Somalia

ISIS Somalia Branch Bolsters Operations with Gold Sales, Reeling in Up to $6 Million AXADLE, Somalia — Nestled in the rugged northeastern Bari region, the Islamic State's Somalia faction has found a lucrative gig — hawking locally mined gold, according to various accounts. Since 2022, these golden ventures have lined the group's coffers to the tune of an estimated $6 million, the International Crisis Group reports. The gold trade orchestrated by ISIS-Somalia shines a light on not just their economic maneuvers but also their…

Dhusamareb (AX) — Tragedy struck on Wednesday night in a remote area nestled between Adado and Godinlabe districts in central Somalia. Local folks report that unknown assailants gunned down a man and his wife.The victims, named Ilmi Omar and his spouse, met their untimely demise at their residence, courtesy of armed militiamen who wasted no time in hightailing it to Dhusamareb before the security forces could show up.Eye-witnesses believe this cold-blooded act is tangled in a long-standing tribal vengeance. Word has it, the…

Other than intimidating businesses in Bosasso, a bustling seaport in Northeastern State, IS-Somalia peddles modest amounts of gold unearthed in the north-eastern Bari realm, its lair. According to US estimates, it's amassed a tidy $6 million since 2022, “these figures shared by ICG shed light on their funding," says ICG.With roughly 500 fighters camped out in the caves of Northeastern State's Cal Miskaat mountains, IS-Somalia’s influence is quite constrained. They've launched fewer than 12 raids since 2023, way down from the…

Dr. Ubah Farah, a fervent advocate for UNICEF Somalia, underscored the profound impact of this national endeavor to eliminate polio. "This initiative is a lifeline for vaccinating children against polio," Farah expressed. She emphasized that such initiatives are pivotal in public health, aiming to wipe out the poliovirus and stymie its spread. The campaign kicked off in central and southern Somalia, with plans to gradually include the semiautonomous state of Northeastern State and the self-declared region of Somaliland.…

PM Hamza's Visit to Baidoa Amid Ethiopian Troop Controversy BAIDOA, Somalia - On Wednesday, amidst growing discord over the Ethiopian military presence, Somalia's Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, embarked on a significant trip to Baidoa. The trip comes in the wake of worsening ties between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu. Somalia's government remains firm that Ethiopian forces will not participate in the new endeavor named the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). However, this decision faces…

Turkey Eyes Somalia for Missile and Rocket Launch Site Turkey, in its latest strategic maneuver, is contemplating using Somalia as a launch site for missiles, as reported by Turkiye Today. This signals a burgeoning alliance between the two nations, who have seen their relationship strengthen in recent months. Considerations of defense and infrastructure projects focus on the Somali Peninsula, with Turkey’s new space ventures poised to display its military prowess on a global stage. Lately, Turkey has not only provided…

The Djiboutian government has backpedaled on its original proposition to grant Ethiopia full oversight of a significant port, a gesture initially aimed at alleviating regional frictions following the ongoing wrangles between Somalia and Ethiopia over access to the Red Sea. Now, Djibouti is entertaining the idea of collaborative management. The adjustment in stance suggests Ethiopia will receive partial control of the Tadjourah Port, while Djibouti continues to maintain operational supervision. This shift is an attempt to…

During the latest meet-up, Arab League ministers, including big wigs from Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Egypt, and Mauritania, showed full-throated support for Somalia's territorial unity.

For years, Turkey has harbored dreams of joining the elite group of nations in the space game. Ambitious plans to launch their rockets are in the works and could take off from Somalia. Insiders suggest that Turkish officials are optimistic about Somalia's approval for such a venture. However, Turkey’s defense ministry refused to offer any comments on the matter. A phone call to Hussein Sheikh-Ali, the national security adviser to Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, yielded no comments either. Meanwhile, Abdi Ahmed…

Ethiopian Forces Seize Airports in Somalia LUUQ, Somalia - In a bold maneuver, Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have reportedly taken over strategic airports in western Somalia. This aggressive stride may set off a wave of diplomatic discord and even potential warfare in the already volatile Horn of Africa. The backdrop to this tension lies in an eight-month-long standoff between Ethiopia and Somalia. The discord began when Ethiopia inked a contentious deal with Somaliland—a self-declared independent region of…