Somali

Thursday April 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a swift move aimed at steadying the Southwest regional state after weeks of political turbulence in Baidoa, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has named Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid as interim leader. A decree released Wednesday by the Office of the Prime Minister said the temporary administration will keep core government operations running, hasten consultations on Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote electoral process and lay the constitutional groundwork…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A high-profile ceremony in Mogadishu on Monday, March 30, brought the first season of the “Daaci 2026” program to a close, spotlighting a new generation of Somali creators whose online work promoted uplifting social and religious messages during Ramadan. The campaign was spearheaded by Nasiye, a startup created by young entrepreneurs and known for its IPTV services, with backing from telecom heavyweights Hormuud Telecom and WAAfi. Its central mission was to reshape Somali digital spaces by steering…

Tuesday March 31, 2026 Somalia’s national army seized control of Baidoa, the largest city in South West state, on Monday, setting off a political rupture that ended with the regional president stepping down two weeks after he said his administration was cutting ties with the federal government. Baidoa, the administrative hub of South West state, is a key strategic center in a region shadowed by drought, conflict and displacement. The city also hosts international peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies, adding to its…

Tuesday March 31, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's prime minister has rejected calls for indirect voting in South West State after federal forces secured Baidoa, arguing that the transition should move toward national reform rather than return to the older indirect election model. The dispute over Baidoa is also being read as a test of Somalia's federal arrangement, with critics warning that unilateral intervention could reshape the balance between Mogadishu and the regions. “Baidoa is under the control of the…

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday held talks with ambassadors and representatives of international organizations at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. According to the presidency, the discussions centered on the government’s record in security, counterterrorism operations, preparations for direct elections, response to drought conditions and efforts to bolster national unity. President Mohamud updated the diplomats on gains made through cooperation between the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s lower house speaker has blocked an impeachment bid against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, according to a lawmaker who said the effort had the backing of more than 120 parliamentarians. Dahir Amin Jesow, a member of the House of the People, said Aden Mohamed Nur, better known as Aadan Madoobe, refused to receive the motion calling for the president’s removal. Jesow said the proposal, submitted by a group of lawmakers, contained serious accusations against Mohamud, but was not sent…

Mohamed DhaysaneSaturday March 28, 2026 Somali forces, backed by international partners, carried out coordinated strikes on Thursday that killed more than 42 al-Shabaab fighters, including two senior figures, while leaving several others injured across operations in Middle Juba and Lower Shabelle, officials said. In one of the joint actions, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said it killed Abdihamid Ali Abdullahi Macalin, an al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab commander responsible for handling international…

Saturday March 28, 2026 Minneapolis (AX) — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) on Tuesday sharply condemned remarks by President Donald Trump that it said were racist and demeaning toward Somali Americans and toward Somalia. In a written statement, CAIR-MN challenged what it described as Trump’s characterization of Minnesota as “Somalia-oriented,” along with derogatory comments aimed at Somali immigrants and their country of origin. The civil rights organization argued that rhetoric…

Friday March 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — More than 40 al-Shabab militants were killed on Thursday when the group tried to reclaim a town recently taken in southern Somalia, according to officials. The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said the clashes broke out in Mubarak, a strategically placed settlement in the Lower Shabelle region that joint forces from the Somali National Armed Forces and African Union troops seized earlier this month. According to AUSSOM, militants launched an attack on…

Friday March 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s political fallout over constitutional changes deepened this week after Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre formally fired two state ministers who had already announced they were quitting in protest earlier this month. In a statement released Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office said the dismissals were carried out under Articles 120 and 117 of the Provisional Constitution, as well as the Council of Ministers’ internal regulations. The office said the move was intended to…