Mogadishus

MOGADISHU — Presidents of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, the Northeastern Somali Administration and South West State on Friday hailed the peaceful conduct of the Banadir Regional Council’s direct elections, calling the Mogadishu vote a historic milestone for Somalia’s democracy. In separate statements, the four federal member state leaders — all members of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) — praised the exercise as a major national achievement and a victory for the Somali people, underscoring…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s main opposition coalition, the Somali Salvation Forum, on Tuesday condemned what it called unlawful arrests and forced evictions by federal security forces in the Dab-dhamiiska section of Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, warning the operation reflects a mounting pattern of rights violations tied to government land-reclamation drives across the capital. In a statement, the coalition said it received credible reports that residents were removed from their homes and endured severe hardship during the…

MOGADISHU — The main market in Mogadishu’s Hamarweyne district remained closed for a third straight day Monday as traders protested what they say are excessive and unlawful tax demands imposed by Somalia’s Federal Government. Shopkeepers told local media the Ministry of Finance’s revenue department recently introduced additional fees that far exceed the legally mandated taxes they already pay each year. Several business owners said the new charges run into the hundreds of dollars — sums they say they cannot afford in the…

AU condemns Mogadishu prison assault as Somali forces end six-hour siege NAIROBI — The African Union on Sunday condemned a deadly assault on a high-security detention facility in Mogadishu, as Somali authorities said they had killed all seven attackers after a six-hour siege that rattled a capital trying to return to normal life. The attack targeted Godka Jilacow — a notorious detention site long linked to Somalia’s intelligence service and used to hold al-Shabaab suspects — on a morning when Mogadishu’s streets had been…

Mogadishu detention centre attacked in bold Al-Shabaab raid, seven assailants killed MOGADISHU — In a striking breach of Somalia’s security heartland, Al-Shabaab fighters launched a brazen attack late Saturday on Godka Jilacow, a high-security detention facility run by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in central Mogadishu. The siege lasted through the night and into Sunday morning before security forces said they had neutralised the assailants. How the raid unfolded Residents and officials described a…

Suicide Blast and Gunfire Rock Mogadishu’s Most Secure Prison, Hours After Government Claims Citywide Gains Mogadishu — A bold and deadly assault hit one of Somalia’s most fortified sites on Saturday afternoon, when suspected al-Shabaab militants stormed Godka Jilacow, the high-security prison run by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). The attack began with a suicide bombing at the facility’s perimeter, followed by sustained gunfire as security forces fought to secure the compound. Initial reports…

In Mogadishu, a conversation about heat, water and peace MOGADISHU — Under the late-morning sun that bakes the coastal capital, diplomats, government ministers, peacebuilders and community activists gathered in a hotel ballroom that has seen its share of history. The occasion was modest by international standards — a one-day “Climate Talk” convened by the German Embassy — but the setting and the stakes were unmistakable: in Somalia, where climate shocks and political fragility intersect, even a discussion can be an act of…

Mogadishu paints a picture of extreme contrasts, where its ever-evolving skyline stands as both a mark of advancement and a glaring sign of widening inequality. This piece dives into the economic drivers and societal effects of the housing struggle remolding Somalia’s capital. / Credit Redit/r/Somalia Mogadishu, once famed for its vibrant culture and historical allure, now finds itself grappling with an ordeal that threatens to unravel its very economic and social fabric. The gap between the haves and have-nots is growing…

Mogadishu (AX) — In the heart of Mogadishu, Mayor Yusuf Hussein Jimale Madaale held an important gathering with the interim parliamentary committee focused on electoral laws. Their agenda? To bolster the electoral proceedings and ensure transparency in upcoming elections for Somalia’s capital. Central to their conversations was the idea of implementing elections based directly on citizens' voting rights. This idea received backing and insightful suggestions from the Banadir regional administration. These talks are a…

Mogadishu (AX) — In Mogadishu's Karaan district, a sudden landmine blast on Saturday claimed the lives of at least three everyday folks and left several others wounded, source accounts say. The explosion rocked the village of Ceel Ali Gedi and resonated across different parts of the district, while the exact target remains a mystery shrouded in uncertainty.The local security group in Karaan combed the area but came up empty-handed with no arrests. Nobody has stepped up to take the blame yet, but it's known that al-Shabab…