state

Thursday April 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a swift move aimed at steadying the Southwest regional state after weeks of political turbulence in Baidoa, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has named Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid as interim leader. A decree released Wednesday by the Office of the Prime Minister said the temporary administration will keep core government operations running, hasten consultations on Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote electoral process and lay the constitutional groundwork…

MOGADISHU - Member of the Federal Parliament Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame has sharply denounced the Federal Government's decision to install an administration for South West State, calling the move an unlawful breach of both the federal and state constitutions. He said the central government has no constitutional authority to appoint an administration for a federal member state that already has its own institutions in place. Abdishakur pointed to the South West State Constitution, which requires a presidential election…

Thursday April 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia has taken a symbolic and practical leap in rebuilding its maritime future, officially registering its first vessel to sail under the national flag since the collapse of the central government in 1991, a development officials say restores a measure of the country’s long-dormant maritime sovereignty. The vessel, Guney (IMO 8230417), was entered into the Somali register on Wednesday after completing the legal and regulatory steps needed for flag state recognition, the Ministry of…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government has moved to steady the political situation in Southwest state, with Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre signing a decree that installs a caretaker leader as tensions continue to unfold, officials said.  According to the order, Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi will take charge for an unspecified period until a former president is elected. His responsibilities include pushing forward preparations for one-person, one-vote elections in the regional state. …

By: OMAR M ELMIWednesday April 1, 2026 Perched at the mouth of the Red Sea and astride one of the globe’s busiest shipping lanes, the Horn of Africa is again at the center of a high-stakes geopolitical contest. The shifting ties between Djibouti, North Western State of Somalia — the secessionist region of Somalia since 1991 — and Ethiopia reveal how trade, security and regional rivalries are becoming increasingly intertwined. At the heart of the matter is a simple but powerful issue: who controls access to the sea and the…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has unveiled a broad shake-up of his cabinet, regional governors and senior officials, carrying out his first major government overhaul in more than two years. The decree, released Tuesday by the Puntland State Presidency, names a 43-member cabinet covering major ministries including justice, interior, health, planning, information and fisheries. The reshuffle appears aimed at tightening governance and adjusting the administration’s political…

Faisal Ali - Tuesday March 31, 2026 The Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Photograph: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images A wave of misleading coverage has falsely suggested that North Western State of Somalia’s government was seeking the extradition of Ilhan Omar, after several outlets leaned on a social media post from an account that is not an official state channel. Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent all published stories focused on the US…

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Southwest State on Sunday accused the federal government of turning Turkish-trained troops and military hardware donated by Türkiye against its own regional administration, a claim that adds fresh fuel to an already volatile political and security standoff. In a statement, the Southwest State presidency said forces trained by Türkiye for counterterrorism missions had been deployed in an operation directed at the regional leadership. It also alleged that Turkish drones were…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Heavy fighting erupted on Monday in and around Baidoa, pitting Southwest State forces against federal government troops and allied armed groups loyal to the regional administration. Residents said intense bursts of gunfire rang out from early morning and continued for hours. The violence reportedly began near a livestock market close to a checkpoint on the main road connecting Baidoa and Mogadishu, then spread into other parts of the town. The number of casualties remains unclear, and…

DJIBOUTI – Somalia’s latest political showdown drew a warning from the Horn of Africa’s regional bloc on Sunday, as IGAD urged "restraint" and "inclusive dialogue" amid escalating tensions between Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous SouthWest State. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the eight-member regional grouping based in Djibouti, said it was "closely monitoring developments" in the state as a widening dispute raises the risk of armed confrontation. "IGAD expresses concern over rising tensions and calls on…