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Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana warned in his 2026 Budget speech that poorly run municipalities face the prospect of having national funds reduced if they fail to "clean up their act," signalling a shift by the national government from "oversight" to "active structural intervention" to stabilise local government finances. Godongwana told Parliament the move is aimed at improving the financial health of municipalities, many of which have long struggled with rising debt, weak revenue collection, and uneven service delivery.…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government says al-Shabab is facing mounting financial strain after a string of operations that killed senior operatives overseeing the group’s revenue networks and a sustained push to dismantle its funding channels. State news agency SONNA reported Saturday, citing intelligence sources, that the al-Qaida-linked group is struggling to reconstitute income streams amid a coordinated financial offensive aimed at its economic backbone. Independent verification of the internal figures was…

Somalia’s NISA kills Al-Shabaab finance chief in targeted operation MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, working with international partners, killed Abdullahi Hassan Abdi Cosoble — widely known as Abdullahi Wadaad — in a planned operation on Jan. 23 in the Kuunyo Barrow area of the Lower Shabelle region, the agency said. NISA identified Wadaad as the militant group’s chief financial commander, overseeing the collection and management of money illegally extracted from Somali citizens.…

‘It’s never been like this’: Minneapolis’ Somali Americans under sweeping federal scrutiny On an icy Friday morning in south Minneapolis, Mahad Omar watched armed federal agents sprint past his window and tackle a neighbor to the pavement. They cuffed the man and loaded him into a black SUV. “Minneapolis is a great city,” said Omar, 28, an Uber driver who came from Somalia as a child. “It’s never been like this.” Across a metro area known for its immigrant roots and East African cultural hubs, Somali Americans say…

Somali forces say they killed seven al‑Shabaab fighters in coordinated raid in Hiiraan MOGADISHU — Somali security forces, aided by international partners, killed seven al‑Shabaab militants in a multi‑phase operation on Monday in Kuukaayle, a locality in the Mahas District of Hiiraan region, officials said, underscoring the continued, often murky partnership between Somali units and foreign military planners in the fight against the insurgency. Three‑stage operation Somali authorities said the mission was launched after…

Kenya’s new army chief tours volatile northeast as al‑Shabaab tests the border NAIROBI — Kenya’s new army commander, Lt. Gen. David Ketter, has made his first inspection swing through the country’s northeastern frontier, a scrubland expanse where the line between Kenya and Somalia blurs and al‑Shabaab’s shadow lingers. His tour of forward operating bases in Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa was part morale boost, part fact-finding — and a clear signal that Nairobi wants to steady the front at a time of shifting dynamics…

Escalating Tensions in Somalia: Ethiopian Troops Hit by Remote-Controlled Landmine In the isolated Waajid district of Somalia, a remote-controlled landmine attack marked another grim chapter in the ongoing struggle against insurgent violence. On Tuesday, a convoy of Ethiopian troops, part of the African Union peacekeeping mission, was struck, resulting in casualties, though the exact number remains undisclosed. This incident underscores the growing instability in the region, where hopes for peace are continuously thwarted…

Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur announced during a press gathering in Mogadishu that ongoing military efforts are utilizing both ground forces and air strikes to dismantle the infrastructure of the militant group. “On a national scale, the Somali National Army is executing strategic operations aiming to further undermine Al-Shabaab's positions and leadership,” he stated. Regarding the African Union mission in Somalia, he revealed that next year a revamped initiative "will kick off to succeed ATMIS, with Ethiopian…

NAIROBI, Kenya - A contingent of Djiboutian troops would have moved towards the common border with Ethiopia in the north, Axadle has learned, in an attempt to thwart a possible threat from the Tigray Defense Forces. , which is embroiled in a conflict with the authorities in Addis Ababa. TDF fight with Ethiopian National Defense Forces following the latter's operations in the Tigray region, which left thousands dead and millions displaced. ENDF has been temporarily withdrawn from Tigray but TDF accuses them of blocking…

Malia's armed forces announced late Saturday night the kidnapping of three Chinese citizens and two Mauritanians working for construction companies on Malia's border with Mauritania. as reported from Bamako, Serge Daniel The company consortium is responsible for paving roads and building bridges in Malian region Nara, located…