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MOGADISHU — A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition fighting in Yemen said Thursday that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the head of the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council, slipped out of the country via North Western State of Somalia after skipping planned peace talks in Riyadh — a development that could deepen a widening rift between the coalition’s two most powerful members. In a statement, the coalition said al-Zubaidi departed the southern port city of Aden late Wednesday aboard a vessel bound for Berbera in…

Burkina Faso says it has thwarted an assassination plot against military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, alleging the operation was orchestrated by Lt. Col. Paul Henri Damiba — the officer Traoré ousted in a 2022 coup — and financed in part from neighboring Ivory Coast. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced the discovery late Wednesday, saying intelligence services “intercepted this operation in the final hours.” He said the plan aimed to kill the head of state and strike “other key institutions, including civilian…

U.S. strikes rock Caracas as Trump claims capture of Maduro; Venezuela declares state of emergency Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 CARACAS, Venezuela — The United States launched a large-scale military strike on Venezuela early Saturday, shaking the capital with explosions as President Donald Trump claimed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of the country. The assertion was immediately denied by Venezuelan authorities and could not be independently verified. Here’s what we…

Somalia’s president warns Israel against North Western State of Somalia presence, says recognition risks importing conflict to Horn of Africa Published Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia and any effort to establish a foothold in the breakaway region would risk dragging the Horn of Africa into broader Middle East hostilities. “We have never attacked Israel. We never have created problem to Israel. We don’t want Israel to come to us…

Turkey’s Erdogan denounces Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, vows support for Somalia’s unity ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday sharply rejected Israel’s decision to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia, calling the move illegal, unacceptable and a threat to stability in the Horn of Africa. Speaking at a joint news conference in Istanbul alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdogan said the Israeli action risks undercutting security gains achieved in…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Saturday that Somalia’s federal government is open to dialogue and compromise with opposition leaders, as the opposition-led Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo entered its third day. Speaking in Mogadishu, Mohamud urged participants at the Kismayo gathering to produce constructive, negotiable proposals that the public and the government can engage with, signaling a willingness to defuse political tensions through talks. “I say to the brothers in…

Jubbaland’s Ahmed Madobe warns Somalia’s president against centralizing power at Kismayo forum KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubbaland State President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, used the opening days of the Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo to warn President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud against consolidating power in ways he once opposed, sharpening a national debate over governance and inclusion. Speaking Thursday at the gathering, which he said was convened to address Somalia’s broader political challenges,…

North Western State of Somalia says 19 killed, 214 injured as Borama protests over Xeer Ciise turn deadly BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 others injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators earlier this month in Borama, the capital of North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region, authorities said. The newly appointed governor of Awdal, Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, said the fatalities included one woman. Of the injured, 194 sustained minor wounds. He said 20 people…

BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators during protests earlier this month in Borama, the capital of the Awdal region, North Western State of Somalia authorities said Friday. Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, the newly appointed governor of Awdal, said the dead included one woman. He detailed the toll after formally assuming office Thursday, adding that most of the wounded have been treated and released while those still hospitalized…

Somalia to roll out new passport in 2026 as immigration agency touts security, digital reforms Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Authority will issue a new national passport in 2026, replacing the current document as part of a wider modernization drive aimed at securing borders, improving service delivery and restoring global confidence in Somali travel documents, officials said Wednesday. Announcing the plan at an event in Mogadishu, ICA Director Mustafa Dhuhulow presented the…