Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Police in Mogadishu have detained several young people accused of interfering with security checkpoints and taking part in violent incidents, authorities said Friday, even as opposition leaders denounced the arrests as a political crackdown. The Banadir Regional Police Command said the suspects were taken into custody in security zones after allegedly engaging in conduct that could endanger public safety, disrupt stability and restrict movement in the capital. Police said initial…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a meeting that underscored mounting attention to rights protections in Somalia, Somali Police Force chief Brig. Gen. Asad Osman Abdullahi held talks with leaders of the Independent National Human Rights Commission on cooperation in safeguarding human rights, improving accountability and strengthening oversight of detention facilities. The commission was represented by Chairperson Dr. Maryam Qaasim, Deputy Chairperson Mohamed Harun, Director General Mustafa Ahmed and other…

by Joseph Ogungo Saturday May 23, 2026 An undated image of a police vehicle at a crime scene Photo kenyans.co.ke The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has asked the court to hold a police officer accused of fatally shooting a taxi driver in Garissa, citing fears that he could tamper with witnesses and derail the case. In an application filed on Friday, May 22, the authority told the court that releasing the officer on bond would put the investigation at risk, arguing that he may also interfere with key evidence…

Monday May 18, 2026 Borama (AX) — Police in Borama opened fire Sunday to break up young demonstrators who burned tires in parts of the city during a protest against North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 independence celebrations, according to residents and officials. No casualties were immediately reported. The unrest unfolded in Borama, the capital of Awdal region, one of several places where tensions have been building ahead of North Western State of Somalia’s annual May 18 commemoration. The day marks North Western…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Teargas billowed through Nairobi’s city centre on Tuesday as Kenyan police moved to break up dozens of anti-France protesters who tried to push toward the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the venue for the Africa Forward Summit. Police in Kenya fired teargas to stop surging protesters from reaching a conference centre in Nairobi, where France summit was being held on May 12. / Reuters Teargas billowed through Nairobi’s city centre on Tuesday as Kenyan police moved to break up dozens of…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia police said Tuesday they had arrested several people accused of firing gunshots in Hargeisa amid protests surrounding the city council’s انتخاب of a new mayor and deputy mayor. Police spokesman Abdiaziz Sheikh Ismail said officers had already identified those suspected of opening fire in the capital on Monday night. He said some were in custody while others were still being tracked down. “Last night, shots were fired in the capital by suspects who have…

Sarah JohnsonSunday May 10, 2026 The journalists said they were arrested and assaulted by counter-terrorism police in Mogadishu on Friday. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images A Somali journalist who reported on a woman’s claim that she was being tortured in prison was detained by authorities and beaten with pistols, along with two other reporters, in what media groups say is the latest sign of an escalating crackdown on press freedom. Mohamed Bulbul was arrested on Friday evening in a restaurant in central Mogadishu…

By Margaret KalekyeSunday May 10, 2026 A search operation is under way in Mandera after suspected militia opened fire on a Nissan matatu, killing six people and injuring several others in a brazen attack that has triggered a major security response. The National Police Service said it has deployed a multi-agency team, including specialised units, to pursue the attackers and comb the area for clues as investigators piece together what happened. “We are committed to bringing them to justice and ensuring they face the full…

A dramatic hostage ordeal at a bank in western Germany ended with a special police unit freeing two people from a vault unharmed, but the suspects had already vanished and remained at large, police said. When officers moved into the branch in Sinzig, they found no trace of the attackers, according to police. Investigators now believe that "immediately after locking the individuals in the vault, the perpetrator or perpetrators left the scene by means as yet unknown", authorities said in a statement. The incident began at…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A fresh power struggle has broken out between Somalia’s federal authorities and the Galmudug administration after both sides issued competing orders over who should lead the region’s police force. The confrontation escalated on Thursday when the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) announced that it had removed the sitting Galmudug Police Commander, Khaliif Abdulle Maalin, better known as "Ilkacase." The federal authorities then named Colonel Mohamed Dahir Abdulle, a senior officer who previously served…