Somalia

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia is preparing to relaunch Somali Airlines in the coming months, marking the national carrier’s first return to service since it was grounded more than 30 years ago during the civil war, the country’s transport minister said Sunday. Government says management, regulation and fleet plans are in place as the carrier enters final operational planning. Two Airbus A320s have been acquired; additional jets are slated from 2026. IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan access is being reinstated after 33 years, a…

Mogadishu — U.S. Africa Command carried out seven new airstrikes in Somalia between Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, pushing this year’s total to at least 109 strikes — a record level of U.S. military activity in the country. The latest operations targeted ISIS-linked militants in Puntland State and an al-Shabaab site in southern Jubaland, AFRICOM said. The command described a rapid sequence of strikes focused on a remote mountain zone southeast of Bosaso, a longtime militant hideout, and a separate strike near the Kenyan border. It did…

Jubaland forms drought response committee as water crisis deepens; 1.5 million need aid, OCHA says KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam “Madobe” has appointed a seven-member committee to steer the region’s response to a worsening drought, as aid agencies warn of escalating food insecurity and water shortages across southern Somalia. The decree, released Sunday, empowers an interministerial body to organize relief operations, accelerate aid delivery and coordinate with humanitarian partners. The committee…

Somalia on the Brink of Fragmentation Under Hassan Sheikh Amid Escalating Federal Rift MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s fragile federal system faces a fresh test after Jubaland moved to strip the words “federal member” from its official title, a direct challenge to Mogadishu that echoes an earlier rupture by Puntland State and deepens a nationwide constitutional and political rift under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The move, announced Sunday by Jubaland regional Speaker Sheikh Abdi Mohamed, follows months of acrimony over…

Mogadishu (AX) — China has donated $1 million to the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) to bolster drought relief as seasonal rains falter and food insecurity deepens across the country, Somali and Chinese officials said Monday. Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Wang Yu formally handed over the contribution during a high-level meeting hosted by SoDMA Commissioner Mohamud Moalim Abdulle in Mogadishu. Wang said the aid reflects Beijing’s commitment to stand by Somalia “during these difficult times,” citing the “principle…

At least 10 killed in Beledhawo amid suspected clan revenge attacks MOGADISHU — At least 10 people were killed in a series of attacks in Beledhawo town in Somalia’s Gedo region over the past several hours, local sources said Monday, in violence believed to be tied to escalating clan-related revenge killings across south and central Somalia. Residents in the Farjano neighborhood of Beledhawo district said five civilians were shot dead late Sunday. Among the victims, according to those accounts, was a sick man and four…

MOGADISHU — At least 10 people were killed in a series of attacks in Beledhawo town in Somalia’s Gedo region over the past several hours, local sources said Monday, underscoring a surge in clan-related revenge violence across parts of the country. The deadliest incident unfolded Sunday night in the Farjano neighborhood of Beledhawo district, where five civilians were shot dead. Among the victims was a sick man and four relatives — two brothers and two other close family members — who were reportedly caring for him, residents…

Puntland State deploys fresh troops to Al-Miskaad mountains as anti-ISIS offensive enters final phase BOSASO, Somalia — Puntland State has begun deploying fresh troops across the Al-Miskaad mountain range in the Bari region as its year-long “Hillaac” campaign against Islamic State–linked militants enters a declared final phase, regional officials said Monday. Hundreds of newly assigned soldiers have been sent to the Baallade valley and surrounding highlands to relieve units that have operated in the rugged terrain for…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — In the shadow of sandbagged checkpoints and concrete blast walls, the National Theater sits like a survivor. Years after a suicide bomber tore through its auditorium, the stage still glows under hard light. On a recent morning, Hassan Barre stepped forward to offer a different emblem of Somalia: poetry. “Somalis must be aware of their responsibility to their country and each other,” he recited, his cadence steady and unhurried. The 70-year-old cut a somber figure at the podium, his voice carrying over a…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A strategically vital bridge near the town of Afgoye has been rebuilt months after Al-Shabaab militants destroyed it, restoring a critical artery for security forces, trade and civilian movement in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. The span, located by Sabiid and Anole villages about 35 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, was blown up in June as militants retreated amid intensified operations by Somali government troops backed by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). The…