assault

Somali Forces Repel Al-Shabaab Assault on Awdheegle Mogadishu (AX) — In the early hours of a crisp Saturday morning, the quiet of Awdheegle district in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia was shattered by the thunderous echoes of conflict. The Somali National Army (SNA), armed with resolve and fortified by courage, faced a formidable challenge as Al-Shabaab militants launched a fierce attack. As dawn's light punctuated the horizon, the air buzzed with tension. But, by the day's end, victory was nestled…

Garowe, Northeastern State – With the haunting toll of injustice echoing through its streets, the town of Garowe finds itself immersed in a story that is both sobering and stirring. A court in this regional capital recently sentenced a security guard to a four-year term in prison, accompanied by a $1,500 fine. His crime? The reprehensible assault of an eight-year-old Yemeni refugee, a child named Mohamed Adil Hussein. Envision, if you will, the vivid and unsettling video that circulated far and wide. It captured…

Mogadishu (AX) – In a world often fraught with challenges and uncertainties, there are moments that make us pause and reflect. The recent tragic attack on the Qahira Hotel in Beledweyne serves as one such moment. A location bustling with life became the unfortunate site of a grievous assault, costing the lives of six individuals, including both civilians and valiant military officers. Former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed addressed the nation with heartfelt sincerity following the attack. Through his…

Somalia: Security Forces Neutralize Al-Shabaab Fighters Behind Hotel Attack BELEDWEYNE, Somalia - With determination and precision, Somalia’s security forces responded to a brazen attack by Al-Shabaab militants on the Qahira Hotel in Beledweyne. The combative altercation ended with the neutralization of three attackers, yet the air remains charged with questions about the full extent of those orchestrating this audacious assault. In the midst of chaos,…

Chaos and Courage: The Beledweyne Incident In the early light of Tuesday morning, a sense of tragedy befell the bustling town of Beledweyne, central Somalia. An assault by the notorious group al-Shabaab left a harrowing mark, as life's fragility unfolded with brutal clarity. The attack was marked by a cacophony of chaos—a relentless explosion, a car bomb that disrupted the morning tranquility. This violent prelude allowed militants to breach a local hotel, engaging security forces in an intense confrontation. A moment of…

Al-Shabaab Launches Deadly Attack on Hotel in Central Somalia BELEDWEYNE, Somalia – On an otherwise ordinary Sunday, the town of Beledweyne was abruptly thrown into chaos. Al-Shabaab militants launched a heavy assault on the Qaahira Hotel in the Howlwadaag neighborhood, shattering any semblance of routine with their violent intrusion. The attack started with thunderous explosions at the hotel’s entrance, a chilling harbinger of the violence to follow. Within moments,…

Mourning in HirShabelle: A Leader's Lament JOWHAR, Somalia - In times of turmoil, leaders stand resilient, bearing the weight of both their people’s hopes and their sorrows. Such was the demeanor of Ali Gudlawe, the esteemed president of Somalia’s HirShabelle region, as he publicly shared his deepest condolences on Saturday. The cause of his grief? The tragic death of Major Abukar Abdulle Raage Gar-Maqaate. This brave senior officer of the Somali army fell victim to a relentless Al-Shabaab attack in Boos-Hareeri on…

A Call for Reform: An Incident Sparks Debate in North Western State of Somalia In a world increasingly shaped by the lens of a smartphone camera, actions and their consequences unfold before our very eyes, sometimes with alarming speed. Just recently, this was the case in Hargeisa, when a video surfaced showing a police officer—an enforcer of the law by profession—slapping a young woman. The video spread like wildfire, sparking outrage and disbelief among viewers and prompting the North Western State of Somalia police to…

The situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has deteriorated into chaos as conflicts flare between the Congolese army and the Rwandan-supported M23 rebels. This escalation has forced nearly 80,000 individuals to flee to neighboring countries, a grim statistic reported by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). What's more, in just a fortnight at the end of February, over 800 cases of rape were documented by humanitarian organizations, underscoring a horrifying trend of violence against civilians. These acts of…

Escalation in Somalia: A Deep Dive into Shabaab's Recent Offensive Edited By Ali Musa Axadle Times International—Monitoring Mogadishu (AX) — Sometimes the shadows of conflict intensify, casting long and uncertain clouds over a nation striving for peace. This is the case as Somalia once again grapples with a significant and aggressive incursion by the Shabaab militants. But why, one might ask, is this offensive particularly unsettling?…