Somalia

Germany’s decision to block deportation of a Somali man exposes a fraught crossroads of public safety, mental health and migration policy When bystanders on a Würzburg street rushed toward a man who had just stabbed three women in 2021, one witness later recalled the chilling image of an elderly woman crumpling while shielding her 11‑year‑old grandson. Others said the assailant invoked the words “Allahu Akbar” as officers moved in. The man, identified by authorities as Abdirahman Jibril, was shot and subdued by police and…

Somalia Bets on Bandwidth: What a National Internet Forum Signals About the Country’s Future In Mogadishu this week, the bustle inside a government hall felt different from the city’s usual political hum. Laptops were open, notepads filled quickly, and the talk drifted easily from spectrum policy to satellite dishes. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre took the podium to open the Somalia Internet Governance Forum 2025—the third edition of an event that, on the surface, is just another policy gathering. But beneath the acronyms…

Djibouti’s “Unstoppable” President and the Price of Perpetual Stability In a move that many observers call inevitable and others call alarming, Djibouti’s parliament unanimously approved the removal of a presidential age cap this week, clearing the way for President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, 77, to stand for a sixth term in elections slated for April 2026. The change — ratified after an initial vote a week earlier and formally signed by Guelleh before being returned to lawmakers for a final stamp — was presented by authorities…

Djibouti’s “Unstoppable” President and the Price of Perpetual Stability In a move that many observers call inevitable and others call alarming, Djibouti’s parliament unanimously approved the removal of a presidential age cap this week, clearing the way for President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, 77, to stand for a sixth term in elections slated for April 2026. The change — ratified after an initial vote a week earlier and formally signed by Guelleh before being returned to lawmakers for a final stamp — was presented by authorities…

Djibouti’s “Unstoppable” President and the Price of Perpetual Stability In a move that many observers call inevitable and others call alarming, Djibouti’s parliament unanimously approved the removal of a presidential age cap this week, clearing the way for President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, 77, to stand for a sixth term in elections slated for April 2026. The change — ratified after an initial vote a week earlier and formally signed by Guelleh before being returned to lawmakers for a final stamp — was presented by authorities…

Somalia says 23 al-Shabaab fighters killed in Middle Shabelle raid What happened Somalia’s intelligence service says it has killed 23 al-Shabaab militants in a joint operation on Sunday in the country’s volatile Middle Shabelle region, the latest in a series of strikes aimed at degrading the Islamist insurgent group’s capacity to stage attacks. The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the operation unfolded around the village of El-Weyne, under the El-Baraf area of Mahaday district, north of Mogadishu.…

Somalia’s swift embrace of a contested Tanzanian result: pragmatic diplomacy or a sign of shifting regional norms? When Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was among the first African leaders to congratulate Samia Suluhu Hassan on her emphatic re‑election in Tanzania, the message was concise and familiar in tone: “I extend warm congratulations to H.E. Samia Suluhu on her re‑election as President of the United Republic of Tanzania,” his office said. “Her victory reflects the trust and confidence of the Tanzanian…

Puntland State surges 300 newly trained police into Garowe to stem rise in crime Garowe, Somalia — Puntland State authorities deployed 300 freshly trained police officers across the regional capital on Sunday, an aggressive push to curb a recent uptick in crime and reassert control over weapons on the streets. The rollout, announced by security officials and reinforced by a no-leave policy for the recruits in the coming days, marks one of the strongest policing drives in Garowe in recent years. Officials said the officers…

Egypt’s move toward Somalia signals a new chapter in Horn of Africa security CAIRO — On the sunlit occasion of the Grand Egyptian Museum’s inauguration, a quieter but consequential conversation was taking place behind the velvet ropes: Egypt’s foreign minister and the head of the African Union quietly mapped out the contours of a possible Egyptian troop contribution to the AU’s mission in Somalia. The meeting between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, held on the sidelines…

Puntland State surges 300 newly trained police into Garowe to stem rise in crime Garowe, Somalia — Puntland State authorities deployed 300 freshly trained police officers across the regional capital on Sunday, an aggressive push to curb a recent uptick in crime and reassert control over weapons on the streets. The rollout, announced by security officials and reinforced by a no-leave policy for the recruits in the coming days, marks one of the strongest policing drives in Garowe in recent years. Officials said the officers…