Somalia

CAIRO, Egypt — More than a dozen Arab and Islamic nations on Saturday sharply denounced Israel’s decision to name a diplomatic representative to North Western State of Somalia, calling the move a “flagrant violation” of Somalia’s sovereignty and a fresh source of tension in the Horn of Africa. In a joint statement signed by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, Pakistan, and 10 other countries, the bloc said the appointment amounted to an assault on Somalia’s territorial integrity and ran counter to…

Saturday April 18, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral Commission has set voting dates for House of Representatives and local council elections in Southwest, Galmudug and Hirshabelle. In a statement released Friday, the commission said Southwest will go to the polls on April 28, 2026, while Galmudug and Hirshabelle are scheduled to vote on May 13, 2026. The body said the elections in those two federal member states will be conducted on the same day, with ballots for both the House of…

Saturday April 18, 2026 Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the opening of an emergency meeting among the Arab League foreign ministers, held to discuss issues about Libya, at the headquarters in Cairo March 2, 2011. REUTERS/Amr A Mogadishu (AX) — Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Saturday sharply criticized Israel’s decision to appoint an ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, describing it as a dangerous escalation that infringes on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement, Aboul Gheit said…

ANTALYA, Turkey — Egypt has sharply denounced Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia and the appointment of a diplomatic envoy there, with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty calling the move a “flagrant violation” of international law during talks with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as Cairo deepens its political and military backing for Mogadishu amid changing power dynamics in the Horn of Africa. Acting under…

By Abdulkarim AbdulleSaturday April 18, 2026 A recent article from Ethiopia’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) on Baidoa has drawn a sharp rebuttal, with critics saying it distorts events on the ground and misreads Somalia’s constitutional security structure. Although the original piece attempted to place developments in South West State within a wider regional security debate, its argument leaned on conjecture, selective history, and a flawed reading of the Federal Government of Somalia’s responsibilities. The central…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, widely known as Lafta-Gareen, has reappeared on the political stage in a conspicuous way, hosting a high-profile luncheon in Nairobi on Saturday nearly a month after stepping down as president of Somalia’s Southwest State. The gathering drew federal lawmakers, prominent politicians and longtime allies who stood by him through a bitter confrontation with the federal government at Villa Somalia. Among those present was Mohamed Mursal, the former Speaker of the House of the People, who…

Saturday April 18, 2026 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” to commercial shipping and will stay that way for the duration of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, as United States President Donald Trump declared that a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran was “very close”. “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas…

Efe Ozkan and Seyit KurtSaturday April 18, 2026 State Minister Ali Mohammad Omar says Mogadishu rejects recognition of breakaway region, warns of security risks in Red Sea corridorANTALYA / ISTANBUL Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs has accused Israel of undermining Somali sovereignty after recognizing a region within North Western State of Somalia, saying the move could deepen instability in a strategically sensitive part of the Horn of Africa. Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum,…

Saturday April 18, 2026 Adan Gedi Mohamed sits in a neighbour's compound after his own house was destroyed in airstrikes/Muna Hussein/Ergo A wave of airstrikes on a farming community in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region has driven hundreds of families from their homes, stripping many of food, water, shelter, and any dependable way to make a living. Since late March, the attacks have flattened houses, farms, and small businesses in Bulo-Khalif, a village where residents relied on the land to survive. Some families have…

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) — A major greening push kicked off in the capital as the Banadir Regional Administration joined forces with Somalia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to plant trees at Hamar Municipal Hall, marking the close of National Tree Planting Week, officials said. Tree-planting drives unfolded across every district in the Banadir region during the week, part of a concerted effort to restore degraded areas and bolster urban green space. Officials confirmed that the campaign signals the…