West Africa

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A dispute over who can move where has erupted into a fresh flashpoint in Somalia’s broader political standoff, as former National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe urged federal authorities on Monday to stop blocking lawmakers and politicians from traveling to Baidoa. Sanbaloolshe called on the government to lift restrictions affecting federal lawmakers, naming MP Murjaan and his delegation among those reportedly prevented from flying…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A sharp new dispute between Somalia’s federal government and Southwest State is spilling into the security arena, with regional authorities warning that fresh troop deployments could ignite wider conflict and compound an already precarious humanitarian situation. In a statement released Monday from Baidoa, Southwest State officials said the arrival of Somali National Army forces in the region amounts to a military escalation rooted in political disagreements—issues they argued should be…

Monday March 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s next elections are now being pitched as a pivotal test of inclusion and public confidence, with the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation saying Sunday that the country is moving into an “inclusive electoral phase” and that the federal government intends to press ahead under national law. In a press statement, the ministry described voting as a constitutional right for every Somali citizen and cast the election process as central to bolstering trust in…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — In a fresh escalation of its standoff with Mogadishu, Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen has moved to set up his own Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, a decision announced just one week after he cut ties with Somalia’s federal government. Under a presidential decree dated March 23, 2026, Laftagareen appointed a chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary and additional members to the commission, which is expected to steer both the groundwork and…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A fresh accusation from Baidoa is intensifying a growing rift with Mogadishu, as the speaker of Southwest State’s parliament claims the federal government is diverting Egyptian-supplied weapons—intended for national defense—into a volatile local power struggle in the Southwest region. In a post on X dated March 21, 2026, Dr. Ali Said Fiqi alleged that rifles provided by Egypt to help Somalia battle al-Shabab are instead being distributed to militias in the Burhakaba district. “These…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A fresh rupture in Somalia’s fragile federal balance erupted in Bakool on Monday after Southwest State’s interior minister abruptly dissolved the Hudur district administration, sharpening an already tense standoff between Baidoa and Mogadishu over who holds legitimate authority at the local level and how elections should be managed. Southwest State’s Minister of Interior, Local Government and Reconciliation, Mohamed Isaq Osman Fanah, announced the dissolution in a letter dated March 21,…

Sunday March 22, 2026 United States President Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he travels to his Mar-a-Lago resort on March 20, 2026 With airport lines swelling and thousands of screeners still working without pay, United States President Donald Trump is escalating pressure on Congress — and now says he is prepared to send federal immigration agents into the nation’s terminals to “do Security like no one has ever seen”. “I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY,'” Trump wrote…

Sunday March 22, 2026 Dhusamareb (AX) — With Somalia’s federal leadership and the Southwest State locked in an increasingly sharp political standoff, Galmudug Vice President Ali Dahir Iid on Thursday stepped forward with an offer to broker talks, pressing both Mogadishu and Baidoa to return to dialogue before the dispute deepens. Iid said Galmudug stands ready to help “lay the groundwork” for renewed discussions between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Southwest State administration, arguing that a prolonged…

Sunday March 22, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A sharp new escalation in Somalia’s federal-regional tensions unfolded in Baidoa on Saturday, when Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen accused the federal government of what he called a “blatant invasion” of territories under his administration. Speaking to newly trained Southwest troops, Laftagareen said the central government is moving special forces into Southwest regions and using aircraft to transport militias and additional troops, a claim he framed as a…

Sunday March 22, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A group of Somali federal lawmakers say they were blocked from boarding outbound flights at Aden Adde International Airport during the current parliamentary recess, an episode that has reignited questions about political tensions in the capital and the freedom of movement of elected officials. Most of the MPs affected were elected from Southwest State. They told reporters they were stopped as they prepared to travel abroad for routine trips during the legislative break. The lawmakers…