Counterterrorism

April 12, 2025, will be remembered as a pivotal day at the NEST Congress Center in Antalya, Turkiye, when Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took the stage at the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025), offering a compelling narrative of hope and resilience. Under the bright lights of the forum, President Mohamud spoke with sincerity and determination, charting Somalia’s progress in counterterrorism and acknowledging Türkiye as a staunch ally. “Türkiye and Somalia are real partners based on mutual interests,” he…

KAMPALA, Uganda — In a bid to foster international collaboration and bolster regional security, President Yoweri Museveni has announced that Uganda will hold a significant summit on April 25. This meeting is part of a broader effort to engage important stakeholders in an ever-evolving dialogue concerning the AUSSOM operation underway in Somalia. The operation, which launched at the dawn of 2025, has its sights set squarely on stabilizing this turbulent region. But why, you may ask, does this summit hold any special…

If there ever was a moment for unified action, it is undoubtedly now. The former Somali intelligence chief, Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir, extends an urgent appeal to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. His call? To bring together a national forum where minds meet and formulate a robust, collective strategy against the persistent menace of terrorism. The message is clear: unity is not a choice, but a necessity. Sharing his thoughts openly on X, which many of us still fondly recall as Twitter, Fahad Yasin earnestly proposed…

In a noteworthy turn of events, the current administration has rolled back a system inaugurated during the Biden era. This regime required high-level authorization for specific drone strikes and commando raids, marking a significant shift by embracing a more relaxed framework. It’s intriguing to consider how such policy shifts ripple through military operations and international relations. Let's take a step back to 2004, at the Balad Air Base in Iraq, where the emergence of armed drone technology began to reshape the…

In the often tumultuous sphere of global security, how do nations prepare for challenges that seem as ceaseless as the tides? Mogadishu, a city at the heart of such inquiries, recently witnessed an intriguing chapter in its journey of resilience and preparation. Here, among the echoes of both hope and conflict, stands an event worth pondering. The U.S. Army paratroopers have taken stride amidst Somali Danab special forces, together engaging in an exercise dubbed Justified Accord 2025 (JA25). Imagine, if you will, the…

Mogadishu (AX) – In a decisive move, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), working closely with the Somali Police Force and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), executed a coordinated security operation on a bright Friday morning. The target? An elusive Al-Shabaab stronghold concealed in the shadows of Muuri. One might wonder, in the face of unending strife, what drives such bold undertakings? The primary objective of this mission was to quell the looming threats from the…

Northeastern State is actively joining forces with international bodies like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Crescent. Together, they’re crafting plans to send home foreign combatants who lay down their weapons and surrender. Dirir mentioned that while they’re keeping the specifics like timelines and nationalities under wraps, the ultimate goal is clear: these individuals need to return home, and it all has to be orchestrated under proper legal guidelines. "We’ve got foreign fighters in our…

Mogadishu (AX) — On a noteworthy Thursday, Somali Minister of Interior, Ali Yusuf Ali-Hoosh, had an engaging sit-down with an esteemed Finnish delegation. They huddled to chat about the relentless military campaigns against the notorious al-Shabab, with a sharp focus on stabilizing Somalia. This Finnish entourage, captained by the savvy Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola, boasted top brass from Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their involvement underscores a solid commitment to bolstering Somalia’s leap towards security and…

Mogadishu (AX) – Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, sounded a sharp critique, pointing fingers at the Ethiopian government. He claimed they are masking a land grab under the guise of fighting terrorism. At a United Nations Security Council gathering on Friday, Fiqi revealed that Somali authorities had thwarted attempts of Ethiopian-origin arms sneaking into Somalia. They believed these weapons were meant to stir the local pot, which he labeled as a "shameless breach" of…

UNITED NATIONS, NYC (AX) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre engaged in pivotal dialogues with global dignitaries at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City. On Wednesday, Barre conversed with Molly Phee, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Their discussions gravitated around bolstering Somalia's counterterrorism initiatives and navigating the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) wind-down. Commitment to regional stability was reaffirmed, and avenues for…