Somalia

Somalia: Farmajo arrives in Kinshasa as protests intensify in Mogadishu Kinshasa - Embattled Somalia's outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo where he is expected to hold a meeting with the President of the current African Union and the President of the country Felix Tshisekedi. Farmajo, whose term…

No one is interested in meeting Farmajo, says Abdirahman Abdishakur MOGADISHU, Somalia - Opposition candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame has slammed outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, arguing that Villa Somalia is unwilling to negotiate two weeks after the pre-election talks in Mogadishu. According to the Wadajir party leader, President Farmajo closed all doors for…

Somalia: Farmajo's allies meet key opposition leaders in Mogadishu MOGADISHU, Somalia - In the midst of the ongoing stalemate before the Somali elections, two close allies of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo held a closed door meeting with key opposition leaders on Saturday as they strive to find a lasting solution to the current political stalemate. Ahmed Qoorqoor,…

Somalia: Farmajo faces growing pressure following illegal extension MOGADISHU, Somalia - Under pressure, Somalia's outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Saturday met with members of the international community on Saturday amid calls to stop and resume dialogue following escalating political tensions in the country. Farmajo is urged to resume dialogue in the country…

Somalia: Northeastern State's parliament rejects Farmajo's extension of the charge AXADLE, Northeastern State - In what could further trigger hostility between Garowe and Mogadishu, the Northeastern State parliament on Saturday voted in favor of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo's extension of the mandate, just a week after the House of Commons approved a two-year extension for the…

Northeastern State of Somaliavotes against the president's extended mandate Somali state legislature Northeastern State voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to deny the outgoing president another two years in office after extending his term. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo provoked condemnation at home and abroad after signing an extension of his mandate to law this week. His…

Road blast in Somalia kills top military commander At least two people, including a commander-in-chief of the national army, were killed when a roadside bomb targeted a military vehicle outside Bal'ad, the Middle Shabelle region, an official said Saturday. The attack took place near Gololey on the outskirts of Bal'ad, an agricultural town 40 kilometers from the capital Mogadishu.…

Following the failure of the election negotiations and the two-year extension of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's mandate, Farmajo says, the opposition is raising the tone. The presidential candidate coalition has called on its supporters to reject what they call a "threat to peace and stability" and to challenge President Farmajo. The 14 presidential candidates have all suspended their election campaigns in retaliation for extension of the Head of State's mandate, which sparked an international outcry this week.…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A two-day meeting to evaluate the gains of the security sector in Somalia has ended in Mogadishu, the capital, with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali National Army (SNA) agreeing on strategies for Somali security forces to take a leading role in security operations forward. Attending the meeting were representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), military leaders of the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM as well as officials from the United Nations Support…

Somalia's protracted political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase. In a hastily convened session on April 12, MPs overwhelmingly endorsed a bill that would delay the election by two years, effectively extending the term of office of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo". The movement is an alarming escalation of a dispute that could very well turn into widespread violence unless Somalia's political elite returns to the negotiating table. The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel…