Somali

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali special forces and regional security units said they killed a senior al-Shabab commander during a planned nighttime operation in the Jamaame district of the Lower Jubba region, as government-aligned troops intensified a weeks-long push to retake areas long held by the militants. Jubbaland authorities said Friday that Danab commandos, operating alongside Jubbaland’s Dervish forces, targeted a group of al-Shabab fighters late Thursday and killed a commander identified as Farah Jibriil and seven…

MOGADISHU — Somali police in the Hamarweyne district arrested a Somali National Army soldier on Saturday after a video widely shared on social media appeared to show him abusing a woman vendor at the busy Hamarweyne market, authorities said. The suspect was identified by police as Abdifatah Mohamed Ibrahim, a member of the Somali National Army. He is in custody and will be transferred to court, the Banadir Regional Police Command said in a statement. “The suspect is in police custody and will be referred to the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali court has sentenced a woman to six years in prison for financing the militant group Al-Shabaab, part of a broader government push to sever the insurgents’ money networks. In a separate overnight raid, security forces said they killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander in the central Galgaduud region. Key developments: Maryan Mohamed Nur was sentenced to six years after the court found she had direct links to Al-Shabaab and helped move funds to the group, prosecutors said. Investigators…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing backlash after saying members of the al-Shabab extremist group can apply for Somalia’s new national ID cards — a move he argues will bolster national security and the economy but that critics warn could be counterproductive. Speaking at the 2nd Somali National ID Conference in Mogadishu, Mohamud said militants had told security agencies they were ready to register for the biometric program. “Let them take it — their fingerprints and their faces will be…

Kampala, Uganda — Uganda has halted the granting of refugee status to asylum seekers from Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, citing an absence of active armed conflict in those countries and a steep decline in donor support that officials say is straining the country’s capacity to assist new arrivals. Hilary Onek, Uganda’s minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, said he has instructed officials to stop processing new claims from citizens of the three countries. The move comes even as Uganda continues to…

Somali prime minister heads to Morocco for Medays International Forum MOGADISHU — Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre departed Tuesday morning for Morocco to attend the 17th Medays International Forum, where he is expected to outline Somalia’s priorities and the government’s agenda on security and governance as the annual gathering convenes leaders and experts from more than 120 countries. Hosted under the patronage of the King of Morocco, Medays will run Nov. 26–29 under the theme “Fractures and Polarization: Reinventing…

MINNEAPOLIS (AX) — Minnesota officials, immigration attorneys and Somali American leaders urged calm Monday and denounced “dangerous misinformation” after former President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that he had immediately terminated Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals — a move legal experts said he cannot make and that has not occurred. TPS for Somalia remains in effect through March 17, 2026, under a Department of Homeland Security designation that shields eligible Somali nationals from…

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 22 — Rep. Ilhan Omar on Friday responded to President Donald Trump’s move to end Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, a decision announced on Twitter that injects fresh uncertainty into one of Minnesota’s most deeply rooted immigrant communities. Omar, a Somali American Democrat who represents Minnesota’s 5th District, told reporters: “Most of us Somali Americans are citizens; the policy change will not affect us.” The program, commonly known as TPS, allows people from countries facing…

AFGOYE, Somalia — The Somali National Army rescued more than 30 civilians from Al-Shabaab detention sites during a targeted operation in Lower Shabelle, the Ministry of Defence said, marking one of the most significant hostage recoveries in recent months. The raid unfolded in Buula Madiina, a rural area in Afgoye district, where hostages were being held in makeshift camps, ministry officials said. Among those freed were at least two women. Somali forces killed three Al-Shabaab operatives guarding the compound and…

A Somali businessman was shot dead inside his shop in Philippi, Cape Town, on Friday night, underscoring a rise in violent attacks targeting Somali traders in South Africa. The victim was identified by local sources as Mahmoud Abdi Osman. Osman was killed when armed assailants entered his store and opened fire, according to people familiar with the incident. Philippi is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous areas for Somali business owners, who have been repeatedly targeted in robberies and shootings. South African…