Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a meeting that underscored mounting attention to rights protections in Somalia, Somali Police Force chief Brig. Gen. Asad Osman Abdullahi held talks with leaders of the Independent National Human Rights Commission on cooperation in safeguarding human rights, improving accountability and strengthening oversight of detention facilities. The commission was represented by Chairperson Dr. Maryam Qaasim, Deputy Chairperson Mohamed Harun, Director General Mustafa Ahmed and other…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali government forces killed six al-Shabab militants on Friday in a planned operation in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defense said. According to the ministry, the Somali National Army, working alongside international partners, launched the operation in the Ugunji area after intelligence indicated that al-Shabab fighters were massing there in preparation for an attack. The ministry said six militants were killed and that weapons and other military equipment used…

By Khadar M Leyli Saturday May 23, 2026 Abdirahman Mahdi (Ex-Chairman of ONLF) and Ahmed Hassan Baaje (Chairman of pro-TPLF Congress for Somali Cause online movement) Anonymity as a Weapon In an era when rumors can travel faster than facts, anonymity has increasingly become less a safeguard for the vulnerable than a tool for political warfare. What was once meant to shield whistleblowers from retaliation is now often deployed to create the appearance of broad agreement around stories that cannot be verified. One person,…

Kitty HollandFriday May 22, 2026 Court conducting age inquiry over asylum seeker charged with murder of Vadym Davydenko (17) Dublin District Court is conducting an age inquiry, applied for by Tusla, regarding the Somali national. Photograph: Tusla stock image Disturbing accounts of a young asylum seeker’s route to Ireland were laid before Dublin District Court on Thursday in a case that has gripped attention since the killing of Ukrainian teenager Vadym Davydenko in Tusla accommodation last year. The court is now carrying…

Ali Al ShoukFriday May 22, 2026 Livestock costs are on the rise at Dubai's Al Qusais market ahead of Eid Al Adha. Chris Whiteoak / The National Dubai’s livestock traders are heading into Eid Al Adha with brisk business — and sharply higher prices — as families prepare for the holiday’s traditional sacrificial feast amid heavy demand and disruption linked to the Iran war. Vendors in Al Qusais said animal prices have climbed by as much as 40 per cent before the festival, a jump they attribute largely to higher shipping costs…

Friday May 22, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s intelligence service says it and international partners have killed 26 al-Shabab fighters in a series of coordinated military operations in the Hiiraan region, striking what officials described as key militant hideouts and support sites. The National Intelligence and Security Agency said Friday that the operations hit al-Shabab positions in Mahaas, Mukayle and Shaw, areas where the group had been assembling fighters, stockpiling weapons and preparing attacks. NISA said the…

Thursday May 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has hailed a major advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice that says the right to strike is protected under a core international labor treaty. In a statement released Thursday, FESTU described the ruling as an important win for workers, trade unions and the wider cause of social justice. The ICJ said the right to strike is covered by the 1948 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, also…

Thursday May 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has hailed a landmark advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice that confirms the right to strike is protected under a core international labor convention. In a statement issued Thursday, FESTU described the ruling as a significant win for workers, trade unions and the broader cause of social justice. The court concluded that the right to strike falls under the 1948 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to…

Wednesday May 20, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia will administer its national secondary school examinations for the 2025-26 academic year from June 20 to June 25, the Ministry of Education announced Wednesday. Officials said close to 40,000 students from the federal member states and the Banadir region are set to take part in this year’s tests. Education officials said the national exams are a key part of efforts to strengthen Somalia’s education system and create a unified standard for assessing student performance across…

By Abdirahman Roble UlayareWednesday May 20, 2026 Introduction For many informed Somalis, the answer to who has kept Somalia from becoming a fully sovereign state is painfully familiar. The pattern did not begin in the aftermath of the civil war or with the country’s collapse in the early 1990s; it stretches back to colonial rule and the damage left behind when foreign powers departed. In the view of many Somalis, outside actors, regional rivals, and local collaborators have all helped sustain a cycle of instability that…