Somali

MOGADISHU — The Somali Electoral Commission said Monday that a dozen political organizations have submitted candidate lists for the December 25 district elections in the Banadir region, marking a significant step toward the first such vote held in the capital in more than 50 years. Commission Chairman Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan told reporters in Mogadishu that the 12 organizations have collectively put forward hundreds of names toward the required slate of 390 candidates per party. Some groups have completed their submissions,…

JIGJIGA, Ethiopia — Police in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State have arrested a man accused of secretly recording Somali women and attempting to extort them with explicit videos obtained through social media, authorities said Monday. The suspect, identified by police as Ayuub, is originally from Mogadishu and has lived in several European countries, including Italy and Austria. He was detained in Jigjiga after multiple women reported that he recorded them without their knowledge and later threatened to release the footage…

Somali lawmakers pass amendments to Accountants Bill to tighten financial oversight MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s House of the People on Monday approved amendments to the Somali Accountants Bill, a measure aimed at strengthening financial oversight across federal institutions and raising professional standards in the public accounting sector. The chamber voted 140-1 to adopt the revisions, with four lawmakers abstaining. Second Deputy Speaker Abdullahi Omar Abshirow announced the tally shortly after debate opened on the…

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia is preparing to relaunch Somali Airlines in the coming months, marking the national carrier’s first return to service since it was grounded more than 30 years ago during the civil war, the country’s transport minister said Sunday. Government says management, regulation and fleet plans are in place as the carrier enters final operational planning. Two Airbus A320s have been acquired; additional jets are slated from 2026. IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan access is being reinstated after 33 years, a…

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…

ICE raids and Trump’s rhetoric rattle Minnesota’s Somali community MINNEAPOLIS — Federal immigration raids, high-profile fraud prosecutions and escalating rhetoric from former president Donald Trump are converging on Minnesota’s Somali community, unsettling daily life in the state that is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. Since Dec. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained 12 people in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area under a Department of Homeland Security initiative called Operation…

DOHA — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday presided over a high-level session on the sidelines of the Doha Forum, using the global platform to press for tighter coordination of international support behind Somalia’s state-building agenda. In a detailed briefing, Mohamud outlined the government’s push to stabilize the country and reform public institutions while waging a multi-front campaign against international terrorist groups. He said Somalia is countering the threat militarily, economically and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday accepted the credentials of eight newly appointed ambassadors, signaling renewed momentum in Somalia’s diplomatic outreach during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. The envoys represent Egypt, Indonesia, Sweden, Cuba, Canada, Finland, Norway and Spain. In welcoming them, Mohamud underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and urged close coordination with Somali institutions to support peace, trade and regional…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday issued a formal warning to district administrations across the Banadir region, ordering them to ensure an open campaign environment and unhindered distribution of voter cards as the election period intensifies in Mogadishu and its surrounding districts. In a directive circulated to local officials, the Commission said political organizations and candidates are legally entitled to campaign without interference, and citizens must be able to…

DOHA, Qatar — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Doha on Friday to attend the Doha Forum, a global platform that convenes leaders and experts to debate international security, shifting geopolitical dynamics and development cooperation. His visit is expected to include high-level talks with Qatar’s leadership and engagement with international partners on Somalia’s priorities. Upon landing at Hamad International Airport, Mohamud was welcomed by senior Qatari officials, according to Somali authorities. Officials…