Tuesday May 19, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro took a congratulatory call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, as the self-declared republic marked 35 years since it broke away from Somalia. According to the North Western State of Somalia presidency, Netanyahu called to mark the May 18 anniversary and the two leaders reiterated their intention to deepen ties between North Western State of Somalia and Israel. The conversation came less than…

Monday May 18, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia on Monday marked 35 years since it broke away from Somalia, staging military parades, public festivities and fresh calls for wider international recognition. Tens of thousands turned out in Hargeisa and other major cities, including Burco and Borama, to observe May 18, the date North Western State of Somalia says represents its 1991 declaration of independence after the collapse of Somalia’s central government in Mogadishu. The main ceremony took place in…

Somalia: Protest Against North Western State of Somalia's May 18 Celebrations Erupts in Borama BORAMA, Somalia — What began as anger over events tied to North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 celebrations quickly turned violent in Borama on Sunday, as demonstrators confronted police after youths set tires ablaze in several parts of the town, according to witnesses and officials. Local reports said police responded by firing live ammunition to break up the crowd. No casualties were reported immediately. North Western State…

Monday May 18, 2026 Borama (AX) — Police in Borama opened fire Sunday to break up young demonstrators who burned tires in parts of the city during a protest against North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 independence celebrations, according to residents and officials. No casualties were immediately reported. The unrest unfolded in Borama, the capital of Awdal region, one of several places where tensions have been building ahead of North Western State of Somalia’s annual May 18 commemoration. The day marks North Western…

Monday May 18, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State security forces detained suspected pirates on Sunday in a sweep across Somalia’s Bari region, stepping up pressure on groups accused of trying to revive maritime crime along the coast. According to Puntland State security officials, the suspects are thought to have ties to pirate networks linked to attacks, kidnappings and attempted hijackings of commercial ships in Somali waters and along nearby Red Sea shipping lanes. The operations form part of a wider effort to block…

Sunday May 17, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Israel’s newly named ambassador to North Western State of Somalia said Saturday that ties with the self-declared republic are moving ahead rapidly, with cooperation on the table in security, energy, infrastructure, technology, trade and other fields. In an interview with Israel’s N12, Michael Lotem, Israel’s non-resident ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, said North Western State of Somalia had signaled strong interest in deepening relations after Israel formally recognized it…

Sunday May 17, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — What began as routine preparations for North Western State of Somalia’s May 18 celebrations turned deadly in Eerigaabo on Saturday, where at least one North Western State of Somalia soldier was killed and several others were wounded after an argument between two soldiers escalated into a violent clash, officials said. Authorities in Sanaag region said the incident took place as security forces were getting ready for the annual observance, which marks North Western State of Somalia’s 1991…

Saturday May 16, 2026 Photo: Somali regional state The Somali Regional State Disaster Risk Management Bureau has dismissed reports portraying Ethiopia’s Somali Region as gripped by drought, saying the picture presented is outdated and fails to reflect the improvement brought by the current Gu rains. In a statement sent to Addis Standard, the Bureau said it had reviewed recent coverage that pointed to malnutrition, drought and acute water shortages across the region. It acknowledged that climate-related vulnerabilities remain…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State President Siciid Cabdullahi Deni on Friday delivered a blistering rebuke of what he called the “term-ended Somali president” Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of pushing Somalia “in the wrong direction” and endangering the country’s federal system and unity. Addressing reporters in Mogadishu, Deni said he had been waiting for May 15, 2026, and argued that the country’s political standoff had now reached a stage where urgent action was needed to avert institutional breakdown and the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 16 — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni departed Mogadishu on Saturday after three days of political talks failed to produce an agreement among Somalia’s leading stakeholders. Deni had joined opposition figures in negotiations with the federal government from May 13 to 15, in an effort to bridge deep divisions over the country’s electoral and political framework. Despite bringing together representatives from both the federal side and the opposition, the discussions ended without a deal,…