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Tag: Somali

  • Mogadishu becomes home for Sudanese refugees

    Mogadishu becomes home for Sudanese refugees

    In Mogadishu, the Sudanese community has built a strong support system, finding comfort in shared traditions and collective resilience.

    During Ramadan, this bond is even more evident as families gather for iftar, sharing familiar dishes like aseeda and balila.

    The community also organizes a five-a-side football tournament, bringing together both Sudanese and Somali players in the spirit of unity.

    “As you can see behind me, love brings us together,”said Ishag Ali Mohamed, a Sudanese academic who now teaches Arabic at the Somali Digital Media Academy.

    Watching a match from the sidelines, he added, “This is how we spend all of Ramadan, filled with beautiful activities. And it almost feels like you’re not in a foreign land.”

    But Mohamed’s journey to this new home was far from easy. Fleeing the violence in Sudan, he was forced to leave everything behind. In 2023, the country descended into war as tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted into full-scale conflict.

    Trapped for months in his home, Mohamed and his family lived in constant fear”One of the most painful incidents was when I was at home with my family, and a massive ‘dana’ explosive (shell) fell on our house,” he said.

    “It destroyed a wall, cut down trees, and shattered doors. The entire neighborhood thought we had died.”

    The war has taken a devastating toll, with over 20,000 lives lost and more than 14 million people displaced.

    Many have been forced to seek refuge elsewhere, including Somalia, where Mohamed has managed to rebuild his life.

    Despite the trauma of war, the Sudanese in Mogadishu have created a sense of home away from home.

    In their gatherings, meals, and shared experiences, they find solace—and in the face of adversity, they hold onto hope.

  • 17-years-old footballer retires to marry girlfriend ; she leaves him right after announcement

    17-years-old footballer retires to marry girlfriend ; she leaves him right after announcement

    Somali footballer Abdihafid Mohamed Abdi (17) has announced his retirement from the sport, reportedly at the insistence of his fiancée.

    According to reports from SomaliAthlete on Friday, June 21, 2024, Abdi made the surprising decision to retire, which was a condition set by his fiancée for their marriage.

    In an unexpected twist, the report suggests that Abdi’s retirement announcement garnered widespread attention and public backlash, leading to his fiancée breaking off their engagement.

    Abdi, who currently plays for Elman in the Somalia Premier League, is regarded as one of the country’s top talents.

    He gained prominence for leading Somalia to victory in the 2022 CECAFA U17 tournament and was honored as the tournament’s best player.

    Additionally, Abdi captained Somalia to the final of the 2023 U-17 AFCON in Algeria, although he missed the match due to failing the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test.

    17-years-old footballer retires to marry girlfriend ; she leaves him right after announcement.

  • U.S. to establish 5 military bases for Somali Army

    U.S. to establish 5 military bases for Somali Army

    In a bid to enhance the capabilities of the Somali national army amidst persistent threats from extremist groups, the United States has announced plans to construct up to five military bases for Somalia.

    The memorandum of understanding, signed by Somalia’s defense minister and the U.S. charge d’affaires in Mogadishu, marks a significant step towards strengthening Somalia’s defense infrastructure.

    These military bases, to be associated with the Somali military’s Danab Brigade, were established in 2017 under a joint initiative between the U.S. and Somalia.

    The Danab Brigade, comprising 3,000 men and women recruited, trained, equipped, and mentored from across Somalia, serves as a vital quick-reaction force in countering the extremist group al-Shabab.

    While progress has been made in improving security, evidenced by the reduction of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, al-Shabab remains a persistent threat. The recent attack inside a military base in Mogadishu underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Somalia in combating extremism.

  • Journalist for Somali TV killed in suicide attack

    Journalist for Somali TV killed in suicide attack

    The Somali public is expressing reverence and admiration for a prominent TV journalist from Somalia who was killed in a restaurant bombing in the city of Mogadishu.

    Abdifatah Moalim Nur, also called Qeys, was thought of as someone very special and motivating by his coworkers.

    According to a local media watchdog, he is the first journalist to be killed in Somalia this year.

    The terrorist group called al-Shabab said they were responsible for the bombing at Blue Sky restaurant.

