fierce

Somali forces retake coastal town of Kudhaa after heavy fighting with al-Shabab KUDHAA, Somalia — Somali government troops backed by the elite Danab commandos and Jubbaland regional forces have retaken the coastal town of Kudhaa after heavy fighting with al-Shabab, officials said Thursday. Military officials said the clashes began before dawn a day earlier when al-Shabab fighters launched an attack on the area in Somalia’s Lower Juba region. The battle ended early Thursday after government-aligned units surrounded the…

Al-Shabab stages multi-pronged attack on Beledweyne; Somali forces say they repelled assault MOGADISHU, Somalia — Al-Shabab militants launched a coordinated attack on the central Somali city of Beledweyne late Tuesday, firing mortar rounds into a residential neighborhood before engaging Somali National Army units in street combat, according to residents and military officials. The assault began with a barrage targeting Bundaweyn, a neighborhood on the city’s edge, and quickly escalated into direct clashes with government…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Jubaland and Puntland State, along with the self-declared republic of North Western State of Somalia, have sharply rejected a federal government decision to suspend cooperation agreements with the United Arab Emirates, deepening a long-running power struggle over who controls ports, security, and investment policy. In separate statements, the regional authorities said Mogadishu lacks the legal authority to halt or cancel deals they described as lawfully concluded directly between regional…

Turkey’s Expanding Influence in Somalia Draws Sharp Criticism AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State’s State Minister of Information, Mohamud Aided Dirir, has sharply criticized Turkey’s growing footprint in Somalia, alleging the engagement is driven by self-interest, corruption and exploitation rather than the country’s long-term stability, security or good governance. Dirir said Ankara’s presence undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and misappropriates local resources, arguing that foreign assistance should reinforce Somali…

Kemi Badenoch, a self-described direct communicator, is set to infuse a bold right-leaning spirit into her new role as the leader of Britain's Conservative Party. This ambitious politician pledges to champion a return to "authentic conservatism," aiming to revitalize a party grappling with significant challenges as it seeks to regain influence in the political arena. As the first black woman to helm a major political party in the UK, Badenoch is poised to instigate considerable change among Conservatives, who are still…

The Israeli military unleashed an intense barrage on southern Beirut late Thursday, marking one of the fiercest offensives since the campaign escalated last week.An insider connected to Hezbollah revealed to AFP that Israel executed 11 back-to-back strikes on the group's firm grounds in Lebanon's capital.Hashem Safieddine, tipped to succeed Hassan Nasrallah as Hezbollah's chief and the current head of its executive council, was reportedly the target of these attacks, according to reports by the New York Times and Axios,…

Mogadishu (AX) — Jubbaland's security forces have taken down nearly 10 Al-Shabaab rebels in a daring military escapade near Janaay Abdalla, a village lying close to Kismayo, as officials revealed on Tuesday.The skirmish erupted when the Darawish division of Jubbaland launched a proactive assault against suspicious Al-Shabaab operatives, alleged to be devising an offensive on the town. The militants had intentions of recapturing Janaay Abdalla, a place often under siege since they were initially expelled."We managed to…

The Zambians made their ballots in crowded polling stations until the closing time of the country's general election. While the day of the vote was largely peaceful, President Edgar Lungu said at least two people were killed, including the chairman of his party in the northwestern province.…