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MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Wednesday it killed at least 12 al-Shabaab militants, including a senior figure, during a raid in the Jambaluul area of Afgooye district in the country’s Lower Shabelle region. NISA says the operation struck militant hideouts and bomb-making sites in Jambaluul. The agency reports a senior al-Shabaab leader was among the dead, but did not name the individual. Mortar fire into civilian areas injured civilians and two NISA soldiers,…

Beledweyne (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Monday it carried out a targeted raid with international partners in the Hiiraan region that killed seven al-Shabaab militants and destroyed a truck loaded with ammunition. In a statement, the agency said the pre-planned operation struck Biyo Madobe, a village under the Jicibow area of Hiiraan, part of a broader campaign to dismantle critical al-Shabaab positions and supply lines in central Somalia. NISA said the truck the militants were…

Crisis Deepens in Guinea-Bissau: A Political Stunt or Genuine Coup? The recent turmoil in Guinea-Bissau has sparked intense debate among analysts and commentators, with some suggesting that the events unfold less like a traditional coup and more like a politically orchestrated stunt shrouded in military theatrics. Daniel T. Makokera, writing in an AllAfrica guest column, suggests that there is a "growing belief that the crisis may have been an inside job," framing it as "a carefully managed confrontation used to settle…

Somalia: Islamic State deploys suicide attackers in Puntland State as offensive intensifies BOSASO, Somalia — Islamic State militants in Somalia launched suicide attackers against a Puntland State security position in the Miiraale valley on Saturday, prompting a fierce clash that left at least seven people dead as regional forces push deeper into militant strongholds in the Cal-Miskaad mountains. Assault and casualties Puntland State authorities said their forces repelled the attack and killed four militants at the scene.…

Somali regional forces kill at least seven al‑Shabaab militants in Galgaduud clash MOGADISHU, Somalia — Regional forces in central Somalia said they killed at least seven al‑Shabaab fighters during a fierce overnight clash in the Ceelahelay area of Galgaduud, marking one of the most significant engagements in months as the campaign against the insurgent group continues. The clash Galmudug state’s Darwish Forces fought with al‑Shabaab in Ceelahelay, with support from Somali national troops, regional commanders said Sunday.…

A Rising Tide of Terror: The West African Coast in Crisis As the sun rises over the sprawling landscapes of West Africa, a dark undercurrent looms. The once-thriving coastal regions are now grappling with an alarming surge in violence, driven by terror groups operating from the heart of the Sahel. In an effort to stem this tide of chaos, many African nations have fortified their borders, standing as a bulwark against the growing menace. The Sahel: A Hotbed for Terrorism The Sahel region, nestled between the Sahara Desert…

Oil, identity and consent: Why Ethiopia’s Somali region is pushing back There are two ways oil can arrive in a place like Ethiopia’s Somali region: with community buy-in and a clear ledger of who benefits, or with suspicion trailing the first truck. This week, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told lawmakers his government is ready to begin using oil from new wells in the Somali Regional State for domestic markets, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) chose the latter framing—warning that a vital moment for Ethiopia’s…

U.S. carries out airstrike on ISIS in Puntland State amid broader campaign in Somalia MOGADISHU — The U.S. military said Tuesday that it conducted an airstrike on Islamic State militants in Somalia’s rugged Al‑Miskaad mountains, continuing a pattern of remote strikes aimed at degrading extremist groups in the Horn of Africa. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the late‑September operation occurred on Sept. 26 in a remote area roughly 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Bossaso, the bustling port city at the heart of…

Insurgency in Cabo Degaldo: A Struggle for Survival In the heart of Cabo Degaldo province, Mozambique, a chilling echo of violence reverberated through the quiet of a Sunday night. Insurgents armed with lethal intent knocked on doors, summoning their victims one by one, leaving a trail of fear and despair. Among the fallen were police officers, once protectors now turned targets, underscoring the alarming evolution of this violent insurgency, which has claimed over 6,000 lives since its onset in 2017. The Human Toll of…

US-Backed Airstrikes Hit Suspected al‑Shabaab Sites in Central Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia — A series of powerful airstrikes struck suspected al‑Shabaab hideouts at the edge of Somalia’s Galgaduud and Middle Shabelle regions over the weekend, according to local security sources and residents, in a fresh show of force that underscores the relentless cat‑and‑mouse campaign against the al‑Qaida‑linked insurgency. Details from the remote frontline remain sketchy. But multiple sources described precision strikes on Hareer…