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Somalia says 17 al-Shabab commanders killed in six months as financial squeeze intensifies MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security forces have killed 17 al-Shabab commanders over the past six months amid escalating military and financial pressure on the extremist group, the government said Sunday. Information Minister Daud Aweis said in a statement on X that the operations reflect sustained counterterrorism efforts focused on the group’s leadership network. He reaffirmed the government’s objective of dismantling al-Shabab’s…

Somalia to recruit 10,000 teachers, shift salaries to domestic revenue in education overhaul MOGADISHU — Somalia will hire 10,000 teachers over the next 45 months and pay their salaries entirely from domestic revenue, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Friday, framing the move as a cornerstone of state-building and economic independence. “For the first time in Somalia’s history, teachers’ salaries will be paid entirely from domestic revenue rather than external support,” Barre wrote on X. “This is not just politics,…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — A district court in Hargeisa on Tuesday sentenced musician Mubaarik Ahmed Yusuf, known professionally as Mubaarik Oktoober, to one year and four months in prison after finding him guilty of assault and bodily harm against his wife, fellow singer Farhiya Ahmed Addaawe Geedi, widely known as Farhiya Fiska. In a written ruling dated Feb. 17, 2026, the Hargeisa District Court convicted Mubaarik under Article 440(1) of the Penal Code, which covers offenses causing bodily injury. The…

Four months after a ceasefire in Gaza was hailed from Washington as a breakthrough, the ground reality tells a different story: violence persists, the humanitarian crisis deepens, and the political architecture meant to secure the truce looks unsteady. US President Donald Trump declared on Oct. 13 that “at long last we have peace in the Middle East” and that “the war in Gaza is over.” Since then, hundreds have been killed and injured in the enclave, while the West Bank has edged toward a new flashpoint. United Nations…

Somalia: Jubaland releases federal senator after 16 months, seeks to calm tensions Jubaland frees Senator Ilyas Bedel Gaboose after prolonged house arrest in Kismayo President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe frames move as reconciliation, meets with Gaboose and Sheikh Dahir Ahmed Abdullahi Detention stemmed from challenge to Madobe’s re-election; release comes amid constitutional strains and ahead of 2026 polls KISMAYO, Somalia — The Jubaland administration on Sunday released federal senator and prominent opposition figure…

Jubaland frees opposition Senator Ilyas Bedel Gaboose after 16 months, signaling reconciliation push KISMAYO, Somalia — The Jubaland administration on Sunday released federal senator and opposition figure Ilyas Bedel Gaboose after nearly 16 months in detention, a move officials cast as an attempt to defuse tensions and promote political reconciliation in the semi-autonomous region. Gaboose, who had been under house arrest since 2024, was freed in Kismayo. Hours later, Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe convened…

Puntland State lawmakers demand answers over unpaid salaries despite $300M-plus 2026 budget GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland State state lawmakers on Friday pressed the government to explain why civil servants have received only three months of pay this year, even as parliament approved a 2026 budget topping $300 million. During a contentious session in Garowe, members of the Puntland State State of Somalia Parliament called it unacceptable that budgets are passed annually but not fully executed. Lawmakers demanded a transparent…

For over 17 years, the PSMN has diligently tracked the ebb and flow of internal displacement. October's tally revealed around 66,000 displacements, with conflict and insecurity uprooting 50,000 people, while climate calamities like droughts and floods displaced 3,000, according to UNHCR’s update from Mogadishu, the bustling capital of Somalia. When new homes and communities are torn apart, the foremost needs of displaced families become crystal clear: food, shelter, water, viable livelihoods, and essential healthcare. These…

The Horn of Africa continues to grapple with aftershocks from Ethiopia’s agreement with North Western State of Somalia in January. This pact, which bestowed Ethiopian naval units access to North Western State of Somalia’s coastline, has sparked strife and intrigue across the region. In a twist, Hargeisa claims Ethiopia is mulling over acknowledging North Western State of Somalia’s boundaries, stirring the pot further. Fast forward nine months, and tensions escalate with new forces entering the fray, like Egypt making chummy…

MOGADISHU, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) — Over 342,000 individuals have been uprooted from their homes in Somalia since January 2024, thrust into uncertainty by conflict, climate woes, and rampant insecurity, as per the latest briefing from the United Nations refugee agency. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led Protection and Monitoring Returns Network disclosed that a significant 23,000 were displaced just in August. Among these, 43 percent were forced to flee due to clashes, instability, and natural calamities like…