    The police said that four more people got hurt outside the restaurant that is close to the place where the president lives.

    The Information Minister, Daud Aweis, spoke out against the attack, calling it cowardly.

    The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) expressed deep sadness and shock over the senseless and brutal murder of Nur, the director of Somali Cable Television which is privately owned.

    The union said that his amazing career and strong dedication have made a lasting impact on Somali journalism. It has inspired many young journalists to work hard and do their best.

    Nur, who strongly supports the freedom of the press, had been threatened before, according to the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS).

    Last October, journalist Mohamed Isse Hassan died along with over 100 others in two car bombings in Mogadishu.

    A reporter named Ahmed Mohamed Shukur was killed by a landmine close to the capital city. He worked for Somali National Television, which is owned by the government.

    Al-Shabab is doing harmful attacks in Somalia because the military is trying to force them out.

    Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud became president in May last year, and he promised to fight against the group with full force.

  • 43 people killed in Somali clash – Red Cross

    43 people killed in Somali clash – Red Cross

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported the retrieval of 43 bodies from the front line of recent conflict in a disputed city within Somaliland over the past week. In addition, the ICRC revealed that 110 injured individuals have been transported to hospitals within the last week by the Somali Red Crescent Society.

    These clashes have persisted for months in and around Las-Anod, with the ICRC statement refraining from identifying the deceased or assigning blame.

    Somaliland, which separated from Somalia three decades ago, has been striving for recognition as an independent nation.

    Somaliland’s security forces have been engaged in conflict with clan militias who seek affiliation with Somalia. Puntland, a state within Somalia, has disputed Las-Anod with Somaliland for years.

    The ongoing fighting has prompted hundreds of thousands of people to flee, and the total number of casualties remains unknown.

    The ICRC noted the “widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure” in Las-Anod, which serves as the capital of the Sool region.

    Somaliland’s government issued a statement on Thursday condemning alleged images depicting the mistreatment of its captured soldiers. The government also reminded combatants of the guidelines outlined in the Geneva Conventions and Islamic customs regarding the treatment of prisoners.

    Numerous individuals have been captured by both sides in the recent conflict, and the ICRC reported its first visit to 300 detainees held by the militias.

    Four injured detainees were transferred to a hospital. The ICRC had previously visited captured militia forces in the capital of Somaliland.

    Earlier this year, Somaliland’s defense ministry refuted claims that the army had shelled the main hospital in Las-Anod.

  • Uganda, Rwanda implements opposing strategies to protect their economy

    Uganda, Rwanda implements opposing strategies to protect their economy

    Starting from August 2022, the Somali military has been actively involved in an offensive operation against the Shebab, a group with affiliations to al-Qaeda. This operation is being conducted in collaboration with local clan militias, and it’s receiving support from African Union forces as well as American airstrikes.

    Although Shebab militants were expelled from Mogadishu in 2011, they have entrenched themselves deeply in expansive rural regions. From these areas, they persistently launch attacks targeting both security forces and civilians.

    Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud is committed to eradicating Islamist militias from the nation. It is anticipated that he might imminently unveil the second stage of the military campaign aimed at countering the Shebab in the southern parts of the country.

    “This decline is expected for all main components: Core, energy and fresh food inflation. We don’t see this rate increasing further, and we remain optimistic that inflation further reduces to our benchmark by next year…” Rwangombwa said announcing the rate-setting – committee’s decision.

    Anticipated by the Central Bank, headline inflation is projected to fall within the specified range (below 8 percent), with an estimated average of 7.6 percent during the fourth quarter by year-end, followed by a decline to approximately 5 percent in the coming year.

    Rwanda’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), the primary measure of inflation, displayed an 11.9 percent year-on-year increase in July 2023, a decrease from the 13.7 percent recorded in June 2023. The headline inflation rate saw a reduction to 15.2 percent in the second quarter, down from 20.2 percent in the preceding quarter.

    Initially, analysts in Uganda were predicting a consistent Central Bank Rate (CBR) of 10 percent, a rate that had been upheld by the Bank of Uganda for nearly a year. However, a strong impetus to stimulate economic recovery, despite the challenges faced by the currency, is believed to have instigated this new decision.

