Monday May 11, 2026 Jigjiga (AX) — A long-awaited solution to Qabridaharre’s water problems took a major step forward on Sunday, when Ethiopia’s Somali Regional Government broke ground on a 407 million birr water purification plant aimed at easing chronic shortages and improving water quality in the town. Somali Regional State President Mustafa Muhumed Omar and Water Affairs Minister Ahmed Miraad Layli led the foundation-laying ceremony, joined by local and district officials. The plant is slated to supply clean, treated…

Sunday May 10, 2026 Jigjiga (AX) — The Somali Regional State in Ethiopia has kicked off campaigning for its seventh regional and national elections, with the ruling Barwaqo Party drawing large crowds to rallies across several towns and districts on Saturday. Across the region, thousands of supporters filled public squares, brandishing flags and banners as party candidates began courting voters for both local and federal parliamentary seats. In Dhahaxbuur, Somali Regional State President Mustafa Muhumed Omar spoke at a major…

Thursday May 7, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia authorities on Thursday appealed for calm in the Carmale area of Erigavo district in Sanaag, where fierce inter-clan fighting has left dozens dead, according to local reports. Interior Minister Abdalle Mohamed Arab “Sandheere” said the clashes have inflicted heavy losses and pushed the government to hold an emergency meeting focused on stopping the violence. He said security forces and local administrations in the area had been instructed to take part in…

By Pranav Baskar and Matthew Mpoke BiggMonday May 4, 2026 A brazen seizure off Yemen has renewed fears that Somali pirates are regaining their footing — and raised fresh suspicions that they may be operating alongside Iran-backed Houthi rebels amid upheaval across the Middle East. Maritime police forces from the Puntland State region of Somalia patrolling the Gulf of Aden last year.Credit...Feisal Omar/Reuters Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker off Yemen’s coast on Saturday and steered it into Somali waters, authorities…

By Khadar M LeyliMonday May 4, 2026 Symbiotic Antagonists  A familiar political pattern is unfolding around Somali Regional State President Mustafa Omer: longtime rivals are setting aside their own enmities for one purpose only — to attack him. What brings together this uneasy alliance is not a common blueprint for Ethiopia or for the Somali Region, but a shared determination to tarnish a leader they regard as an obstacle to their ambitions.  This coalition of symbiotic antagonists — TPLF loyalists still bitter over their…

Friday May 1, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali National Army forces have killed at least 22 Al-Shabaab militants in a planned offensive in the Lower Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defense said Wednesday. In a statement, the ministry said the 72-hour operation struck militant positions in the Bulo Abdalla area, situated between Mubarak and Ugunji. The assault combined ground fighting with coordinated airstrikes, and officials said it left 22 militants dead, among them a senior figure identified as Abdirahman Jeeri. Authorities…

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),…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Garowe (AX) — A deadly blast in the Calmiskaad mountains of Somalia’s Bari region killed at least four people on Wednesday, among them two telecommunications workers and two soldiers. Security sources said ISIS militants struck a vehicle belonging to Golis Telecom as it moved through the area. A fifth victim, a soldier with the Puntland State Dervish forces, was badly wounded and is said to be in critical condition. The attack took place while the company was working to restore communications…

LUUQ, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has sent Turkish-trained elite Gorgor, or “Eagle,” commandos to the strategic district of Luuq in the Gedo region, a move that underscores a sharper military push in an area long marked by security concerns and political disputes. Security officials said the first plane carrying the specialized troops touched down in Luuq early Sunday, with more flights expected in the coming days to increase the number of forces on the ground. The deployment comes on the heels of the arrival of…

Wednesday April 22, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), working with international partners, says it has killed more than 33 al-Shabab militants in a coordinated series of operations in the Guulane area of Middle Shabelle region. In a statement released Tuesday, the agency said the initial strike hit a house where senior members and fighters were gathered, killing 15 militants. NISA said the site was destroyed and had served as an important location for assembling personnel and…