seize

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces captured nine villages from al-Shabab in western Hiiraan after militants withdrew ahead of a planned military advance, military officials said Sunday. The army moved into areas surrounding the El Adde settlement as part of a broader offensive to weaken the group’s long-standing hold over parts of the region. Officials said troops faced no resistance because al-Shabab fighters abandoned their positions before the units arrived. A senior officer involved in the operation said the…

Benin's government said its armed forces had foiled an attempted coup Sunday after a small group of soldiers briefly seized control of state television and announced they had taken power. At least eight soldiers, several wearing helmets, appeared on national TV in the early hours to say a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal had dissolved national institutions, suspended the constitution and closed the country's air, land and maritime borders. "The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a…

EU warship seizes suspected pirate ‘mother ship’ off Somalia after tanker hijack; 24 crew freed unharmed A 30-hour standoff ends without casualties in the Western Indian Ocean European naval forces have captured an Iranian-flagged dhow believed to have served as a pirate “mother ship” in the hijacking of the oil products tanker Hellas Aphrodite, bringing a tense 30-hour standoff to a close and freeing all 24 crew members unharmed, officials said. Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy mission, said the dhow…

Somali and AU Forces Secure Awdheegle in Push to Root Out al‑Shabab MOGADISHU — Somali National Army troops, backed by Ugandan contingents operating under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), announced on Saturday that they have taken full control of Awdheegle, a strategic town in the Lower Shabelle region, as part of a wider offensive aimed at dislodging al‑Shabab militants. The operation, called “Silent Storm,” has been under way for days across swathes of the fertile Lower Shabelle, where farmers,…

Somali, Ugandan forces take Awdheegle in fresh push against al‑Shabaab Somali troops backed by Ugandan peacekeepers say they have seized control of Awdheegle, a strategic farming town on the Shabelle River about 80 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, in the latest phase of a stepped-up offensive against al‑Shabaab. The Ministry of Defense announced Saturday that the capture is a milestone in “Silent Storm,” a multi‑stage campaign to dismantle the militant group’s foothold across southern Somalia. In the hours after the…

According to statements from Russia’s Defence Ministry, Russian troops have taken control of the villages Serebrianka and Mykolaivka located in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk area. Meanwhile, military blogs have been buzzing with reports of Russian progress near critical frontline towns. While Ukraine’s military has not confirmed the fall of these villages, they did indicate that both locations are currently embroiled in fierce clashes. Both pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian bloggers highlighted a vigorous Russian offensive…

Mogadishu (AX) – Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, sounded a sharp critique, pointing fingers at the Ethiopian government. He claimed they are masking a land grab under the guise of fighting terrorism. At a United Nations Security Council gathering on Friday, Fiqi revealed that Somali authorities had thwarted attempts of Ethiopian-origin arms sneaking into Somalia. They believed these weapons were meant to stir the local pot, which he labeled as a "shameless breach" of…

Ethiopian Forces Seize Airports in Somalia LUUQ, Somalia - In a bold maneuver, Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have reportedly taken over strategic airports in western Somalia. This aggressive stride may set off a wave of diplomatic discord and even potential warfare in the already volatile Horn of Africa. The backdrop to this tension lies in an eight-month-long standoff between Ethiopia and Somalia. The discord began when Ethiopia inked a contentious deal with Somaliland—a self-declared independent region of…

Somalia: Government Forces Seize Al-Shabaab Supplies MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali security forces have successfully intercepted a shipment of supplies intended for Al-Shabaab in the northern regions of the nation. This operation was executed by the Somali National Army (SNA), strategically positioned in a zone marked by porous borders. Reports indicate that troops in the Mudug region halted a vehicle that was heading toward territories held by Al-Shabaab. These militants have developed a pattern of infiltrating areas where…

In Mali, the mandate of the UN mission must be renewed at the end of the month, no change is expected in the form of this peacekeeping operation, but the announcement of the end of the French operation Barkhane is in everyone's minds. Minusma did not respond to the announcement of the end of Barkhane, officially the mission still shows "assess the possible consequences" of this withdrawal. But outside…