    Benoni Okwenje, the General Manager for Financial Markets Operations at Centenary Bank, expressed surprise at the rate cut. He foresees that the 0.5 percent reduction will likely lead to lower lending rates in the near future, although yields on specific treasury bonds experienced an increase the previous week.

    During the first half of 2023, Uganda exhibited indications of an economic slowdown, coupled with decreased credit flows in the private sector. The Bank of Uganda cited these circumstances as influencing its decision to lower the policy rate. Notably, Uganda’s inflation had been subdued due to declining food prices.

    Despite certain sectors reporting negative growth in the initial six months, headline inflation decreased from 4.9 percent in June to 3.9 percent the following month. This was attributed to declining prices of food crops, reduced fuel costs, and subdued consumer demand trends.

    However, the recent suspension of development funding support by the World Bank, prompted by Uganda’s enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023, triggered concern among foreign investors. This led to a sell-off in the foreign exchange market, causing the Ugandan shilling to dip to record lows against the US dollar, reaching Ush3,770 per dollar. The currency slightly recovered following the Bank of Uganda’s latest announcement, indicating a stabilization of investor sentiments.

    Furthermore, the unpredictability of climate change-related events could potentially impact agricultural production in the region.

  • Kenya hesitates to reopening Somali border over attacks

    Kenya hesitates to reopening Somali border over attacks

    The Kenyan government has announced a delay in the planned reopening of its border with Somalia, citing recent attacks attributed to the Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

    Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki stated that the phased reopening of border posts along the extensive frontier would not proceed as originally announced in May. This decision has been prompted by the “recent incidents of threats and cases of insecurity in the frontier counties.”

    The move comes after separate incidents near the border resulted in the deaths of five civilians and eight police officers last month.

    The border between Kenya and Somalia was initially closed in 2011 due to frequent attacks by al-Shabab, which has been engaged in an insurgency against the Somali government in Mogadishu.

    In addition, the minister disclosed that Kenya plans to begin integrating refugees who have been residing in camps within a few weeks as part of a new approach to managing them.

    The new system aims to identify and address “agents of terror and criminals” who exploit refugee spaces to harm host communities.

  • Somalia: Security troops end Al-Shabaab-claimed hotel siege

    Somalia: Security troops end Al-Shabaab-claimed hotel siege

    Somali state television said early Saturday (June 10) that security troops had ended the siege of a hotel in Mogadishu. According to authorities, six individuals were murdered and ten more were injured.

    Fighters from the Islamist Al-Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack which took place on Friday (June 9), south of the capital.

    Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and explosions.

    “Tonight, we saw a big disaster here at Lido beach at (Mogadishu’s, ed) Abdiaziz District as I was having fun with my friend,” eyewitness Yahye Mohamed told an AFP journalist.

    “As soon as the first blast rocked area, I saw a lady fall on ground, dead, after she’d been hit by shrapnel from the explosion. May Allah have mercy on the killed people.”

    Al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, is known for carrying out attacks on hotels and other high-profile locations in Mogadishu, usually starting with a suicide bombing.

    The Pearl Beach hotel is down the street from the Turkish Embassy and is popular with government officials.

    “Instantly fled for cover”

    Hassan Abdirahman told The Associated Press that he was in the restaurant at the time.

    “I heard the sound of gunshots which came from the beach direction and followed by the huge sound of an explosion.” He said that he escaped and saw damaged vehicles along the street.

    Mulki Osman also says he and his friends “instantly fled for cover” in the restaurant when they heard explosions and gunfire shortly before 8 p.m.

    “Some of my friends are still stuck inside the hotel, but the security officers managed to rescue me. I hope they stay safe,” he said.

    Lido Beach is one of Mogadishu’s most popular areas and is busy on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy the weekend by visiting local coffee shops and ice cream parlors.

    Last year, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched an “all-out war” against Al-Shabaab, rallying Somalis to help flush out members of the jihadist group he described as “bedbugs”.

    Al-Shabaab fighters killed 54 Ugandan peacekeepers in an attack on an African Union base in the southern town of Bulo Marer last month.

