Mogadishu

UAE airlifts equipment from Mogadishu after Somalia cancels security, defense pacts MOGADISHU, Somalia — The United Arab Emirates has begun flying out equipment and supplies from Somalia, with three cargo planes carrying UAE government materials departing Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday, according to people familiar with the operation. Government and aviation sources said the departures marked the opening phase of a broader withdrawal following Somalia’s decision this week to annul security and…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal Cabinet has moved to cancel security and defense agreements tied to three strategic ports, a sweeping decision that immediately drew forceful rejection from Puntland State, Jubbaland and North Western State of Somalia and sharpened a long-running power struggle over sovereignty and foreign partnerships. Ministers meeting in Mogadishu on Monday voted to annul all security and defense agreements and cooperative arrangements related to Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo. The government said the deals…

Ethiopian intelligence chief makes surprise visit to Mogadishu amid regional tensions MOGADISHU, Somalia — Ethiopia’s intelligence chief arrived in the Somali capital Tuesday on an unannounced visit to deliver a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, officials said, in a move that underscores rising diplomatic strains across the Horn of Africa. Redwan Hussein, who heads Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service, met with Mohamud at the presidential compound, Villa…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal cabinet has annulled all agreements previously signed with the United Arab Emirates, voiding deals that covered defense cooperation, port management and security assistance, in a sweeping move aimed at reasserting federal control over foreign partnerships. The cabinet cited breaches of sovereignty stemming from UAE agreements with regional authorities. The decision follows Mogadishu’s ban on Emirati military and cargo flights and the start of a UAE military drawdown in Somalia, according to…

Mogadishu opens DARMAD Business Park to ease congestion at Aden Adde International Airport MOGADISHU — Authorities on Saturday inaugurated a new commercial and parking complex inside Aden Adde International Airport, a project designed to curb traffic chaos and modernize services at Somalia’s busiest gateway. The DARMAD Business Park, funded by Amana Bank, introduces organized parking, banking services, business centers and passenger facilities within the airport perimeter. The development was formally opened by Banadir…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the capital late Thursday to protest Israel’s recognition of the self-declared Republic of North Western State of Somalia, waving Somali flags and chanting patriotic songs in a show of national unity. The rally at Taleh Square in downtown Mogadishu condemned Israel’s move as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Protesters held placards rejecting what they called foreign interference in the Horn of Africa nation’s internal affairs. It was…

China postpones Wang Yi’s Somalia visit, cites ‘friendly negotiations’ on new date Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 MOGADISHU — China has confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s planned stop in Mogadishu has been postponed, saying the change came after “friendly negotiations” with Somali counterparts and that both sides are working on a revised schedule. In a statement posted late Friday by the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu, Beijing said it had adjusted the itinerary for Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party…

MOGADISHU — China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, postponed a planned visit to Somalia’s capital on Friday after authorities imposed sweeping security restrictions across Mogadishu ahead of his expected arrival, Somali officials said. Wang Yi’s visit to Mogadishu was postponed Friday; no reason was given and no new date announced. Parts of the city were sealed off, with checkpoints and major road closures including routes to Aden Adde International Airport. The trip was slated to be the first visit by a Chinese foreign…

MOGADISHU — Somali religious scholars led thousands of demonstrators in Mogadishu on Wednesday to protest Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, denouncing the move as foreign interference that threatens Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and religious identity. The demonstration, staged at Daljirka Dahson in the heart of the capital, drew clerics, traditional elders, intellectuals and residents from across Mogadishu. Protesters carried banners and chanted that North Western State of Somalia — the northwestern…

Somalia begins counting votes after Mogadishu’s landmark one-person, one-vote poll Mogadishu — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Thursday night said ballot counting is underway after polls closed across the capital for the Banadir Regional Council elections, the city’s first one-person, one-vote ballot in more than five decades. Commission Chairperson Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan told national media that voting ran from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time and proceeded calmly and in an orderly manner…