Somalia

Somalia’s ‘Iron Rock’ Vanishes: A Village Relic, a Scientific Marvel, and a Global Tug of War In a quiet river valley of central Somalia, children once clambered over a vast iron boulder and pretended it was a horse. Elders told stories about it. Knife-makers chipped off slivers to sharpen their blades. They called it Shiid-birood—the iron rock. It was part landmark, part myth, and, as it turns out, a relic from deep time: a 13.6-metric-ton meteorite shaped by primordial collisions that predate life on Earth. Today, the…

U.S. military chiefs visit North Western State of Somalia as Congress advances bill to deepen engagement HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Senior U.S. military officials overseeing East Africa operations met Monday with North Western State of Somalia’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, in a rare high-level visit to Hargeisa that dovetailed with fresh momentum in Washington to widen America’s ties with the self-governing territory. The talks — which both sides described as focused on security…

U.S. military chiefs visit North Western State of Somalia as Congress advances bill to deepen engagement HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Senior U.S. military officials overseeing East Africa operations met Monday with North Western State of Somalia’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, in a rare high-level visit to Hargeisa that dovetailed with fresh momentum in Washington to widen America’s ties with the self-governing territory. The talks — which both sides described as focused on security…

Somalia Welcomes Egypt’s Security Pledge — and Steps Onto a Narrow Diplomatic Tightrope Mogadishu’s new embrace from Cairo comes as the Nile dispute looms and Ethiopia watches closely Somalia’s leaders have a way of smiling through storms. In Mogadishu this week, officials welcomed Egypt’s renewed pledge to back the country’s security and state-building — a gesture with history behind it and geopolitics baked into it. On paper, it is straightforward: Cairo says it will support the new African Union Support and…

Kenya warns EU: don’t look away as Al‑Shabaab claws back ground in Somalia When focus drifts, violence fills the gap NAIROBI — Kenya’s foreign minister is urging the European Union to keep the spotlight trained on Somalia’s Al‑Shabaab as the group steps up attacks across East Africa, warning that dwindling international attention could hand the militants a dangerous opening. “There is growing international fatigue because of other conflicts and a shift in focus. The international community’s support has depreciated…

Analysis: Somalia’s Fractured Politics Meet Red Sea Power Plays On a humid September evening in Mogadishu, a handshake meant for the cameras never happened. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had hoped to sit down with Jubbaland leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam, better known as Ahmed Madobe, before flying to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Kenya, a frequent mediator in Somali politics, had quietly worked the phones to make it happen. But at the last moment, the meeting fell apart, after opposition figures urged…

Somalia welcomes Egypt’s security backing as new AU stabilization mission looms MOGADISHU — Somalia on Sunday publicly thanked Egypt for a message of solidarity that included promises of military equipment, training and an expected troop contribution to a forthcoming African Union stabilization mission as Mogadishu seeks to reassert control over territory long contested by insurgents. The gesture, framed by Somalia’s Foreign Ministry as evidence of “historic and deep-rooted ties,” arrives as African Union planners prepare…

Somali forces press offensive in central region, claim dozens of al-Shabaab fighters killed MOGADISHU — Somali National Army units, backed by international partners, said they killed a number of al-Shabaab militants over the weekend in a pitched battle in central Somalia’s Galgaduud region as government forces step up efforts to wrest control of towns and villages from the insurgents. Fighting in Nooleye In a statement, the Somali defence ministry said the operation in and around Nooleye village lasted several hours and…

Kenya’s Somali Vote Emerges as 2027 Kingmaker — and a Test of the Country’s Coalitions On a blustery afternoon in Mandera, near the triple border where Kenya meets Ethiopia and Somalia, the political message was as direct as the dusty road to the venue: the Somali community will count, perhaps more than ever, in the 2027 election. Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, a seasoned operative known for his sharp tongue and long-time loyalty to opposition leader Raila Odinga, stood alongside President William Ruto and said the quiet part…

Somalia’s president heads to UN with security gains and a moral case on Gaza Mogadishu’s message to New York MOGADISHU — As world leaders converge on the United Nations General Assembly this week, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud departs for New York carrying two intertwined narratives: a plea for continued international backing for Somalia’s fragile state-building and a sharp moral rebuke over the war in Gaza that echoes across the Global South. For Mogadishu, the UNGA trip is part diplomacy, part scoreboard.…