  • 60 Shaabab militiamen killed by Somali National Army in Haradhere

    60 Shaabab militiamen killed by Somali National Army in Haradhere

    The killing of numerous Al-Shabaab fighters, according to the Somali National Army (SNA), has boosted the insurgent group’s morale.

    Haradhere District Commissioner Mohamed Yusuf Kulmiye said that the SNA had received information about the movement of Al-Shabaab militants travelling in two vehicles after which it launched an attack. Haradhere is located northeast of Mogadishu.

    “An operation was assembled to intercept the extremist militants and their vehicles, the soldiers managing to kill all 60 terrorists travelling on the vehicles,” said Kulmiye, adding that the SNA forces seized the two vehicles and the weapons the militants carried.

    The ambush occurred near a location called Ali-Qabobe, about 30 km south of Haradhere.

    Since August last year, the SNA, in close collaboration with local vigilante groups known as Macawisley, has been gaining territory from Al-Shabaab, especially in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states in Central Somalia.

    Haradhere, a former stronghold of the notorious Somali pirates, was seized and controlled by Al-Shabaab militants over a decade ago. However, the extremists lost the strategic coastal town and many other locations in Mudug region in Galmudug State to the pro-government allied forces in January this year.

  • Trial continues for seized Somali press union boss

    Trial continues for seized Somali press union boss

    The head of one of Somalia’s union of journalists has appeared in court for a third time in an ongoing trial on charges of incitement, after criticising a government ban on media reporting of the activities of the extremist group al-Shaabab.

    Abdalle Mumin was arrested in October after saying that the directive could be used to target government critics.

    Somalia launched a large-scale offensive last year against the militant group and appears to be having the upper hand.

    Lawyers representing the journalist asked the court to summon high-ranking government officials linked to his arrest last October.

    Mr Mumin, who is the secretary-general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate, is facing incitement charges for criticising a government ban on reports about al-Shabab.

    The case was adjourned to an unspecified date next week.

    Since issuing the directive, Somali authorities have shut down hundreds of outlets affiliated with al-Shabab and ordered the media to refer to the group as “khawarij”, meaning ultra-extremists.

    Mr Mumin’s court case has underscored continued risks journalists in Somalia face while reporting on the al-Shabab insurgency or agitating for press freedoms.

    Source: BBC

  • Somali army pushes militants out of key town

    The Somali army and allied militias have driven al-Shabab fighters out of a strategic town in the country’s centre that the Islamist militant group had held for six years.

    The government has retaken control of dozens of villages and towns in recent months.

    Al-Shabab is facing serious challenges as a result of American airstrikes, African Union troops, the Somali army, and an allied militia.

    According to the mayor of Adan Yabal, the town was taken without incident.

    The jihadist group had used it as a training base and a hub for its operations across central Somalia.

    After President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s election in May, he declared all-out war against al-Shabab.

    Now he says the effort to clear the group out of Hirshabelle and Galmudug states is in its final stages.

    Despite losing territory the militant group has been carrying out frequent deadly bombing raids – especially in the capital, Mogadishu.

  • New $1m fund for Somali bomb victims

    The Somali government has created a $1m (£867,000) emergency fund to help people affected by twin bombings in the capital city on Saturday, that killed at least 100 people and injured more than 300.

    Two private firms have also pledged support towards the victims’ fund.

    Major security changes are also planned following this latest attack, says the government, which is Somalia’s deadliest since a truck bombing in the same area five years ago that killed more than 500 people.

    An uneasy calm has settled over the Zobe area of Mogadishu since Saturday’s attack. The road where it happened reopened Sunday night to public traffic.

    But the lasting damage is plain to see, as buildings which hosted many businesses in the vicinity have been destroyed by the impact of the twin blasts.

    Source: BBC

  • US defence secretary, Somali leader discuss al-Shabab war

    On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin engaged Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on the fight against extremist group al-Shabab in the Horn of Africa nation.

    President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Washington DC for this meeting.

    Mr Mohamud tweeted that he met Mr Austin at the Pentagon to discuss “our two sides” partnership and commitment to securing our future from international terrorism”.

