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Somali police seize control of parliament; lawmakers report threats of lethal force MOGADISHU, Feb. 7 — Armed police units took control of Somalia’s Federal Parliament main hall on Saturday, paralyzing proceedings as lawmakers said officers threatened to open fire on anyone attempting to speak and a female representative was physically assaulted during a chaotic standoff. Witnesses and parliamentary sources said police deployed inside the House of the People imposed extraordinary restrictions that blocked members of…

US defends increased Somalia airstrikes as ‘critical support’ backing ISIS pressure in Puntland State Thursday, February 5, 2026 The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has defended a rise in airstrikes in Somalia, calling them “critical support” that has helped Somali partner forces weaken ISIS-linked militants and hold strategic ground in the country’s northeast. In a digital press briefing, AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson said the operations are coordinated with Somali forces and designed to deliver…

US airstrikes in Somalia shrink ISIS territory, push leaders underground, AFRICOM says WASHINGTON — U.S. Africa Command says its stepped-up airstrikes in Somalia have tightened the noose on Islamic State-linked militants, shrinking their operating space and forcing leaders into hiding as Somali forces press ground operations in the country’s volatile northeast. In a digital press briefing, AFRICOM leaders described the strikes as “critical support” coordinated closely with Somali partner forces and designed to provide…

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…