Somalia: On Monday, Al-Shabaab militants took control of the strategic town of Moqokori in central Somalia after fierce battles with government forces and allied clan militias. Located in the Hiran region of Hirshabelle state, Moqokori was one of the first towns liberated by Somali forces during a significant offensive that began in the summer of [...]
Somalia: Somalia marked the 65th anniversary of its independence on July 1, 1960, along with the unification of its northern and southern regions. This celebration occurs against the backdrop of a 34-year conflict and ongoing political divisions that hinder national unity. In the capital, Mogadishu, major streets were closed to traffic, and security measures were [...]
Somalia: Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has formally introduced the Centennial Vision 2060, a comprehensive national development strategy designed to transform the nation into a peaceful, inclusive, and economically competitive entity by the year 2060. President Mohamud highlighted that Somalia aims to rival its East African neighbors not through military strength, but by prioritizing economic [...]
Somalia: A suicide car bomb attack aimed at a convoy near Afgoye town in the Lower Shabelle region resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Ugandan peacekeepers and six Somali soldiers as they initiated an offensive to reclaim important towns from Al-Shabaab. However, their attempts were met with strong resistance from the militants. Additionally, [...]
Somalia: The Somali government has escalated its aggressive efforts to register voters for a disputed unilateral election, forcibly detaining civilians at bus stations, markets, and public areas in the capital. This has sparked widespread outrage, with videos of destroyed voter IDs being shared on social media as a form of protest. Previously, authorities closed schools [...]
Somalia: The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) acknowledged the withdrawal, explaining that increasing water levels necessitated the evacuation. A helicopter participating in the mission crashed near the town due to a mechanical issue, but all crew members were successfully rescued and taken to a nearby military base. Militants claimed they had [...]
Somalia: Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has accused the federal government of suppressing the people of Mogadishu after security forces detained a group of journalists along with citizens they were interviewing on the street. He condemned the administration for limiting press freedom and targeting journalists, claiming that the government fears public opinion and restricts [...]
Somalia: The authorities in the SSC-Khatumo region of northern Somalia released 25 prisoners of war from Somaliland, a gesture aimed at fostering goodwill during a significant visit by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre. This release, described as a unilateral act of goodwill, was made at the formal request of Somalia’s federal government, as stated [...]
Somalia: A high-ranking commander of Somalia’s U.S.-trained elite Danab forces was killed in fierce clashes in the central region of Hiran on Tuesday, marking a major setback for government troops as Al-Shabaab insurgents continue reclaiming territory seized by the military in recent years. Commander Asad Osman Afrah, leading a heavily armed reinforcement convoy from Adan Yabal [...]
Somalia: Hundreds of Somali police officers have gone missing and are believed to have either defected to militant groups or abandoned their posts after thousands were recently sent to the frontlines to combat Al-Shabaab's advance toward the capital. The network accessed internal police documents that name 145 missing officers by rank, but other estimates suggest [...]
