MOGADISHU— The Federal Government of Somalia on Wednesday began deploying security forces across key roads in Mogadishu as final preparations continue for the Banadir Regional Council elections scheduled for Thursday, December 25. The deployment includes police and other security units tasked with securing polling locations and safeguarding major routes across the capital. Officers were seen...
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously voted that the UN Transitional Assistance Mission (UNTMIS) shall cease to operate in Somalia by October 31st, 2026. The focus will now shift to the transition plan; the federal government of Somalia has 22 months to put its house in order. Diplomats in the UN headquarters have...
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has hinted that the federal government is open to dialogue following the ultimatum given by the opposition leader at the Kisimayo summit. Speaking in the Banadir region in a political rally while drumming up support for his NEW outfit, the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), President Mohamud said the government...
MOGADISHU — The Federal Parliament of Somalia has approved the 2026 national budget amounting to 1.38 billion US dollars, representing a modest increase from last year’s 1.32 billion dollars. Of the lawmakers present, 174 voted in favour of the budget, four opposed it, while one abstained. According to official sources, the 2026 budget will be...
Authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of a civilian by a member of Puntland’s Darawish forces in northern Galkayo late Monday night, according to local sources. Witnesses said the victim, identified as Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan, was a motorbike taxi (bajaaj) driver who was shot dead under circumstances that remain unclear. The suspect reportedly fled the...
Security concerns are mounting in Warsheekh district, located less than 65 kilometres from Mogadishu, following credible reports of Al-Shabaab military movements in the area. Residents and local sources confirm that the group has established positions in Jabad Godane, an area between Xawaadley and Warsheekh, raising fears that Al-Shabaab could advance closer to the district. The...
Somaliland has implicitly acknowledged that Somalia’s federal e-Visa system is being applied in practice during travel checks, even as Hargeisa continues to insist the visa does not operate in territories under Somaliland’s control. The admission came from Somaliland’s Minister of Civil Aviation and Airports, Fuad Ahmed Nur, who said passengers are being asked to present...
The former 9th president of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, has raised concern over what he termed as drifting away from the constitutional principles and obligations entrusted to leadership by the Somali people. In a press release, President Farmajo noted that the people of Somalia are facing a critical political transition that requires a clear...
The Somalia Future Council has formed a six-member interim coordination and secretariat team drawn from Puntland, Jubbaland, and the Salvation Forum after failing to reach an agreement on the election of a leader. In a press statement released on Monday after concluding a private meeting on the sidelines of the broader national dialogue in Kisimayo,...
MOGADISHU— Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has announced a full suspension of operations at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday, 25 December, citing security and administrative preparations linked to an anticipated election in the capital. In an official notice, the Authority said the temporary shutdown is intended to facilitate special arrangements required for the day’s...