Terror Watch

Somalia: ATMIS, Frontline States agree to enhance collaboration on security

Mogadishu –The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Frontline States Task Force – a regional security initiative by countries bordering Somalia – have agreed to strengthen collaboration in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

Web of allegiances and interests: Al-Shabaab's infiltration of NISA

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) A seismic revelation has cast an alarming shadow over Somalia's security landscape. On Friday, the Minister of Information of the Federal Government of Somalia, Daud Aweys, delivered a stunning announcement that sent shockwaves through the nation: the very heart…

SSC-Khatumo elects political leaders and vows to liberate region from Somaliland's control

LAASCAANOOD (HORN OBSERVER) – The Laascaanood-based SSC-Khatumo council held a momentous election on Saturday, appointing key leaders who are steadfast in their commitment to liberate the Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn region from Somaliland's grasp.

Somalia's NISA initiates controversial "Zakawat" tax on Mogadishu businesses

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Business owners in Mogadishu reveal that Somalia's national intelligence agency, NISA, has initiated its own version of the "Zakawat" tax, similar to that previously imposed by the extremist group Al-Shabaab.

Child soldiers and rape emerge as grim realities in Somalia frontlines

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) The recently released 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the U.S. Government has exposed a distressing number of child soldiers within the ranks of the Somali government forces and its allied militia.

Unravelling traitors: Somali MPs and families of soldiers seek truth of deadly terror attack

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – In the aftermath of the devastating terror attack that claimed the lives of over 40 soldiers and injured 73 others at a military training camp in Mogadishu last week, Somalia's lawmakers and families of the soldiers are on a quest for answers: who exactly plotted the…

Prominent MP leads local forces to drive out Al-Shabaab and ensure security for communities

JOWHAR (HORN OBSERVER) – MP Dahir Amin Jeesow, a prominent member of the Somali Parliament, is at the forefront of a powerful local force comprised of the Galjecel community, engaged in a determined effort to rid the largest land that comprises three regions of Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, and Lower…

U.S. sanctions senior ISIS Somalia financier Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, a prominent figure in the finance office of the Somalia-based affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Coordinated terror attacks rock Southwest Somalia; casualties reported

MOGADISHU (Horn Observer) Coordinated terror attacks struck multiple towns in Somalia's Southwest State on Tuesday, resulting in reported casualties, as confirmed by local officials and community members.

Somali Parliament Speaker demands probe into military camp suicide bombing

Mogadishu, (Horn Observer) The devastating attack on Jaalle Siyad military camp in Mogadishu, which claimed the lives of over 40 soldiers on Monday, has sparked outrage and demands for accountability

Over 40 soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Somalia capital

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – As further details emerge from the horrific suicide attack that struck a military training camp in Mogadishu on Monday, the death toll has tragically risen to more than 40, with the number of injured reaching 73, according to reports from security sources and various hospitals.

Armed militia "Dulmi Diid" emerges to confront Al-Shabaab in Southwest State of Somalia

By: Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul - Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) In a bold move against the notorious group Al-Shabaab, an ethnic Rahanweyn armed militia group called "Dulmi Diid," meaning "opposing the oppression," has risen in Southwest State, Somalia.

Kenyan opposition to resume anti-government protests as they demand action on soaring living costs

Nairobi (Horn Observer) Kenyan opposition leaders have announced their plans to resume anti-government protests, demanding a reduction in the high cost of living in the country, scheduled for next Wednesday.

Kenyan governor says 60% of Mandera County under Al-Shabaab control as attacks rise

Nairobi (Horn Observer) Kenya's Mandera County Governor, Mohamed Adan Khalif, has revealed that 60 percent of his county is currently under the control of Al-Shabaab militant group as terror attacks rose in the region.

U.S. Forces provide assistance to Somalia National Army

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike in a remote area near Hareeri Kalle, approximately 15 kilometers south of Galcad, Somalia against al-Shabaab terrorists.

Fragile Alliances and Fierce Loyalties: The deepening quagmire of the Laascaanood conflict

LAASCAANOOD (HORN OBSERVER/KAAB TV) – On July 18, Somali Federal Darwish police Colonel Cadaawe Sheikh Idiris, a brave officer trained by the Italian Carabinieri with the support of multiple international organizations, lost his life in the Laascaanood fight.

Al-Shabaab attacks military base outside Mogadishu

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The city of Mogadishu is grappling with an alarming surge in Al-Shabaab attacks, leaving local residents and security officials deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation.

Scores dead as fierce clan-based fighting in Somalia's Middle Shabelle takes on fourth day

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The Middle Shabelle region of Somalia witnessed a tragic resurgence of interclan violence on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of more than 10 people and leaving dozens injured as community members expressed their concern.

Local fighters and Somaliland forces declare victory after a day of intense fight and shelling in Laascaanood

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – A fierce gunfight followed by heavy artillery shelling erupted in the eastern suburbs of Laascaanood city, the capital of the Sool region on Tuesday, resulting in numerous casualties.

Commander shake-up in U.S-trained Somali commando raises concerns of political interference and clan rivalry

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The Danab Brigade, an elite U.S.-trained Somali commando force has been thrust into the spotlight once again, plagued by clan mistrust and political maneuvering following the removal of its commander and the installation of a new leader on Sunday.