Tuesday May 19, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro took a congratulatory call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, as the self-declared republic marked 35 years since it broke away from Somalia. According to the North Western State of Somalia presidency, Netanyahu called to mark the May 18 anniversary and the two leaders reiterated their intention to deepen ties between North Western State of Somalia and Israel. The conversation came less than…

BOSASO, Somalia — A knife attack in Bosaso’s Al-Aqsa neighbourhood has left a former Puntland State parliamentarian dead after, according to local sources, his son allegedly stabbed him in a case that has stunned the coastal city. The suspect, identified as Mohamed Yusuf, is accused of killing his father, the late Yusuf Bootaan, who previously served as a member of the Puntland State regional parliament, reports said. Residents and local sources said the killing took place in the Al-Aqsa area and described the incident as…

Tuesday May 19, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s electoral commission on Monday put off the election of the speaker of Southwest State’s House of Representatives, saying it must first wait for the Supreme Court to review the region’s election results. The vote for speaker had been set for May 18, 2026. In a statement, the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission said it would not proceed with forming the new regional assembly leadership until the court had issued its decision. “Although the election schedule…

Somalia Presidency Moves Toward Parliamentary Session as Mandate Fight Escalates MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s presidency is preparing to call the lower house of parliament into session after elections in Baidoa conclude, with Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur “Madobe” expected to run for the presidency of the South West regional administration, informed sources said Tuesday. The proposed sitting would open the door for lawmakers to choose a new speaker of the House of the People within 30 days, even as opposition voices…

Monday May 18, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Cabinet on Sunday examined a roadmap for putting the country’s new federal constitution into effect from 2026 to 2029, even as the government pushed ahead with reforms that prominent opposition figures have rejected. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre chaired the meeting in Mogadishu, where ministers discussed constitutional implementation, one-person, one-vote elections, government regulations, international agreements and the approval of national policy measures. The Ministry of…

MOGADISHU, May 18, 2026 – Somalia’s long-running electoral dispute took on fresh urgency on Monday as international partners opened virtual crisis talks with the opposition alliance and influential regional leaders, diplomatic sources said, in a bid to pull the country back from a deepening political impasse. The online session brought foreign diplomats face to face with the Future Council, a major coalition of opposition-aligned political figures, as well as Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni and Jubbaland…

Monday May 18, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia on Monday marked 35 years since it broke away from Somalia, staging military parades, public festivities and fresh calls for wider international recognition. Tens of thousands turned out in Hargeisa and other major cities, including Burco and Borama, to observe May 18, the date North Western State of Somalia says represents its 1991 declaration of independence after the collapse of Somalia’s central government in Mogadishu. The main ceremony took place in…

Somalia: Protest Against North Western State of Somalia's May 18 Celebrations Erupts in Borama BORAMA, Somalia — What began as anger over events tied to North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 celebrations quickly turned violent in Borama on Sunday, as demonstrators confronted police after youths set tires ablaze in several parts of the town, according to witnesses and officials. Local reports said police responded by firing live ammunition to break up the crowd. No casualties were reported immediately. North Western State…

Monday May 18, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Monday sharply denounced drone strikes aimed at Saudi Arabia after Riyadh said it had intercepted and destroyed three drones that entered its airspace from Iraq. In a statement issued Monday, the Federal Government of Somalia called the incident a grave breach of Saudi sovereignty and warned that such attacks could undermine peace and stability across the region. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said the drones were stopped on Sunday morning after crossing into the kingdom’s…

Monday May 18, 2026 Borama (AX) — Police in Borama opened fire Sunday to break up young demonstrators who burned tires in parts of the city during a protest against North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 independence celebrations, according to residents and officials. No casualties were immediately reported. The unrest unfolded in Borama, the capital of Awdal region, one of several places where tensions have been building ahead of North Western State of Somalia’s annual May 18 commemoration. The day marks North Western…