Somalias

OPINION | Israel’s move to recognize North Western State of Somalia did not create Somalia’s political crisis, but it revealed the country’s fault lines with unusual clarity. Instead of a unified response to an external challenge touching sovereignty and territorial integrity, the reaction laid bare fractures inside the federal system—most visibly in the silence of key federal member states and the central government’s tendency to turn unity into a political weapon. That silence has been most pronounced in Puntland State and…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State on Tuesday issued its first public response to Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, rejecting any move that further fragments Somalia and reaffirming its commitment to a unified federal system. Puntland State Minister of Information Mahamud Aydid Dirir said the northeastern federal member state stands by the principles on which it was founded and will continue to support the development of an effective Somali federal government. He framed Israel’s…

OP-ED: Why the Somali Diaspora Should Keep Faith in Somalia’s Future Across continents, the Somali diaspora carries a lingering question: Is now the time to lean in or bow out? The answer, grounded in what is happening on the ground, is clear. This is a moment to keep faith in Somalia’s future—and to help shape it. The obstacles are formidable and measurable. Overall unemployment hovers around 20 percent, while youth unemployment exceeds 30 percent. Nearly 70 percent of Somalis live below the international poverty line.…

Two moments, six decades apart, tell a single story about Somalia’s unbending idea of itself. In 1964, a young Somali soldier bled to keep the national flag from touching the ground. On Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, a diplomat stood at the United Nations Security Council to insist that no one can redraw Somalia’s map. Both acts — one on a battlefield near Togwajaale, the other in the world’s most formal chamber of diplomacy — were rooted in the same doctrine: sovereignty as a lived creed, not a slogan. Hero Mohamed Abdulle Xalane…

UK rejects North Western State of Somalia recognition, reaffirms Somalia’s unity after Israel move LONDON — The United Kingdom on Wednesday reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity, following Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state. In a statement issued Tuesday, the British government made clear it does not recognize North Western State of Somalia’s independence and said any change to the region’s status must come…

NEW YORK — The United Kingdom reaffirmed its opposition to North Western State of Somalia recognition and restated its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity during a briefing to the United Nations Security Council, underscoring that any change in North Western State of Somalia’s status must come only through dialogue and mutual agreement with Mogadishu in line with the U.N. Charter. The UK ambassador to the United Nations said Britain’s long-standing policy toward Somalia remains unchanged, and…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s National Consultative Council on Monday condemned Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, calling the move an illegal affront to Somalia’s sovereignty and a threat to security across the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the wider Middle East. In a communiqué issued after a series of meetings in Mogadishu, the council described Israel’s step as a violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and international law, citing the Provisional Constitution as well as the charters of the United…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Ankara on Tuesday to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a high-stakes visit that comes days after Israel said it would recognize North Western State of Somalia and as Turkey and Somalia weigh the next steps in offshore energy exploration. Two people familiar with the plans said Erdogan is expected to address Israel’s unilateral move during talks with Mohamud. The Somali leader also plans to brief Ankara on a seismic survey completed in October off Somalia’s…

Somalia’s child-protection reckoning after a teenager’s killing — and a rare death sentence The killing of 14-year-old orphan Saabirin Saylaan in Galkayo has jolted Somalia into a painful examination of how the state, communities and families protect — and fail — their children. A court in Puntland State convicted caregiver Hodan Mohamud Diiriye, 34, of murder and sentenced her to death, an exceptional punishment in a child-abuse case that underscores both the scale of public outrage and the fragility of Somalia’s protective…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened leaders from several federal member states and the Banadir regional administration on Sunday in Mogadishu, following Israel’s steps toward recognizing North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, according to the president’s office. In a closed-door briefing, Hassan Sheikh told the assembled leaders that the Israeli move violated Somalia’s territorial integrity and statehood. He said the federal government was pursuing a coordinated response grounded in…