Somalia’s federal government has floated a plan to channel an expected opposition protest into designated parts of Mogadishu, according to security sources, as tensions mount ahead of a major anti-government rally scheduled for next week. MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has proposed assigning specific locations in Mogadishu for opposition groups to hold demonstrations, according to security sources, as political tensions rise ahead of a planned anti-government rally next week. The proposal was recently…

Garowe, Somalia, May 30, 2026 – Puntland State’s education minister has accused Somalia’s federal government of standing in the way of efforts to deepen cooperation in the education sector and win backing from international partners, underscoring fresh friction between the semi-autonomous region and Mogadishu. Addressing the launch of Puntland State’s 2025-2026 national certificate examinations, Education Minister Fuad Abshir Ahmed said the regional government had spent more than a year seeking dialogue with Somalia’s…

Saturday May 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Intense fighting erupted early Saturday on the outskirts of Baidoa, where federal government troops clashed with fighters aligned with former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, officials said. The confrontation took place near Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State. No independent casualty count has been verified, though social media videos appeared to show wounded soldiers. Bay regional police commander Sadiiq Duushisho told local media that the battle…

Federal immigration arrests in New York City have surged by more than 70% since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a city audit that points to a sharp rise in enforcement activity across the five boroughs. Commissioned by Mayor Zohran Mamdani shortly after he entered office this year, the audit found that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 5,567 people in the New York City area from 20 January, 2025, when Mr Trump, a Republican, was sworn in for a new term, through 10 March, 2026. The report…

BAIDOA, Somalia — Gunfire broke out on the outskirts of Baidoa on Friday after fighters loyal to the ousted South West State leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen moved against positions held by Somali federal government troops, according to security sources and local residents. The violence flared near the southwestern city at a moment of already sharp political strain, deepening concerns over security in a region long shaped by disputes over South West State’s leadership. Residents said the confrontation started when…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State President Siciid Cabdullahi Deni on Friday delivered a blistering rebuke of what he called the “term-ended Somali president” Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of pushing Somalia “in the wrong direction” and endangering the country’s federal system and unity. Addressing reporters in Mogadishu, Deni said he had been waiting for May 15, 2026, and argued that the country’s political standoff had now reached a stage where urgent action was needed to avert institutional breakdown and the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s relations with some of its neighbors are fraying, with several regional governments now scaling back their diplomatic engagement and increasingly viewing the federal authorities in Mogadishu as an administration whose mandate has lapsed and whose political legitimacy remains in dispute, according to regional officials and diplomatic sources. The tension is unfolding against a backdrop of mounting political deadlock in Somalia, where delayed elections and a failure by the federal government and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A fresh power struggle has broken out between Somalia’s federal authorities and the Galmudug administration after both sides issued competing orders over who should lead the region’s police force. The confrontation escalated on Thursday when the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) announced that it had removed the sitting Galmudug Police Commander, Khaliif Abdulle Maalin, better known as "Ilkacase." The federal authorities then named Colonel Mohamed Dahir Abdulle, a senior officer who previously served…

Thursday May 7, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Office of the Attorney General said it has opened an inquiry into allegations surrounding Sadia Moallim Ali Hassan, a Bajaj driver in Mogadishu whose arrest has prompted backlash from opposition figures and international human rights groups. Sadia, who was taken into custody on April 12, is facing accusations of defamation and incitement to public disorder, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office. The Attorney General’s Office said the probe falls within its…

Mike BungeSaturday April 25, 2026 A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after investigators say he tried to join ISIS and provide support to the extremist group. U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 23, to 102 months behind bars, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Hassan had pleaded guilty in September 2025 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which the U.S. State Department designated a foreign terrorist…