Somalia

Khartoum International Airport became the focal point of conflict on Monday as Sudanese air defenses intercepted drones, according to reports from military and local sources. This incident marks an escalation in the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). A military source told AFP, "Our air defenses successfully downed drones that were targeting Khartoum airport," asserting that the situation remained under control. Loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire were reported…

By Pranav Baskar and Matthew Mpoke BiggMonday May 4, 2026 A brazen seizure off Yemen has renewed fears that Somali pirates are regaining their footing — and raised fresh suspicions that they may be operating alongside Iran-backed Houthi rebels amid upheaval across the Middle East. Maritime police forces from the Puntland State region of Somalia patrolling the Gulf of Aden last year.Credit...Feisal Omar/Reuters Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker off Yemen’s coast on Saturday and steered it into Somali waters, authorities…

By Khadar M LeyliMonday May 4, 2026 Symbiotic Antagonists  A familiar political pattern is unfolding around Somali Regional State President Mustafa Omer: longtime rivals are setting aside their own enmities for one purpose only — to attack him. What brings together this uneasy alliance is not a common blueprint for Ethiopia or for the Somali Region, but a shared determination to tarnish a leader they regard as an obstacle to their ambitions.  This coalition of symbiotic antagonists — TPLF loyalists still bitter over their…

Monday May 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Police Force Commander General Asad Osman Abdullahi on Monday hosted a senior Turkish delegation in Mogadishu, in a meeting centered on expanding security cooperation between the two countries. Officials said the talks were aimed at deepening bilateral ties in the security field, with a particular focus on training initiatives and efforts to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Somali Police Force, including its elite Haramcad unit. The meeting comes amid continuing efforts…

Somalia’s politics is shaped by clan history, security conditions and an election process that has often relied on indirect voting. As the country moves through the 2026 electoral cycle, young people—now a large share of the population—are seeking more voice through civic groups, political parties, and candidate engagement, while facing barriers linked to money, access and institutional design.Analysts and election-focused organisations say youth participation is increasingly visible in public forums and voter-related…

By: Abdifatah Abdinur Monday May 4, 2026 Tan iyo markii Madaxweynaha Dowladda Puntland State uu si rasmi ah u shaaciyey dagaalka ka dhanka ah argagixisada ISIS, isla markaana uu faray in dhammaan deegaannada Puntland State si buuxda looga sifeeyo, waxaa muuqday isbeddel amni oo xooggan oo beddelay xaaladdii hore. Hawlgalkii “Hilaac,” oo ay si hufan oo geesinimo leh u fuliyeen Ciidamada Difaaca Puntland State, ayaa noqday mid horseeday guul taariikhi ah kadib markii lagu jebiyey firxadkii ISIS ee ku dhuumaaleysanayey buuraha…

Somali opposition leaders meet in Mogadishu to discuss alternative electoral model MOGADISHU — Somali opposition leaders have convened in Mogadishu to weigh a proposed indirect voting system, a move that would steer the country away from both the 2022 electoral arrangement and the “one person, one vote” model championed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. People familiar with the talks said the opposition is working to shape a compromise electoral formula that could later be put before international mediators involved in…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOMonday May 4, 2026 Health CS Aden Duale speaking at the event./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Health CS Aden Duale has stepped up pressure for the reopening of the Kenya–Somalia border, saying the decades-old closure is largely a formality that deprives the government of revenue and weakens oversight. Addressing guests at a graduation ceremony at Madarasa Manar in Waberi Ward, Garissa Township, Duale said people continue to move across the frontier even though the crossing points remain officially shut. “The border…

Monday May 4, 2026 Vinicius Junior struck twice on Sunday to lead Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory at Espanyol, a result that put Barcelona's La Liga title party on hold for at least another week. Barcelona would have been crowned champions with four matches left had Madrid failed to win at the RCDE Stadium, but the outcome leaves the destination of the trophy likely to be settled in next weekend's Clasico. Madrid are now 11 points behind Barcelona with 12 still available, so a draw for Barcelona at Camp Nou next week would be…

Monday May 4, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) has backed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s call for talks with the Somali Future Council, adding fresh international weight to efforts to ease mounting political tensions as his term nears its end. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, the mission urged all sides to approach the May 10 meeting in Mogadishu with a spirit of compromise and mutual responsibility, saying Somalia’s national interests…