for

South West regional security forces say they have seized 10 landmines allegedly bound for Mogadishu, thwarting what authorities described as an Al-Shabaab plot to hit the capital ahead of local council elections. Lieutenant Colonel Abdirahman Mohamed Munye, commander of the October 14 Brigade, said Wednesday that his unit intercepted the explosives in the area known as Number 50 after receiving actionable intelligence. “Thank God, we were able to thwart the Khawarij’s plot to harm civilians. Our forces intercepted 10…

Somalia, AU and UN issue urgent donor appeal to sustain Somali Security Forces support MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) on Tuesday launched an urgent appeal for new donor contributions to keep critical support flowing to Somali Security Forces. The call came during a Somali Security Forces (SSF) Trust Fund event in Mogadishu attended by Somalia’s National Security Advisor, the U.N.…

‘A door opened’: Somali businessman helps displaced families secure land near Afgooye MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali businessman has stepped in to help more than 60 internally displaced families secure long-sought land near Afgooye, fast-tracking a community savings plan that would otherwise have taken years to complete. Abdinasir Ali Adoon said he was compelled to act after watching a BBC report about families in a displacement camp outside Mogadishu who had been pooling small monthly contributions through a traditional…

Climate finance training for Somali banks signals shift toward private-sector climate action in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia’s banking sector took its first coordinated step into climate finance on Sunday, as the National Climate Fund (NCF) and the Somali Bankers Association (SBA) convened the country’s inaugural training on how lenders can access, structure, and deploy climate capital. Held in Mogadishu, the workshop introduced senior banking professionals to the global climate finance architecture — the funds, rules and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s push to unlock climate finance moved a step forward Sunday as the National Climate Fund (NCF), in partnership with the Somali Bankers Association (SBA), held the country’s first climate finance training for Somali banks in Mogadishu. The session introduced bank executives and risk, credit, and product teams to the global climate finance architecture — how major international climate funds operate and where opportunities exist for Somalia’s private sector. It also served as a peer forum for…

MOGADISHU — The Somali National Electoral Commission said Thursday night that 20 political organizations have formally submitted candidate lists for the Banadir local council elections scheduled for December 25, closing the candidate registration phase for the Mogadishu-area vote. In a statement, the commission confirmed that candidate registration has concluded, capping a two-week extension granted last month to give parties more time to finalize their slates. A total of 61 political organizations registered earlier this…

MILAN — Liverpool found respite and resolve at the San Siro, edging past Inter Milan in the Champions League without Mohamed Salah and offering embattled manager Arne Slot the most significant win of his tenure to date. Dominik Szoboszlai’s nerveless conversion from the penalty spot and a disciplined clean sheet ended Inter’s 18-match unbeaten home run in Europe and delivered Liverpool’s first away Champions League victory without Salah since 2009. The significance ran deeper than the scoreline. After a fraught 72 hours and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed warned Wednesday that Somalia is not ready for a genuine one-person, one-vote election, arguing that the country’s fragile security and the absence of core institutions put its democratic transition at risk. In an interview with the BBC Somali Service, Sheikh Sharif said the government’s timetable for direct voting remains more rhetorical than real, citing the lack of enabling laws, functioning political parties and credible security arrangements. “One-person,…

Somalia not ready for one-person, one-vote, ex-President Sheikh Sharif warns MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed says Somalia is not prepared for a genuine one-person, one-vote election, warning that the country’s security and future are at serious risk without a broad political agreement and practical groundwork. In an interview with the BBC Somali Service on Wednesday, Sheikh Sharif said the current push by the government for nationwide direct elections does not reflect realities on the ground…

MOGADISHU — The Somali Electoral Commission said Monday that a dozen political organizations have submitted candidate lists for the December 25 district elections in the Banadir region, marking a significant step toward the first such vote held in the capital in more than 50 years. Commission Chairman Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan told reporters in Mogadishu that the 12 organizations have collectively put forward hundreds of names toward the required slate of 390 candidates per party. Some groups have completed their submissions,…