Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Lawmakers representing the Buurhakaba constituency have accused Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union mission in Somalia of meddling in local politics in Southwest State, alleging pressure on district officials and a failure to prioritize security in a volatile area. In a letter dated February 27, 2026, and addressed to the Chairperson of the African Union, three federal MPs — Saadad Mohamed Nur Aliyow, Fowsiyo Mohamed Sheikh, and Mohamed Ali Hassan — said Ethiopian forces operating in Sector…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council said it will convene a high-level meeting on April 10 to consider “measures to save Somalia’s statehood,” escalating a confrontation with the federal government after talks between the two sides collapsed last week. In a statement issued following a conference in Mogadishu attended by members of the Federal Parliament, political figures and representatives from civil society, the Council alleged the government’s push to amend the Provisional Constitution violates…

Somalia, Saudi Arabia align positions at OIC emergency talks in Jiddah Jiddah, Saudi Arabia — Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Mohamed Omar, held a bilateral meeting Friday with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji on the sidelines of an emergency session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The talks coincided with an open-ended Executive Committee session at the level of foreign ministers convened to address recent developments in the…

Somali Future Council calls ‘salvation’ summit as election standoff deepens, parliament terms near expiry MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali Future Council said Saturday it will convene a “national salvation” summit on April 10, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of blocking a political agreement on national elections as key constitutional deadlines approach. The council — a coalition that includes leaders from Puntland State and Jubaland, former presidents and prime ministers, federal lawmakers, prominent politicians and…

Türkiye Diyanet Foundation delivers Ramadan food aid to 8,250 Somali families amid deepening drought MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Turkish humanitarian organization has delivered food assistance to 8,250 families across drought-affected parts of Somalia during Ramadan, Turkish officials said Friday, as prolonged dry conditions continue to strain access to food and water in the Horn of Africa nation. Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) said it distributed aid to families in seven states and 13 regions under its Ramadan relief program,…

Pakistan strikes Kabul and Kandahar as border clashes with Taliban escalate ISLAMABAD — Pakistan launched airstrikes on targets in Kabul and Kandahar early Friday, officials in Islamabad said, after a night of heavy cross-border fighting with Afghanistan’s Taliban that shattered a fragile ceasefire and drove civilians to flee frontline towns. A spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban said on X that its forces responded with renewed attacks against Pakistani military positions along the frontier. The post was later deleted.…

Djibouti warns Israeli base in North Western State of Somalia threatens Horn of Africa peace DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti — Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh has issued a sharp rebuke of Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warning that the potential establishment of an Israeli military base in the strategic port city of Berbera poses a direct threat to regional stability. In an expansive interview with Jeune Afrique, Guelleh accused Israel of exploiting North Western State of Somalia’s decades-long quest…

A digital lifeline for Somalia’s children: Inside Mogadishu’s experiment with an electronic immunization register On a bright morning in Kahda, a district on the southern edge of Mogadishu, a young mother stands at the immunization desk without the small, creased card that once governed her child’s medical future. For years, that paper card—easily misplaced during eviction, flood or displacement—was the only proof a child had been vaccinated. When it disappeared, health workers guessed which doses had been given, repeated…

On a bright morning in Kahda, a fast-growing district on the southern edge of Mogadishu, a young mother steps to the immunization desk without the small, creased card that once governed her child’s medical future. Nurse Naima Muse turns from a crying toddler, taps a number into a desktop computer and summons the child’s vaccination record in seconds. “Before, if a mother lost the card, we had nothing,” she says. “Now, we just search.” The change is powered by Somalia’s Electronic Immunization Register, or EIR, a digital…

Trump weighs strikes on Iran as Vance rules out long Middle East war WASHINGTON — Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday that while the White House is considering targeted military strikes in Iran — focused on nuclear facilities and long-range missile sites — President Donald J. Trump and senior officials still prefer a diplomatic path to ease tensions. In an interview with The Washington Post, Vance stressed that even if the administration authorizes limited action, the United States will not be drawn into an open-ended…