Somalia

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke to Parliament, highlighting the pressing need to implement essential election laws as Somalia gears up for its forthcoming elections. His comments coincide with lawmakers voting to extend their legislative session. CREDIT/ SONNA Mogadishu (AX) — This month, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud successfully persuaded Somalia's parliament to remain in session, thus postponing their planned recess to address vital legislative issues, particularly those related to the upcoming elections. A…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - In a surprising twist of events, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has shown the door to a top brass member of the Somali National Army (SNA), just when the nation is intensely embroiled in its campaign against Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab militants, notorious for causing upheaval, assert control over huge patches of rural zones in south and central Somalia. Recent military efforts have shaken their foundation, leaving many militants pondering defection to governmental camps. Nonetheless, the…

Mogadishu (AX) — On Saturday, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi engaged in a pivotal conversation with James Swan, the Acting Special Representative of the United Nations, in Mogadishu. Their discussion revolved around the newly inaugurated United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), which has taken over from UNSOM. This meeting came just a day after UNTMIS’s official debut on November 1. The dialogue centered on Somalia’s evolving role within the UN Security Council, along with critical security…

Dhobley, Somalia - Imagine a bustling town where public safety strides forward through the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). This initiative in Dhobley is not just about training but setting a groundbreaking precedent for how law enforcement huddles with community stalwarts to tackle crime. In the initiative’s latest chapter, 36 individuals, composed of a dozen Somali Police Force officers and 24 community figureheads, were schooled in essential public safety know-how – from station management to…

Mogadishu (AX) — In a remarkable display of military might, Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has announced the elimination of 27 al-Shabab insurgents during an extensive 12-hour operation in the Yaaqle region of Middle Shabelle. In a statement issued on Sunday, NISA detailed how this operation zeroed in on al-Shabab militants at a prominent assemblage point, successfully dismantling their vehicles and encampments. Encouragingly, the intelligence agency reported that its own forces suffered no…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, the Defense Minister of Somalia, has sharply critiqued Ethiopia, advocating that the neighboring country focus its efforts on managing its internal security issues rather than interfering in Somali matters. Amid rising tensions between the two nations, Nur brought attention to Ethiopia's internal unrest, emphasizing that insurgents have reportedly advanced to within 40 kilometers of Addis Ababa. "Ethiopia ought to concentrate on safeguarding its own capital and populace, instead…

World Bank's Climate Finance Faces Scrutiny: Oxfam Rings the Alarm Bell November 2024 – Nairobi — Oxfam International is sounding the alarm over the World Bank’s climate finance, pointing out murky waters in the Bank's transparency and accountability. Their latest doc, "Climate Finance Unchecked," pulls back the curtain on some dodgy discrepancies between budgeted and real spending in climate projects, hinting at shaky foundations in the fight against global warming. Drilling into data from 2017 to 2023, Oxfam spotlights…

Ethiopia is eyeing more Somali territory, President claims MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, sharply criticized Ethiopia, accusing it of being fixated on Somalia. He argued that the Ethiopian leadership is bent on annexing more Somali land, despite its historical claims. Without specifying the disputed territory, President Mohamud suggested that, since colonial times, Ethiopia has seized Somali land and now seeks further expansion, which defies international boundaries. "From colonial days,…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – On Saturday, Iran's leading figure, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stern warning to Israel and the United States, vowing that any further aggression would provoke “a devastating response.” His remarks follow an uptick in Iranian threats aimed at Israel, especially in light of a military strike on October 26 that targeted Iranian bases, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals. The potential for a broader conflict looms over the already volatile Middle East, exacerbated by the…

Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed did not hold back on Saturday, sharply critiquing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He raised serious doubts about the viability of the planned one-person, one-vote elections given the persistent security threats and condemned the government's harsh evictions in Mogadishu. Ahmed asserted that the dire security situation in Somalia renders individual voting unfeasible. He accused President Hassan Sheikh of pushing this electoral plan more for personal advantage…