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Basillioh Rukanga and Richard KagoeTuesday April 7, 2026 Somalia is poised to launch its first offshore oil drilling campaign, with a Turkish government-owned drillship due to reach its waters on Friday. The step comes after a Turkish research vessel completed seismic surveys last year, helping map the area’s underground potential. In a post on X, Somalia's Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire called the approach to the country’s first offshore drilling effort a "historic milestone in our offshore energy journey... A new chapter…

By Hon. Ali M OmarSunday April 5, 2026 The Federal Government says it will not accept lessons in democracy from critics it accuses of trying to weaken Somalia’s hard-won political progress. A wave of commentary on Somalia, both online and in other forums, has offered what the government sees as a selective and misleading picture of the country’s politics. The debate over South West State, it argues, has similarly obscured the deeper question: whether Somalia’s federal arrangement can be protected and strengthened. That,…

Saturday April 4, 2026 Media representatives gather in front of a heavily damaged building following a strike at the Azadi Sport Complex in Tehran Iranian forces say they have shot down two US military fighter jets, one over the country’s southwest and another in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, in a sharp escalation of the conflict. In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said air defences had “completely destroyed” an F-15 aircraft. Later the same day, the Iranian…

Thursday April 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a swift move aimed at steadying the Southwest regional state after weeks of political turbulence in Baidoa, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has named Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid as interim leader. A decree released Wednesday by the Office of the Prime Minister said the temporary administration will keep core government operations running, hasten consultations on Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote electoral process and lay the constitutional groundwork…

By Ali Mohamed AliWednesday April 1, 2026 Illustrative photo  Somalia’s push to open its offshore waters to Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) could come at a steep environmental cost unless the country insists on a rigorous Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) carried out by an independent, technically qualified firm. Context: Planned Drilling by TPAO Somalia has already awarded TPAO exclusive rights to multiple offshore and onshore oil and gas blocks after the company completed extensive 2D and 3D seismic…

By Dulmar Maalim Wednesday April 1, 2026 President William Ruto’s announcement that the Somalia–Kenya border will reopen in April 2026 marks a notable turn in the Horn of Africa’s security and economic outlook. Beyond the symbolism, the move speaks to a broader regional recalibration — one that places trade, connectivity, and cooperation at the center of the East African Community’s integration drive. The significance of the decision fits squarely within the broader argument I have made about regional blocs and…

Faisal Ali - Tuesday March 31, 2026 The Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Photograph: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images A wave of misleading coverage has falsely suggested that North Western State of Somalia’s government was seeking the extradition of Ilhan Omar, after several outlets leaned on a social media post from an account that is not an official state channel. Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent all published stories focused on the US…

Saturday March 28, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen has won re-election for a further five-year term after voters went to the polls on Saturday in Baidoa, the interim administrative capital of the region. Under the supervision of the electoral commission, Laftagareen received 66 votes, narrowly but decisively beating his challenger, Abdullahi Haji Hassan, who secured 13 votes. The vote takes place as political tensions continue to mount between the Southwest administration and…

by Frankline Oduor Thursday March 26, 2026 Kenya Navy officers conducting a joint maritime operation in the Western Indian Ocean, March 18, 2025. Photo KDF As fighting in the Middle East continues to unsettle major sea lanes, the government is weighing a tougher response: using military-supported maritime security to protect Kenyan exports bound for the region. Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana said in an interview on NTV on Tuesday that the State is considering special escort arrangements for cargo vessels…

Wednesday March 25, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A Somali military court has handed down a 10-year prison sentence in a case prosecutors say involved plans to track and potentially target one of the country’s most recognizable athletes, boxer Ramla Ali, during her visit to Mogadishu. On Tuesday, the court convicted Abdisalaam Mohamed Hassan, widely known as “Aamusane,” of membership in al-Shabab and sentenced him to a decade behind bars. Prosecutors told the court he had been part of the group since 2014 and accused him of…