by BRIAN ORUTAMonday June 8, 2026 Abdullahi Mohamed Nuur, a former security minister in Somalia/HANDOUT A security raid at one of Mogadishu’s better-known hotels has sharpened worries that Somalia’s political battle is starting to spill into the private sector, unsettling investors and raising fresh questions about the safety of businesses tied to opposition figures. The Elite Hotel incident in the capital has quickly become a symbol of the country’s widening political rift. Analysts say the standoff between the federal…

By Abdirahman JeylaniMonday June 8, 2026 The bursts of gunfire that rattled Mogadishu in early June should end any remaining hope that Somalia’s political crisis is just another quarrel over election dates. What played out in the capital was not merely a clash between government troops and forces tied to the opposition. It marked the first violent eruption of a constitutional dispute that has been simmering for years — one now threatening the fragile political understanding that has held Somalia’s post-conflict…

Monday June 8, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Danab commandos launched coordinated operations across parts of Lower Shabelle on Sunday, striking al-Shabab positions that military officials say were being used to squeeze money from motorists and residents. The 161st Battalion of the 16th Brigade led the raids in Warmaxan, Tasxiille, Shareey, 10-Buundo, Tabeellaha and surrounding areas near Donka. Military commanders said the targeted sites included checkpoints and concealed bases the group relied on to collect illegal taxes…

Mohamed Gabobe, MogadishuSunday June 7, 2026 Fighters from the Union of Islamic Courts took control of Mogadishu in June 2006 For Yusuf Ali, the sounds of Mogadishu’s past have never really gone away. The 34-year-old shopkeeper still lives with the memories of being drawn into Somalia’s insurgency as a child soldier, fighting in the streets of the capital while the city around him descended into ruin. As Mogadishu gradually rebuilds, the psychological wounds left by years of war remain largely untreated. Few services are…

Sunday June 7, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali Salvation Forum said Saturday it had received indications that security forces were preparing to move against the Mogadishu home of former Somali National Army commander Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Raage. In a statement, the opposition alliance alleged that forces under the command of Aden Mohamed Omar, widely known as Aadan Dheere, and backed by personnel from security agencies were lining up an assault on Odowaa’s residence in Abdiaziz district. The claims could not be independently…

By Faisal AliSaturday June 6, 2026 Disruption across parts of Mogadishu began easing on Friday as the fighting drew to a close. Mogadishu, Somalia – After more than two days of gunfire, explosions and mounting fear in Somalia’s capital, the fighting between government forces and opposition fighters has begun to subside, and the federal government says it has re-established control. The violence broke out on Wednesday and, by Friday, the government said the districts of Abdiaziz and Hawlwadag were calm again. “Opposition…

Saturday June 6, 2026 Somalia’s foreign minister, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, welcomed Egypt’s continued political, development and security backing for his country during a phone call on Friday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said Abdelatty reiterated Cairo’s full support for the Federal Republic of Somalia and its national institutions, and said Egypt was closely following developments on the ground, particularly in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. He stressed the need to…

Saturday June 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A fragile breakthrough emerged in Mogadishu on June 4 after Somali traditional elders and international representatives helped mediate a preliminary deal between the federal government and former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s Himilo Qaran party, following days of violence in the capital, the party said Saturday. According to a statement from Himilo Qaran, the agreement calls for an unconditional ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops, the restart of political talks, the return of…

Saturday June 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A fragile pause in Mogadishu’s latest political standoff emerged June 4, after Somali traditional elders and international representatives helped secure a preliminary accord between the federal government and former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s Himilo Qaran party, the party said Saturday. According to Himilo Qaran, the understanding calls for an unconditional ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops, a return to political talks, the recovery of vehicles and equipment damaged in the…

By Hussein Mohamed and Matthew Mpoke BiggHussein Mohamed reported from Mogadishu, Somalia, and Matthew Mpoke Bigg from Nairobi, Kenya.Friday June 5, 2026 Smoke drifted above Mogadishu on Thursday as heavy fighting engulfed parts of the Somali capital, where residents said the violence was the most intense in years. The U.S. Embassy called the clashes reckless and appealed for calm. Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Gunfire and explosions shook Somalia’s capital on Thursday, with residents describing the clashes as…