state

Somalia’s latest political confrontation is more than a quarrel over election dates. It is a stress test of the country’s post-debt-relief political order—and, by extension, of the international state-building model that has underwritten Mogadishu’s progress for more than a decade. At the center is the National Consultation Conference, an opposition-aligned gathering that closed this week in Kismayo with a stark indictment of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government. Its communiqué accuses the presidency of…

KISMAYO, Somalia — A senior Puntland State official urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to embrace the outcomes of the Somali Future Council conference that concluded in Kismayo on Saturday, as the newly formed opposition alliance set a Jan. 20, 2026, deadline for inclusive talks on Somalia’s elections. Abdifatah Mohamed Abdinur, the state minister for the Puntland State presidency, called on the president to place national interests above personal considerations and warned against actions that could deepen political…

North Western State of Somalia says 19 killed, 214 injured as Borama protests over Xeer Ciise turn deadly BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 others injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators earlier this month in Borama, the capital of North Western State of Somalia’s Awdal region, authorities said. The newly appointed governor of Awdal, Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, said the fatalities included one woman. Of the injured, 194 sustained minor wounds. He said 20 people…

Puntland State’s Deni urges inclusive national dialogue, warns of political instability in Somalia KISMAYO, Somalia — Puntland State State of Somalia President Said Abdullahi Deni on Thursday urged Somalia’s federal leadership and political actors to heed warnings from Somali intellectuals and reopen inclusive talks on the country’s future, saying failure to do so risks renewed political chaos and threatens national unity. Speaking at the opening of the Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo, Deni said repeated alerts…

BORAMA, North Western State of Somalia — Nineteen people were killed and 214 injured in clashes between security forces and demonstrators during protests earlier this month in Borama, the capital of the Awdal region, North Western State of Somalia authorities said Friday. Abdirashid Hassan Mataan, the newly appointed governor of Awdal, said the dead included one woman. He detailed the toll after formally assuming office Thursday, adding that most of the wounded have been treated and released while those still hospitalized…

Puntland State leader warns Somalia could fracture amid political deadlock, urges dialogue with Mogadishu KISMAYO, Somalia — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni warned Thursday that Somalia risks breaking apart if political leaders fail to listen to one another and pursue consensus, as tensions mount over governance and the path to national elections. Speaking at a conference in the southern port city of Kismayo, Deni said division would be inevitable if dialogue, mutual respect and coexistence continue to erode.…

Puntland State minister says ISIS raised $10 million from illicit gold, charcoal as foreign fighter push falters AXADLE, Somalia — Foreign fighters from Syria, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya have infiltrated Somalia’s Puntland State in recent years, but their efforts to recruit local Somalis have largely fallen flat, the region’s environment minister said, as authorities tout battlefield gains and a clampdown on the militants’ financing. Mohamed Abdirahman Farole, Puntland State’s Minister of Environment…

Monday December 15, 2025 HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Drilling for crude oil in North Western State of Somalia is expected to begin by 2027, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro said Monday, outlining what officials describe as a long-awaited step toward potential production after years of exploration and delays. Speaking at the North Western State of Somalia Mining Expo in Hargeisa, Irro said the first well could be spudded within two years, with the timeline pulling forward if technical and contractual…

Somalia’s Southwest state executes police officer over $2 extortion killing in Baidoa BAIDOA, Somalia — The Southwest Somali administration on Saturday executed a member of its special police force after a military court convicted him of killing a civilian during a dispute over a $2 extortion demand, authorities said. The soldier, identified as Abdisamad Hassan Madnuur, was sentenced to death by the 60th Division Military Court for fatally shooting a traveler in late November in Berdale district of the Bay region, according…

Puntland State maritime force seizes boat with explosives off Eyl, arrests seven GAROWE, Somalia — The Puntland State Maritime Police Force on Saturday intercepted a boat off the coast of Eyl district carrying explosives and materials used to manufacture improvised explosive devices, detaining seven people, according to authorities. Preliminary reports indicated the seized cargo included various chemical substances commonly used in the production of high-impact explosives. The vessel was crewed by two Yemeni nationals and…