government

Somalia foils suspected al-Shabab plot in Mogadishu: Five arrested, explosives seized MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces arrested five suspected militants and seized explosives, weapons and vehicles in a Friday operation aimed at disrupting planned attacks on the capital, Mogadishu, the National Intelligence and Security Agency said. NISA said the group was preparing to enter the city to carry out attacks “threatening the security and stability of the capital,” and credited months of surveillance and close…

Somalia’s Federal Government has not issued an official response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who used a World Economic Forum appearance in Davos, Switzerland, to question Somalia’s statehood and accuse Somalis of large-scale financial crimes. In his address, Trump alleged that “Somali thieves” had taken billions of dollars in the United States and described Somalis as “low in intelligence.” He also claimed the U.S. had waged military action against Somali pirates, drawing a comparison to operations against…

Former President Lazarus Chakwera accused his successor, Peter Mutharika, on Thursday of overseeing a campaign of intimidation and “unlawful arrests, and the abuse of due process” aimed at silencing opposition figures, calling the pattern a “dangerous collapse” of the rule of law. In a formal statement, Chakwera said he has notified President Mutharika of what he described as politically motivated actions against leaders of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). “This includes individuals whose only crime is exercising their…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has invited the Somali Future Council, a leading opposition alliance, to a multi-day national conference in Mogadishu beginning Feb. 1, aiming to speed up talks on the country’s political direction with a particular focus on the electoral roadmap. The invitation, issued late Monday by the Office of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, signals a tentative step toward dialogue amid rising tensions over electoral rules and the broader governance framework. The move follows President…

Somalia moves to form federal-aligned administration in Awdal, escalating rift with North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government is advancing plans to establish a new administration in the northwestern Awdal region under direct central authority, a step that has sharpened political tensions with North Western State of Somalia and stirred concern among regional leaders. Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the proposal remains in development and is being shaped through consultations…

Federal Government Accused of Politicizing Somali Unity Amid Rising Tensions With Regional States LAAS CANOOD, Somalia — Accusations are mounting that Somalia’s federal authorities are leveraging the language of national unity as a political weapon against some federal member states, with a planned inauguration in Laas Canood sharpening disputes and stirring fresh security concerns. The ceremony, expected to draw senior federal officials including members of the Council of Ministers and security chiefs from the National…

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…

U.S. halts some Somalia aid after WFP warehouse demolished; Mogadishu disputes theft as 75 tons recovered MOGADISHU/WASHINGTON — The United States said it is pausing further assistance that benefits Somalia’s federal government after a dispute over the demolition of a World Food Programme warehouse at Mogadishu Port, escalating tensions with a key partner battling hunger and insecurity. The State Department’s top foreign assistance official said on X that Somali government officials destroyed a U.S.-funded WFP facility and…

U.S. suspends assistance to Somali government, alleging destruction of WFP warehouse and seizure of 76 metric tons of food aid WASHINGTON — The United States has suspended all assistance to Somalia’s federal government, alleging Somali officials destroyed a U.S.-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of food aid meant for vulnerable people, according to a State Department announcement Wednesday. The State Department cited the destruction of a WFP warehouse and seizure of aid as the…

Australia will establish a royal commission — the country’s highest form of public inquiry — into the Bondi Beach mass shooting that killed 15 people, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, bowing to mounting public pressure for answers about an ISIS-inspired attack and the rise of anti-Semitism. “I’ve repeatedly said that our government’s priority is to promote unity and social cohesion. And this is what Australia needs to heal,” Albanese told reporters, adding that the decision followed community calls for a comprehensive,…