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Northeastern administration accuses North Western State of Somalia forces of attack in Sanaag’s Waqdariya; casualties reported Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 MOGADISHU — The Northeastern regional administration on Thursday accused North Western State of Somalia forces of attacking civilians in the Waqdariya area of Sanaag region, saying the assault caused casualties but offering no official toll. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Security, the administration said the incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. in Waqdariya,…

ANKARA, Türkiye — Türkiye vowed Wednesday to stand firmly with Somalia and denounced Israel’s recognition of breakaway North Western State of Somalia, with Ankara’s communications chief warning that regional aggression would not be allowed to spill into the Horn of Africa. “Any attempt targeting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and actions to legitimize them are unacceptable. Türkiye stands with Somalia as it did in the past,” said Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of…

CAIRO — Egypt on Tuesday denied reports that it was prepared to grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for flexibility from Addis Ababa over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), calling the claims “entirely baseless,” according to the state-run Middle East News Agency. An official source, quoted by MENA, “categorically rejected” the circulating reports, stressing that “such reports are entirely baseless and unfounded.” The source added that “Egypt’s stance on water security and the GERD remains firm and…

Somalia hunger crisis deepens as 6.5 million face severe food insecurity, UN and government warn Nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing severe hunger as intensifying drought, conflict and global aid cuts accelerate a mounting humanitarian crisis, the federal government and U.N. agencies said Tuesday, citing new food security data. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis projects that 6.5 million people will face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by the end of March.…

MOGADISHU — Hunger is surging across Somalia as four consecutive failed rainy seasons collide with steep reductions in humanitarian funding, pushing millions toward acute food insecurity, according to a new analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The report estimates 4.8 million people faced Crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity in January, with that figure projected to jump to 6.5 million between February and March — nearly double the number recorded a year ago. Aid groups say the trend…

Mogadishu — Somalia’s federal government accused opposition figures on Tuesday of derailing high-stakes political talks in the capital by abandoning an agreed agenda, intensifying a standoff over elections and constitutional reforms as the United Nations urged both sides back to the table. In a statement, the government said the consultation process—launched in March 2025 to collect views from former leaders, politicians, academics and civil society—remains the vehicle to resolve what it called the country’s “fateful…

Al-Azhar warns of Ramadan terror escalation as Al-Shabaab executes 10, Kenya says Nairobi plot foiled The Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism has warned of escalating terrorist threats along the Somali-Kenyan border during the holy month of Ramadan, citing what it called a “bloody strategy” by the militant group Al-Shabaab to intimidate civilians and step up cross-border attacks. In a statement Monday, the Cairo-based observatory said the latest surge began Saturday night, when Al-Shabaab militants executed 10…

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and other international partners met Monday with senior representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia and the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council, hours after high-level political talks collapsed without agreement as constitutional deadlines approach. In a statement posted on social media, UNTMIS said it was disappointed the two sides had not reached a deal in the discussions held so far. “Along with other partners, UNTMIS…

Palm Beach, Fla. — An armed man breached the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, before being shot and killed early Sunday, authorities said. Trump, who frequently spends weekends at the Palm Beach estate, was at the White House when the breach occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man had a gas can and a shotgun when he drove through the north gate as another vehicle exited. Investigators…

Opinion: Somalia should lead a Horn of Africa economic bloc built on connectivity corridors The Horn of Africa is at a hinge moment. After decades marked by fragmentation and instability, the region faces a practical imperative: build a regional economic bloc anchored in modern connectivity corridors or cede another generation to missed potential. For Somalia, whose Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden coastline sits astride one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, the choice is stark. With recent macroeconomic stabilization,…