th annual Iftar and Support Project. The foundation says this year’s campaign aims to reach more than 67,000 vulnerable people nationwide. The latest distributions spanned multiple sites…

‘Yemen’s Mogadishu’: In Aden’s al-Basateen, Somali refugees face dwindling aid and a future on hold At first light on the fringes of Aden, the paved roads of Yemen’s interim capital give way to narrow ribbons of sand. Here, in al-Basateen, men gather at the mouths of alleyways, watching for a pickup truck or a wave from a foreman—any sign of a day’s work. The district is known by many names, including “Yemen’s Mogadishu,” a nod to the Somali families who began arriving in the 1990s when war pushed them across the Gulf of…

Somalia hunger crisis deepens as 6.5 million face severe food insecurity, UN and government warn Nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing severe hunger as intensifying drought, conflict and global aid cuts accelerate a mounting humanitarian crisis, the federal government and U.N. agencies said Tuesday, citing new food security data. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis projects that 6.5 million people will face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by the end of March.…

Analysis: Somalia’s 2026/2027 elections put eight political traditions to the test Somalia is approaching a defining electoral cycle in 2026/2027, when votes for several federal member states and the federal government will converge to shape the country’s political trajectory. Beyond the usual personalities and shifting alliances, the contests will surface a deeper struggle among eight identifiable political traditions. Understanding those traditions—and how they align or collide across two core axes of Somali politics—is…