Mogadishu (WDN)– The imprisonment of a disabled father of seven has sparked widespread public outrage and fierce condemnation, with many describing the move as a shocking abuse of power and a grave violation of human dignity. Targeting a vulnerable man struggling to support a large family reflects an alarming pattern of repression and disregard for basic rights and freedoms. The...
June 9, 2026
Puntland Crackdown on Dissent and Freedom of Assembly and Expression Amid Deepening Political Tensions with Mogadishu
Qardho (WDN)- Since his re-election as President of Puntland, President Said Abdullahi Deni has faced escalating public discontent amid worsening economic conditions, soaring unemployment, rampant corruption and an increasingly unbearable cost of living. At the same time, his administration has been tightening its grip on civic space through the intimidation of journalists, restrictions on independent media, and efforts to silence...
South West Presidential Race Thrown into Turmoil as Candidates Boycott Election Process Over Alleged Irregularities
Baidoa(WDN) – The credibility of the South West State presidential election suffered a major blow on the eve of voting after two leading candidates dramatically withdrew from key stages of the electoral process, citing what they described as serious violations that have undermined the integrity, transparency, and independence of the election. At a hastily convened press conference, presidential candidate’s Sharif...
Somalis Demonstrate Outside Turkish Consulate in Canada, Demand Answers Over Military Assistance
Mogadishu (WDN) — A growing political controversy is raising uncomfortable questions about the use of foreign-supplied military assistance in Somalia, after Somali demonstrators protested outside the Turkish Consulate in Canada, accusing the Federal Government of deploying Turkish-provided military assets against political opponents rather than against Al-Shabaab militants. Carrying banners and placards, protesters urged Turkish authorities to scrutinize how military equipment...
Somali soccer referee denied US entry, will miss World Cup debut
(Reuters) – The United States denied entry over the weekend to soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to be the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup match. A FIFA spokesperson said on Monday that Artan will not be able to train and officiate at the World Cup — which kicks off on Thursday — after...
Travel Ban, Hotel Raid, and Armed Clashes: The Escalating Confrontation Between Villa Somalia and a Former Insider
Mogadishu (WDN) – Somalia’s escalating political tensions appear to have entered a new and potentially dangerous phase after reports emerged that former presidential adviser and prominent businessman Abdullahi Mohamed Nur has been barred from leaving the country amid a widening dispute with the federal government. Sources close to officials at Aden Adde International Airport told WardheerNews that authorities issued an...
Competing Narratives Emerge Over Weapons Cache Displayed in Mogadishu
Mogadishu(WDN) – Fresh controversy has erupted over the Somali government’s security operations in Mogadishu, with opposition supporters accusing authorities of using weapons displays as part of a broader political campaign aimed at discrediting government critics. Security forces have continued operations that officials describe as efforts to collect illegal weapons following recent clashes in the Banadir districts of Abdiaziz and Heliwaa/Howlwadaag....
The Law of False Pride: Addressing the Political Turmoil in Somalia
By Abdirazak Takar, PhD Somalia has once again entered a dangerous and sensitive political phase. Disputes are intensifying over the constitution, electoral processes, the relationship between the federal government and regional states, and the overall direction of state-building in the country. For a nation that has sacrificed so much simply to arrive at this point, the gravity of the current...
Africa is the deadliest place in the world to have a baby, while its population booms
BIRAO, Central African Republic (AP) — The agony began for Maude Ahmad Fadala shortly after sunset. Her baby was coming. She was in a refugee camp, weakened by typhoid. There were no camp facilities for what was about to happen, and she had no money to travel. She struggled to her feet and started walking. She stopped every few minutes,...
WHO, Africa CDC launch $518M Ebola response plan amid ‘fast-moving’ outbreak
GENEVA- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched a joint Ebola response plan on Friday, requiring $518 million to contain a rapidly expanding outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and prevent further regional spread. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking after returning from the outbreak’s epicenter in Ituri...