Thursday May 21, 2026 Garowe (AX) — In a meeting that underscored both security concerns and Somalia’s unsettled politics, a U.S. delegation headed by acting Ambassador to Somalia Justin Davis met Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni in Garowe on Wednesday to discuss cooperation against ISIS and the country’s broader political transition. According to a statement from the Puntland State presidency, the delegation included officials from U.S. Africa Command, among them Col. Shane Jones. Puntland State Vice President…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State has moved to calm fears while urging caution, issuing a public health alert after the World Health Organization reported an uptick in Ebola cases in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement on Wednesday, the health ministry asked residents to stay alert and follow preventive steps to limit the chance of infection, stressing that no Ebola cases have been reported in Puntland State or anywhere else in Somalia. Officials described Ebola as a dangerous and fast-spreading viral…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni on Wednesday hosted a senior United States delegation in Garowe for talks centered on Somalia’s political transition, security cooperation, and investment prospects in the northeastern federal state, officials said. The delegation was headed by Justin Davis and included U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) officers, among them Col. Shane Jones, who commands U.S. special operations activities in Africa, according to a statement from the Puntland State presidency. Deni,…

Wednesday May 20, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali Hosh has sharply rebuked a cultural delegation from Puntland State after its members appeared at North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 commemoration in Hargeisa. Hosh said it was inappropriate for representatives from Puntland State to take part in an event that celebrates North Western State of Somalia’s 1991 breakaway from Somalia, a move the federal government still views as a direct threat to the country’s unity and territorial…

Monday May 18, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State security forces detained suspected pirates on Sunday in a sweep across Somalia’s Bari region, stepping up pressure on groups accused of trying to revive maritime crime along the coast. According to Puntland State security officials, the suspects are thought to have ties to pirate networks linked to attacks, kidnappings and attempted hijackings of commercial ships in Somali waters and along nearby Red Sea shipping lanes. The operations form part of a wider effort to block…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State President Siciid Cabdullahi Deni on Friday delivered a blistering rebuke of what he called the “term-ended Somali president” Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of pushing Somalia “in the wrong direction” and endangering the country’s federal system and unity. Addressing reporters in Mogadishu, Deni said he had been waiting for May 15, 2026, and argued that the country’s political standoff had now reached a stage where urgent action was needed to avert institutional breakdown and the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 16 — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni departed Mogadishu on Saturday after three days of political talks failed to produce an agreement among Somalia’s leading stakeholders. Deni had joined opposition figures in negotiations with the federal government from May 13 to 15, in an effort to bridge deep divisions over the country’s electoral and political framework. Despite bringing together representatives from both the federal side and the opposition, the discussions ended without a deal,…

Monday May 4, 2026 Bosaso (AX) — Puntland State regional forces have recaptured the Miraale area after several hours of fighting with ISIS militants, officials said Sunday. According to Puntland State authorities, one soldier was killed in the clash in Miraale, an area government forces had previously withdrawn from before ISIS fighters moved in. Officials said Puntland State troops were preparing to launch an operation in the area when ISIS launched a surprise assault, sparking a battle that went on for hours. Security…

Thursday April 30, 2026 Garacad (AX) — Fighting broke out in the Garacad area of Mudug region on Thursday morning after Puntland State security forces engaged suspected pirates, leaving several people feared dead and others wounded. Local residents said the confrontation began when Puntland State forces moved against armed men believed to be connected to recent piracy incidents along the coast. Among those injured is the commander of the Jariiban district police station, Abdullahi Abdi Elmi “Guray Dusaaye” (Booyaax),…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State’s president issued a stark warning Tuesday, saying Somalia’s fragile federal arrangement could unravel unless political rivals strike a broad agreement before the current federal leadership’s term ends next month. President Said Abdullahi Deni said the country faces a serious institutional crisis unless all sides reach a deal before President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s mandate expires on May 15. "If a political agreement accepted by all Somalis is not reached, there will be no functional federal…