Somalia

Al-Shabaab recaptures Xagar, U.S. airstrike kills 10 militants

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Joint forces consisting of the U.S.-trained Danab military backed by U.S soldiers and Jubbaland forces launched a raid on the town of Xagar in the Lower Jubba region on Sunday, forcing Al-Shabaab fighters to retreat, according to military officials.

Al-Shabaab extends its extortion taxes on private schools and universities in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Local security officials and affected individuals have reported that Al-Shabaab has resumed its extortion activities by collecting funds from private schools and universities in Mogadishu, generating income for the militant group.

Somali finance minister fired after suspending corrupt officials associated with the president

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has dismissed Finance Minister Dr. Elmi Mohamud Nur just two days after the minister suspended two officials linked to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

Trial for a British-Somali female journalist adjourned in Somaliland

HARGEISA (HORN OBSERVER) – The hearing in the case against journalist Busharo Ali Mohamed (known as Bushaaro Baanday) was postponed by the Hargeisa court on Sunday, marking her eighth appearance before the Marodi Jeeh Court, according to the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).

Kenyan intelligence chief lands in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Nearly a month after secretly visiting the port town of Kismayo, the director-general of the Kenyan National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, has made another visit to Mogadishu, where he met with the Director of the Somalia National Intelligence and Security Agency…

FAO calls for anticipatory action to safeguard lives and livelihoods in Somalia ahead of El Niño

07 July 2023, Mogadishu – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is calling for enhanced early warning and anticipatory action in Somalia ahead of an expected El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event and the start of the upcoming Deyr rainy season in October…

SJS and RFK Human Rights demand immediate release of Somali journalist Busharo Ali Mohamed

MOGADISHU/ WASHINGTON D.C – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFK Human Rights) condemn the arbitrary arrest and detention of Somali freelance journalist Busharo Ali Mohammed (widely known as Bushaaro Baanday) and call for her immediate and unconditional release…

Somalia: ATMIS pledges troop drawdown will not compromise security and stability

Mogadishu, Somalia - The SRCC and Head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, says ATMIS remains committed to ensuring an efficient and effective transition process that would not compromise the security of the people of Somalia and the hard-earned…

Extortion and bribery engulf Somali gov't institutions, new report reveals

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – A recent finding by local non-governmental organization Marqaati has shed light on the disturbingly low rate of complaints filed following instances of bribery and extortion within Somali government institutions.

Suicide bomber infiltrates crowded Mogadishu Stadium during presence of Somalia president – Sources

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The security situation in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, remains highly precarious as recent reports from local security sources reveal a chilling incident where a lone suicide bomber successfully infiltrated the heavily crowded stadium in Mogadishu.

Somalia: SJS empowers local journalists with climate change reporting training

MOGADISHU, Somalia 5 July 2023 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) successfully concluded a pioneering training program for journalists on climate change reporting for sustainable development in Somalia, benefiting 30 local journalists across Somalia.

Mortar attack kills father and two kids in Somalia capital

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – At least three civilians were killed and four others injured after multiple mortar shells struck the suburbs of Waberi district in Mogadishu, according to residents and the police.

Somalia: ATMIS Burundi troops celebrate 61 years of Independence

Mogadishu, Somalia – Burundian troops serving with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), on Saturday joined their country to celebrate 61 years of independence from colonial rule.

Al-Shabaab retakes Daaru-Nimca village in Middle Shabelle Region

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Al-Shabaab militants successfully recaptured the village of Daaru-Nimca in the Middle Shabelle region, as confirmed by local sources.

Puntland pulls out of Somalia's debt relief process, accuses Mogadishu of lack of transparency

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) – Puntland State, a crucial federal member state within Somalia's dysfunctional federal government, has called for a complete suspension of the debt relief process in the country, citing deep-rooted disagreements and lack of transparency in the ongoing procedure.

AU Transition Mission in Somalia concludes Phase One of troop drawdown – hands over final two Forward Operating Bases

Mogadishu, 30 June 2023 – The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has concluded the first phase of the troop drawdown after handing over the last two Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), Aljazeera 1 in Mogadishu and Gherille in Jubaland State.

Renewed clan-based clashes erupt in Galmudug as weapons and militias inflow continues

DHUSAMAREB (HORN OBSERVER) – The flow of arms and militias into the Galgadud region persists, fueling ongoing violence as heavy fighting broke out once again between rival militias in areas between Dhusamareb and Adado on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least eight people and leaving over…

Al-Shabaab parades new recruits and calls for those who have 'grievances' to join

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The militant group Al-Shabaab, has issued an invitation to individuals who have experienced grievances and injustices to join their ranks, as they showcased a large gathering of new fighters in an undisclosed open space, boldly defying unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) hovering…

Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio secures re-election in a tightly contested vote

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) – Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio has secured re-election in a tightly contested presidential vote, as confirmed by the election commission.

A notorious powerful Somali judge implicated in stealing more than $52k from public accounts

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – A powerful judge Salah Ibrahim Dhiblawe, widely known as Salah Dheere, has been implicated in an alleged fraud case involving an unaccounted sum of $52,607 during his tenure as the chairman of the Banadir Appeals Court in Somalia in 2017.