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U.S. to Resume WFP Food Aid in Somalia After Government Takes Responsibility

MOGADISHU — The United States will resume World Food Programme food distributions in Somalia after the federal government accepted responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the Port of Mogadishu earlier this month, clearing the way for life-saving aid to reach millions facing acute food insecurity. U.S. officials said Somalia’s acknowledgment of accountability satisfied conditions set after Washington halted certain assistance on Jan. 7, when it accused Somali officials of demolishing a U.S.-funded…

Opposition Blocks Constitutional Amendments, Sparking Chaos in Somalia’s Parliament

Somalia’s parliament erupts in chaos over constitutional amendments, session suspended MOGADISHU — A joint session of Somalia’s bicameral parliament collapsed into disorder Wednesday as opposition legislators disrupted plans to debate sweeping constitutional amendments, triggering scuffles on the floor and forcing leaders to suspend proceedings. Opposition lawmakers protested proposed changes to five chapters of the Provisional Federal Constitution Clashes broke out between rival MPs; the session was suspended without…

Somalia reports over 150 al-Shabab militants killed in Middle Shabelle

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces, backed by international partners, have killed at least 150 Al-Shabab militants in more than two weeks of operations in the Middle Shabelle region, Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said Tuesday. Fiqi said the campaign concentrated on the Jabad Godane area and surrounding settlements, which he described as a strategic militant hub. He said the dead included six senior commanders of the al-Qaida-linked group. “By the grace of God and the bravery of the National Army, and with…

Somali children return home from Italy after life-saving heart surgeries

MOGADISHU — Twenty-four Somali children returned home after receiving life-saving heart surgeries at Niguarda Hospital in Milan, a milestone in Somalia–Italy medical cooperation showcased at an appreciation ceremony in the capital on Saturday. The patients were treated under a program coordinated by the Hormuud Salaam Foundation, which convened Somali officials, Italian clinicians and diplomats, and partner organizations to recognize those who helped deliver specialized pediatric cardiac care not available in Somalia.…

Somali Government Settles Dispute Between Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania

Somalia resolves rare public spat between embassies in Kenya and Tanzania MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government says it has resolved a rare and public dispute between its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, closing ranks after an internal review and new guidance meant to prevent a repeat. The rift surfaced in September after Somalia’s embassy in Tanzania criticized a visit by the Somali ambassador to Kenya to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement at the time, the Tanzanian mission said the…

Federal Officials Stand by Minneapolis Shooting Account Despite Video Evidence

Videos contradict federal account in fatal Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti; judge orders evidence preserved MINNEAPOLIS — Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday defended the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, even as bystander videos reviewed by Reuters appeared to undercut their account and deepen tensions with local authorities. Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse who had a license to carry a firearm, was shot and killed Saturday during a federal operation that drew…

Somali Government Resolves Dispute Between Its Embassies in Kenya, Tanzania

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government says it has resolved a rare public dispute between its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, closing a rift that raised concerns about internal coordination across the country’s diplomatic network. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded an internal review and implemented recommendations to prevent a repeat of the episode, which centered on overlapping roles and communication lapses among missions in East Africa. The dispute…

Minnesota immigration raids galvanize Somali community’s grassroots activism

Somali Americans mobilize in Minneapolis as Trump’s 3,000-agent immigration push stokes voter-intimidation fears MINNEAPOLIS — When immigration agents began aggressive operations across the Minneapolis area last month, Kowsar Mohamed’s phone never stopped buzzing. She knocked on doors, fielded late-night calls and organized an ad-hoc response team, as neighbors worried they were being singled out — a fear that revived memories of surveillance and arbitrary power many thought they had left behind when they resettled in the…

Somalia Reports 250 al-Shabaab Fighters Killed in Kudhaa Town

Somalia says 250 al-Shabab fighters killed in foiled assault on Kudhaa Island Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somali officials said Sunday that about 250 al-Shabab militants were killed in a failed bid to overrun Kudhaa, a coastal town on an island in the Lower Juba region, in one of the deadliest reported setbacks for the group in recent months. Hassan Nur Abdi, the governor of Badhaadhe district, which includes Kudhaa Island, said government and allied forces repelled a coordinated assault and launched pursuit operations…

Expert: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey unlikely to tolerate Israeli foothold in Somalia

Israel’s late-December decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia has collided with entrenched Arab and African interests in the Horn of Africa—and is unlikely to translate into lasting influence in Somalia, according to a prominent regional affairs scholar. Ali Bakr, professor of international affairs, security and defense at Qatar University, said Israel has sought to expand its presence in the Horn since 2023. He told the Novosti news agency that the recognition of North Western State of Somalia, a self-declared…