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Israel says its forces have killed a member of Iran’s Quds Force in Lebanon, identifying the man as Hussein Mahmoud Marshad al-Jawhari and alleging he helped plan attacks from Syria and Lebanon. In a statement, the Israeli military described al-Jawhari as a key operative in the Quds Force’s Unit 840 and said he “operated under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)” in terrorist activities directed by Iran against Israel and its security forces. The military said he was killed in the area of Ansariyeh, without…

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) for another year, extending operations through December 31, 2026, in a vote on Tuesday that underscored broad international backing for Somalia’s security transition. The UK-drafted resolution passed 15-0 and also set an end date for the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), with all UNTMIS operations to conclude by October 31, 2026.…

New York — The United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, extending AUSSOM through Dec. 31, 2026, in a resolution adopted Tuesday that also set a timetable to wind down a separate U.N. mission. The resolution, tabled by the United Kingdom, passed 15-0 and keeps in place international backing for Somalia’s security transition amid persistent attacks by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab insurgency. It also decided to terminate the United…

Somalia hosts EASF defense chiefs in Mogadishu, underscoring rising regional security role MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia on Tuesday hosted the 35th regular session of the Committee of Defence and Security Chiefs of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), a high-level gathering that officials said reflects the country’s expanding role in regional security cooperation. The meeting in Mogadishu, opened by State Minister for Defense Omar Ali Abdi, marked the second time this year that Somalia has convened a major EASF forum.…

Nigerian Air Force Clarifies C-130 Landing in Burkina Faso Amid Controversy The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that the landing of its C-130 aircraft in Burkina Faso was a precautionary measure due to safety concerns stemming from a "technical issue" encountered during its operations. This clarification follows reports suggesting that the aircraft’s landing had sparked tensions between Nigeria and the Burkinabe government, raising accusations of airspace violations. The incident occurred on Monday and quickly…

GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has offered condolences to families of those killed in days of violent protests in Borama and urged dialogue after North Western State of Somalia security forces opened fire on residents demonstrating against the planned launch of the Xeer Ciise book. “I express my condolences for the violence that occurred in Borama that resulted in deaths. It was truly an inappropriate matter. I call for a solution to be sought for everything without resorting to violence,”…

Violence in northern Mozambique Spills into Previously Safe Districts, UNHCR Says Attacks in northern Mozambique have spread into districts once considered safe, displacing nearly 100,000 people in the past two weeks alone, the U.N. refugee agency said Thursday. "These simultaneous attacks in several districts are generating a huge challenge for humanitarian actors who have to multiply emergency response in different zones of the country," Xavier Creach, UNHCR's representative in Mozambique, said in a statement. He added…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s drive to build a 100,000-strong national army gained fresh momentum as a new unit trained in Qatar was deployed across Mogadishu, part of a broader, multinational effort to professionalize the country’s security forces after years of conflict. About 600 Somali soldiers returned from long-term training in Doha and have been placed under the National Intelligence and Security Agency’s Banadir command, according to multiple security sources. Turkey is supplying weapons and gear to the unit as…

A fragile peace, an international watch and a humanitarian clock In a hastily converted warehouse on the edge of southern Israel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck an optimistic tone this week about a deal that could finally end nearly two years of grinding war in Gaza. The caveat was blunt: Israel will have veto power over who makes up any international force sent into Gaza to police a ceasefire — a condition that could preclude some of the region’s most powerful and politically consequential militaries. The scene…

International stabilisation force for Gaza is being sketched — but will it work? Plans are under way to assemble an international stabilisation force for Gaza — a concept pushed hard in President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal for the battered Palestinian territory. U.S. advisers say Washington will back the effort and provide as many as 200 troops in an oversight and coordination role, with roughly two dozen already staged in the region to help assemble partners. On paper, it looks like a pragmatic answer to a collapsing…