    The US “is a valuable partner in Somalia’s national security”, he said.

    The US defence secretary said he had “a productive meeting” with Mr Mohamud and reiterated Washington’s “commitment to work closely with our partners to achieve shared defence and security goals”.

    The meeting comes four months after President Joe Biden authorised the redeployment of US troops to Somalia to counter al-Shabab, reversing his predecessor Donald Trump’s move to withdraw all American forces from the Horn of Africa nation last year.

    It also comes as Somali forces and their allies intensify military operations against al-Shabab in southern and central Somalia in a bid to seize territory held by the al-Qaeda affiliate.

  • Somaliland to deport TikTok star over Somali flag

    A court in the self-declared republic of Somaliland has ordered the deportation to Somalia of a popular social media star after a video was released of him drinking tea which was decorated with the image of the Somali flag.

    Bilal Bulshawi, who is known by Somalis as “the president of TikTok”, has been in detention for nearly two months.

    Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia nearly 30 years ago, has punished others for displaying the Somali flag.

    In 2015, members of a popular band were arrested on return to Somaliland after they waved the Somali flag at a concert in Mogadishu.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Somali soldiers end protest over unpaid salaries

    Soldiers in the Somali capital Mogadishu have ended their protest over unpaid salaries.

    They had blocked roads in the city on Saturday, with some saying they had not received wages in over a year.

    Local television footage showed troops blocking vehicles from the African Union peacekeeping force from passing.

    The soldiers are fighting the militant Islamist group al-Shabab who said they carried out one of two attacks this weekend killing at least seven people.

    Three militants blew up themselves up in a car at a military checkpoint in Bacadweyn town in central Somalia’s Galmudug state, killing three soldiers.

    The militants set off a bomb when soldiers shot at the vehicle after its occupants ignored orders to stop at a military checkpoint, Maj Abdullahi Ahmed, a military officer in the nearby town of Galkayo told Reuters news agency.

    Separately, two bombs were detonated in front of the home of a military official in Wanlaweyn town, north-west of the capital Mogadishu, killing four people.

    “First we heard a blast at the house. The military officer was absent by then. Guards and residents came to find out what caused the blast and then a second blast went off,” Mohamed Nur, a police officer in Wanlaweyn, told Reuters.

    Al-Shabab wants Islamic law, known as sharia, to be more strictly adhered to in Somalia and is fighting to overthrow the government.

    There are reports that the troops blocking the roads in Mogadishu had recently been fighting against al-Shabab militants in the Shebelle region.

    The BBC’s Will Ross reports that the fact that they are trying to protect the population from attacks from al-Shabab makes the soldiers’ complaint even more alarming.

    Last year the Somali government – under pressure from international donors – began paying soldiers directly via banks in order to stop commanders from siphoning off some of the troops’ meagre salaries.

    Officials also found thousands of names of soldiers who did not exist or had long left the army on the payroll.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Outrage as Somali journalist stabbed to death

    Media organisations in Somalia have strongly condemned the murder of a television journalist on Monday evening.

    Said Yusuf Ali was stabbed several times outside a shop in the capital, Mogadishu.

    The father of two whose wife is expecting their third child had just covered a story on the murder of a schoolteacher.

    The killing comes against a backdrop of rising threats by the Somali government, a statement the Federation of Somali Journalists says.

    Over the last year four journalists have been killed, close to 50 have been physically tortured or harassed and dozens have been arbitrarily arrested, it says.

    On Sunday, which was World Press Freedom day, Somali media bodies sent a protest letter to President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who is also known as “Farmajo”, which documented a list of recent violations against journalists.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Somali-born US congresswoman Ilhan Omar marries her political aide

    US congresswoman Ilhan Omar has announced her marriage to her chief campaign fundraiser, Tim Mynett.

    “Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed,” the Somali-born politician posted on Instagram, alongside a photo of the couple.

    Ms Omar, a Democrat who represents part of the state of Minnesota, is a prominent critic of President Donald Trump.

    Her previous marriage to Ahmed Hirsi ended last year. They share three children.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed. Alhamdulillah ❤️

    A post shared by Ilhan Omar (@ilhanmn) on

    Source: bbc.com