Hassan

Somalia: Hassan Sheikh Turns Down PM Barre's Resignation Amid Electoral Disputes MOGADISHU, Somalia - Ambling through a political maze, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has declined Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s offer to resign, according to insiders conversing with Axadle. The two political bigwigs are experiencing difficulties syncing efforts with regional states, especially those severing ties with the central government in Mogadishu. Jubaland, the latest state to distance itself from the federal…

Somalia: Hassan Sheikh Reverses His Stance on Jubaland's Election Framework MOGADISHU, Somalia - A political showdown brews in the Horn of Africa nation as Jubaland's leader, Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe, turns his back on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's direct election vision. Instead, Jubaland is veering towards holding indirect elections. Recently, Madobe made a dramatic exit from Mogadishu, declaring that implementing nationwide voting rights would undoubtedly lead to extending presidential terms—a notion that, he…

KISMAYO, Somalia - The escalating discord between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Jubaland's strongman Ahmed Madobe signals a significant political fracture, coming merely a couple of years after they banded together to unseat Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, widely known as Farmajo, in a watershed Somali election. Their symbiosis during the 2022 elections was undeniable, with a joint aversion to extending terms and advocating for direct polls. Yet, irony alters courses, as these very allies now journey on adversarial paths…

Somalia: CIA Director's Chat with President Hassan Sheikh — What's the Skinny? MOGADISHU, Somalia — CIA boss William Burns swung by East Africa for the first time, making a pit stop in Somalia. He sat down with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who’s kinda feeling the squeeze from upcoming tweaks to the constitution. Their powwow gave prime stage lighting to Somalia's security woes and the omnipresent threat of terrorism. Uncle Sam’s got a gig as a security buddy in this corner of the world, trying to lend a hand to a…

  Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud touched down in Bujumbura, the heart of Burundi, for a diplomatic shuffle around the neighborhood, aiming to bolster ties and teamwork on security issues. Cozying up at the Presidential Palace, President Hassan Sheikh and President Évariste Ndayishimiye swapped thoughts on safeguarding their nations and boosting economic bonds. While there, Hassan Sheikh tipped his hat to Burundi for stepping up in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). President…

In Asmara, Eritrea, on October 9, 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki held bilateral meetings to discuss enhancing military cooperation and strengthening their relationship amidst regional shifts. Credit: Villa Somalia Somalia's leader, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, touched down in Asmara, Eritrea, this past Wednesday for a formal visit. Since taking the helm in 2022, this marks his fourth voyage. It's likely geared toward boosting a developing alliance among Somalia,…

From left to right: Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, once-Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and Opposition Leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame have formed a united front against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. They're strongly opposing what they claim are his actions to prolong his presidency—a move they argue would breach the constitution and jeopardize the nation's political steadiness. Mogadishu (AX) — Three prominent Somali opposition leaders are ringing alarm bells against President Hassan Sheikh…

Somalia's Political Juncture: Which Road Will President Hassan Sheikh Tread? FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK | Political rumblings intensify amidst Mogadishu’s vibrant chaos as Somalia's capital becomes the stage for a critical pow-wow involving the nation's federal government and regional chieftains. Though the quartet of state presidents attending the gathering signifies a step forward, the glaring absence of Northeastern State underscores a widening schism. This meeting is not just a banal political dance. It’s loaded with…

A hundred munitions, allegedly including American-made 2,000-pound bombs, were unleashed by the Israeli air force in a colossal air assault on Friday night. The target? Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, holed up in an underground bunker in Dahieh, a suburb in southern Beirut.Nasrallah, notorious for his near-paranoid security measures, seldom ventured into public view. He barely gave a nod to his impending journey for this fateful meeting, but Israeli intelligence was so deep-rooted within Hezbollah that they knew exactly…

Gathering around an image of Hezbollah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, mourners attended the funeral of Ali Mohamed Chalbi, a Hezbollah member, in Kfar Melki, Lebanon, on September 19, 2024. Photo by Aziz Taher / REUTERS. The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it had killed Hassan Nasrallah, the top figure of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, during an airstrike on their main headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, the day before. Hezbollah confirmed this, saying Nasrallah had "joined his fellow martyrs." The airstrike,…