In the Horn of Africa, Britain’s rhetoric and its risk tolerance no longer align. As the war in Sudan grinds on and North Western State of Somalia’s strategic port of Berbera grows in prominence, analysts say the United Kingdom’s choices reveal a pattern: prioritizing access and partnership while avoiding the political costs of forceful action. In December, London again urged accountability for mass civilian suffering in Sudan’s conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Yet internal documents reported…

North Western State of Somalia’s Irro meets Israel’s Herzog in Davos as sides tout new diplomatic ties DAVOS, Switzerland — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro met Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the highest-level public engagement since Israel recognized North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, according to statements from both sides. Herzog confirmed the encounter in a social media post, welcoming what he…

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 HARGEISA — North Western State of Somalia security forces killed two suspected gunmen and arrested several others in a planned operation in the Salal region on Wednesday, days after the killing of two civilians triggered a manhunt and heightened security measures, the military said. Two suspected attackers were killed; four others were wounded in the clash Several suspects arrested and illegal weapons, including AK-47 rifles, seized Operation conducted in the Indho-Biraale area of Salal following…

Al-Shabaab attacks Jubaland base in Kuday; outcome disputed KISMAYO, Somalia — Al-Shabaab fighters launched a pre-dawn assault Wednesday on a Jubaland security forces base in Kuday, a strategic coastal area in Lower Jubba about 60 kilometers south of the port city of Kismayo, according to local sources. Residents said the attack began with explosions that were followed by direct clashes between government soldiers and the militants around the base on Kuday island. The scale of the fighting and the extent of damage remained…

Somalia is sliding deeper into a health and nutrition emergency as failed rainy seasons, soaring water prices and sharp humanitarian funding cuts fuel a surge in malnutrition and preventable disease, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned Tuesday. MSF teams report rising numbers of children arriving at overcrowded displacement camps and health facilities in critical condition with severe acute malnutrition or illnesses such as measles, diphtheria and acute watery diarrhoea — conditions that vaccination and clean water can…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has welcomed an appellate ruling that clears the way for the country’s elected representatives to take their seats in the East African Legislative Assembly, ending months of legal uncertainty over Somalia’s participation in the regional body. In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry congratulated the nine lawmakers chosen by Somalia’s Federal Parliament to represent the country in EALA, calling the court’s decision a key step toward…

North Western State of Somalia police arrest suspects in Salal double killing; manhunt underway Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia police have arrested several suspects in the killing of two men in the Salal region and launched a manhunt for others believed to be involved, authorities said Tuesday. The victims, identified as Yusuf Abdillaahi Hussein and Mustafa Jama Farah, were shot dead on Jan. 18 in the Indho-Biraale area of Salal. Police said preliminary…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Police in North Western State of Somalia have arrested several suspects in connection with the killing of two men in the Salal region and launched a manhunt for others believed to be involved, authorities said Tuesday. The victims, identified as Yusuf Abdillaahi Hussein and Mustafa Jama Farah, were shot and killed Jan. 18 in the Indho-Biraale area of Salal, according to the North Western State of Somalia Police Force. Preliminary reports indicate that armed men opened fire on the…

Somalia’s largest telecommunications provider, Hormuud Telecom, on Monday accused Kenyan government forces of deliberately destroying its equipment and facilities in the Dhuyac-garoon area of the Lower Juba region, saying the incident has severed communications and mobile money access for tens of thousands of civilians in southern Somalia. In a statement, the company said the damage targeted infrastructure serving communities in Dhuyac-garoon and has left an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 residents without essential…

Israel wary of Egypt’s expanding role in Somalia and Horn of Africa TEL AVIV — Israel is watching with growing unease as Egypt deepens its political and security footprint in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa, a volatile corridor that funnels global trade through the Red Sea and toward the Suez Canal. Israeli broadcaster i24 News, citing Israeli security sources, reported that Cairo has intensified its backing for Somalia’s federal government and is closely scrutinizing Israel’s reported move to recognize North Western…