Mogadishu

Somali Teacher’s Day is a moment to honor lecturers whose reach stretches far beyond classrooms — educators who guide, inspire and shape generations. For me, this year carries a deeply personal weight: it marks 10 years since I first stood at a chalkboard and began the work that would define my voice, my discipline and my purpose. My path into education began as a teenage girl helping young learners and unfolded across primary schools, secondary schools, universities and, eventually, a graduate program in Japan. A decade…

Mogadishu opposition condemns alleged looting, forced displacement in Yaqshiid, cites killing and detentions MOGADISHU — The Somali Salvation Forum, a major opposition bloc, on Saturday condemned what it described as a wave of abuses in parts of Mogadishu, accusing security agencies of looting, forced displacement and other violations, particularly in the Yaqshiid district. In a statement, the Forum expressed condolences over the killing of Abdullahi Abdi Raage, a young resident of the Buulo-Geesaale neighborhood. According…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Police in the Somali capital arrested a woman Thursday on suspicion of fatally stabbing her husband in the city’s Dayniile district, according to the Banadir Regional Police Command. The suspect, identified as Fadumo Mohamed Osman, was taken into custody shortly after the killing of her husband, Hassan Mohamed Nur. Authorities said Nur died of severe injuries sustained in a knife attack allegedly carried out by his wife. The police command said investigators are working to determine the motive and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s drive to build a 100,000-strong national army gained fresh momentum as a new unit trained in Qatar was deployed across Mogadishu, part of a broader, multinational effort to professionalize the country’s security forces after years of conflict. About 600 Somali soldiers returned from long-term training in Doha and have been placed under the National Intelligence and Security Agency’s Banadir command, according to multiple security sources. Turkey is supplying weapons and gear to the unit as…

Somali president holds consultation with leading Quran scholar in Mogadishu Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met prominent Quran reciter and scholar Sheikh Abdirashid Sheikh Ali Sufi in Mogadishu on Friday, in what Villa Somalia called an important consultation and information-sharing session. The discussions focused on mobilizing public awareness around national priorities and strengthening the role of religious leaders in peace-building. The meeting underscored the government’s outreach to clerics as it pursues…

Mogadishu begins voter card rollout for local council elections Somalia’s electoral commission on Saturday began issuing voter cards in Mogadishu, a step the capital has seldom seen after years marked by conflict, displacement and political uncertainty. The process opened across multiple districts with steady turnout and orderly lines as residents prepared to participate in upcoming local council polls. Distribution started in Hamarjajab, Waberi, Shangani, Hamarweyne, Boondheere, Abdiaziz and Shibis districts. Officials…

Somalia’s Mogadishu Port switches to 24/7 operations in bid to cut delays and boost trade MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has begun round-the-clock operations at the Port of Mogadishu for the first time, a step officials say will ease chronic congestion, speed cargo handling, and strengthen the country’s position in regional trade. The shift to uninterrupted service took effect Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, following recent upgrades to core port infrastructure. Senior representatives from the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport,…

Farmaajo Returns to a Changed Mogadishu — And a High-Stakes 2026 Race Begins MOGADISHU — The political weather in Somalia shifted on Thursday with the return of former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, widely known as Farmaajo, after more than two years abroad. He arrived to a rousing welcome at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport — lawmakers, veteran politicians, and clusters of supporters waving flags and phone cameras — and immediately became the most consequential opposition figure in the capital. His timing…

North Western State of Somalia, Somalia and the politics of the skies: Why a digital visa is touching a raw nerve Airspace rarely makes front-page news until it does. In the Horn of Africa, where borders are contested and history weighs heavy, the latest salvo isn’t happening on the ground but in the air—and online. North Western State of Somalia’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, has accused Somalia’s federal government of waging a “war” over air travel and airspace, claiming the aim is to pressure North…

MOGADISHU — Somalia moves to fortify capital after high-profile al Shabaab attack MOGADISHU, Oct 23, 2025 — Somali authorities have dispatched newly trained security units to the main approaches into Mogadishu in a renewed effort to tighten control of the capital after a brazen assault on a national intelligence compound earlier this month. Residents and independent witnesses described convoys of troops in armoured personnel carriers and pickup trucks mounting checkpoints on highways leading into the city late Wednesday,…