UAE airlifts equipment from Mogadishu after Somalia cancels security, defense pacts MOGADISHU, Somalia — The United Arab Emirates has begun flying out equipment and supplies from Somalia, with three cargo planes carrying UAE government materials departing Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday, according to people familiar with the operation. Government and aviation sources said the departures marked the opening phase of a broader withdrawal following Somalia’s decision this week to annul security and…

WASHINGTON — The United States will indefinitely suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Somalia, the State Department said, in one of the broadest recent restrictions on legal immigration. The policy, effective Jan. 21, halts approvals of immigrant visas while the department reviews screening and vetting procedures. Applicants from the affected countries may continue to file paperwork, but no visas will be issued until the review is complete. No end date was announced. Officials said the…

North Western State of Somalia’s president says Israel has recognized the breakaway republic, a move he casts as both a moral reckoning and a strategic recalibration in one of the world’s most contested maritime corridors. In a statement published Thursday, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi (Cirro) wrote that Israel extended recognition on Dec. 26, framing it as a response to shared history and aligned security interests along the Gulf of Aden. The claim, originating from the president’s account of events, puts fresh…

Somalia deploys former Puntland State forces to Sool front lines as president plans landmark Las Anod visit Units from Danab Brigade and Puntland State Security Force bolster positions near Gumays as Mogadishu consolidates authority in newly recognized Northeastern Regional State. LAS ANOD, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has deployed former Puntland State regional forces — including units of the elite Danab Brigade and the Puntland State Security Force — to front-line positions in the Sool region, regional officials…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s abrupt decision to cancel port management and security cooperation agreements with the United Arab Emirates caps years of friction and crystallizes a new geopolitical split in the Horn of Africa. Triggered by Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state — the first by any country — the rupture threatens to reorder alliances, stress Somalia’s fragile federal compact, and unsettle maritime security along one of the world’s most strategic coastlines. The move,…

Egypt has expanded and refocused its military mission in Somalia after Israel recognized the breakaway region of North Western State of Somalia, elevating the protection of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government to a top priority, according to sources briefed on Cairo’s policy. The move underscores Egypt’s fears that Israel’s recognition could give it a foothold in the Horn of Africa—a region Cairo sees as vital to its national security—and enable closer alignment with Ethiopia at a time of fraught disputes over Nile…

Israel’s formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia has thrust the breakaway territory into the international spotlight, jolting the Horn of Africa and the Middle East with a new flashpoint that blends diplomacy, security and great-power rivalry. The move marks the first international recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent nation and opens the door to cooperation that could reshape regional dynamics — from the Red Sea to the Gulf states. For Israel, which is contending with Iran-backed…

White House pauses immigrant visas for dozens of countries as it revives “public charge” scrutiny WASHINGTON — The White House on Wednesday ordered an immediate pause on immigrant visas for nationals of dozens of countries, including Somalia and Haiti, as the Trump administration moves to tighten long-standing “public charge” rules and restrict permanent entry for applicants deemed likely to rely on government benefits. The suspension targets those seeking to immigrate permanently and does not appear to apply to temporary…

Somalia’s Jan. 12 Cabinet decision to annul all agreements with the United Arab Emirates is more than a diplomatic rupture. It is a strategic reset framed around sovereignty, constitutional authority and the insistence that foreign engagement run through recognized national institutions. In a region where parallel arrangements and external rivalries often seep into domestic governance, Mogadishu is choosing consolidation over convenience. At the heart of the move is a simple claim: sovereignty is not a slogan but a system.…

Ethiopian intelligence chief makes unannounced visit to Somalia amid fallout from Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia — Ethiopia’s intelligence chief, Redwan Hussein, paid an unannounced visit to Mogadishu on Tuesday and held closed-door talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, underscoring the fragile state of regional diplomacy across the Horn of Africa. Hussein met the Somali leader at Villa Somalia and delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, according to…