Somalia

AU commander tours recaptured Somali town of Mubarak after joint offensive against al-Shabab MOGADISHU — The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday visited the newly secured town of Mubarak in Lower Shabelle to assess troop readiness after a joint operation that pushed al-Shabab fighters from key positions south of Mogadishu. Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma toured security positions in and around Mubarak with senior Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) commanders, meeting soldiers…

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Sunday sharply criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s decision to sign a revised constitution into law, warning the move could endanger national unity and deepen political divisions in the fragile Horn of Africa nation. Farmaajo said the amendments threaten Somalia’s system of governance and risk undermining social cohesion at a sensitive political moment. “The constitution is a national agreement,” he said, arguing that any revision requires broad…

HRW says Israel unlawfully used white phosphorus in southern Lebanon, urges arms suspensions Human Rights Watch said Monday it has verified evidence that Israel used airburst white phosphorus munitions over a residential neighborhood in southern Lebanon this month, a practice the group says violates international humanitarian law and endangers civilians. In a new report, the New York-based group said it authenticated seven photos showing white phosphorus fired over Yohmor on March 3, with fires breaking out in at least two…

CPJ urges North Western State of Somalia to free journalist detained without charge since Feb. 22 Monday March 9, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia (AX) — The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday called for the immediate release of Ahmed-Zaki Ibrahim Mohamud, a Hargeisa-based reporter and founder of the online outlet Warrame Media, who has been held without formal charges since February 22 in North Western State of Somalia. CPJ said unidentified individuals raided Warrame Media’s offices in Hargeisa on the…

Oil surges past $90 as war in Middle East chokes Strait of Hormuz, rattling fuel costs worldwide Oil prices spiked and showed no signs of easing a week after the United States and Israel launched major attacks on Iran, tipping the Middle East into war and choking off one of the world’s most vital energy arteries, the Strait of Hormuz. Commercial tankers carrying roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day are stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the narrow waterway bordered by Iran, as missile and drone…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Fuel prices in Somalia’s capital surged nearly 77% overnight on Sunday, intensifying pressure on households and businesses already strained by rising living costs and supply disruptions across the region. The price of gasoline jumped from about $0.65 to $1.15 per liter late Friday, according to traders and drivers. By rush hour, cars queued at multiple Mogadishu stations as motorists scrambled to fill up, while taxi and three-wheeler (Bajaj) operators warned they may have to raise fares to stay afloat.…

Somalia: President Signs New Constitution Amid Growing Political Tensions MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday signed Somalia’s new constitution into law at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu, sealing a landmark step in the country’s drawn-out effort to formalize its governance — and triggering a fierce political backlash from regional leaders and opposition figures. The ceremony, attended by the speakers of both houses of the Federal Parliament, followed lawmakers’ approval of a package of…

Sunday March 8, 2026 Arusha (AX) — East African Community leaders on Sunday approved and swore in Somali jurist Abdiwahid Warsame Abdullahi as a judge of the First Instance Division of the East African Community Court of Justice, marking a milestone in Somalia’s integration into the regional bloc. The appointment was endorsed at the 25th Summit of EAC Heads of State in Arusha, where Abdullahi took the oath of office. His elevation brings Somali legal expertise onto the bench of the EAC’s principal judicial institution at a…

Somalia's President Signs New Constitution, Marking a Historical Shift On Sunday, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed a new constitution into law, signaling the end of a decade-long provisional governance framework. This pivotal decision was made at a ceremony in Mogadishu, where the president emphasized the government's commitment to implementing the newly adopted constitution. Formal transition from a provisional to a permanent constitutional framework. Endorsement by the national parliament marks a…

Beyond a Resignation: DP World, Doraleh and the Red Sea Port Power Play The resignation of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the longtime head of DP World, after revelations about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, has been cast as a move for accountability. In practice, it looks like a political firewall for a far larger enterprise: the United Arab Emirates’ projection of power through ports from the Horn of Africa to the Indian Ocean, with the Red Sea as a central fault line. DP World, the Dubai government–owned port operator, is…