Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Wednesday it killed at least 12 al-Shabaab militants, including a senior figure, during a raid in the Jambaluul area of Afgooye district in the country’s Lower Shabelle region. NISA says the operation struck militant hideouts and bomb-making sites in Jambaluul. The agency reports a senior al-Shabaab leader was among the dead, but did not name the individual. Mortar fire into civilian areas injured civilians and two NISA soldiers,…

Crisis Escalates as M23 Rebels Advance in Eastern Congo The city of Uvira in eastern Congo is witnessing unprecedented turmoil as M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwandan forces, reach its outskirts. This escalation poses significant threats to regional stability. M23 rebels launched an attack on Uvira, prompting Burundi to close its border. The latest advance follows last year's seizures of Goma and Bukavu. An agreement between Congo and Rwanda, mediated by the U.S., is severely threatened. Strategic…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s main opposition coalition, the Somali Salvation Forum, on Tuesday condemned what it called unlawful arrests and forced evictions by federal security forces in the Dab-dhamiiska section of Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, warning the operation reflects a mounting pattern of rights violations tied to government land-reclamation drives across the capital. In a statement, the coalition said it received credible reports that residents were removed from their homes and endured severe hardship during the…

NAIROBI, Kenya — As inflation eats into earnings across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, a quiet shift in personal finance is taking hold. Millions are moving a portion of their savings and day-to-day cash flow into stablecoins — dollar-pegged digital currencies such as USDT, USDC and DAI — to blunt the impact of currency depreciation, volatile forex markets and overburdened banking systems. The appeal is straightforward: when local prices jump and exchange rates swing overnight, keeping value in a digital asset…

Somalia launches nationwide census of Quranic schools amid concern over conditions MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has begun a nationwide census of Quranic schools, responding to rising complaints that many centers operate in places and conditions considered unsuitable for children’s learning. Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali said the assessment is designed to establish a clear picture of Quranic schools across the country so the government can plan,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed warned Wednesday that Somalia is not ready for a genuine one-person, one-vote election, arguing that the country’s fragile security and the absence of core institutions put its democratic transition at risk. In an interview with the BBC Somali Service, Sheikh Sharif said the government’s timetable for direct voting remains more rhetorical than real, citing the lack of enabling laws, functioning political parties and credible security arrangements. “One-person,…

Somalia not ready for one-person, one-vote, ex-President Sheikh Sharif warns MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed says Somalia is not prepared for a genuine one-person, one-vote election, warning that the country’s security and future are at serious risk without a broad political agreement and practical groundwork. In an interview with the BBC Somali Service on Wednesday, Sheikh Sharif said the current push by the government for nationwide direct elections does not reflect realities on the ground…

Somali army retakes villages in Hiiraan as al-Shabaab withdraws; forces advance toward Jilib BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — The Somali National Army has retaken several villages in western Hiiraan after al-Shabaab fighters pulled back ahead of an anticipated military push, officials said, tightening government control in the central region without significant clashes. Military commanders said units moved into areas around the El-Adde settlement after militants vacated forward positions, allowing government forces to assume control…

Beledweyne (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Monday it carried out a targeted raid with international partners in the Hiiraan region that killed seven al-Shabaab militants and destroyed a truck loaded with ammunition. In a statement, the agency said the pre-planned operation struck Biyo Madobe, a village under the Jicibow area of Hiiraan, part of a broader campaign to dismantle critical al-Shabaab positions and supply lines in central Somalia. NISA said the truck the militants were…

BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Traditional leaders in North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region said Tuesday they have handed security responsibilities in Borama back to the police, moving to restore order after days of unrest that left at least 20 people dead and more wounded. The elders announced the decision after a closed-door meeting in the regional capital, reversing an earlier directive that had ordered all security forces — including police and army units — to withdraw from the city amid escalating…