Hirshabelle’s deputy president, Yusuf Dabageed, has denounced the election in Jowhar as an exclusive political exercise serving President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his allies. His defiance, coupled with Hiiraan’s rejection of the process, raises fresh questions about the federal government’s authority and the viability of the president’s political project. BALADWEYNE (WDN) — The political confrontation...
As Somalia faces another confrontation over presidential elections, the former president’s return comes ahead of a planned government-opposition meeting on November 4. The challenge is whether political leaders can put national survival ahead of the struggle to retain power. MOGADISHU (WDN) — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo returned to Mogadishu on Friday arriving at...
Opposition figures from Galmudug congratulate the newly elected regional president despite their camp’s longstanding objections that the process lacked consensus and amounted to a unilateral appointment backed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Their endorsements raise questions about the opposition’s unity and political credibility. DHUSAMAREB, Somalia (WDN) — Somalia’s opposition camp is facing fresh questions over...
By Isha Qarsoon On 15 October 2026, Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission scheduled parliamentary elections for 15 April 2027 and the presidential election a month later. Puntland, Jubaland and the major national opposition groups reject the amended constitution under which the government is proceeding. Somalia has a timetable but no agreement on the...
Airstrikes in Bakool target Al-Shabaab and forces loyal to former regional president Laftagareen as fighting spreads across Bay and Bakool. With rival forces contesting control of key districts, the crisis risks becoming a protracted conflict unless Mogadishu and its opponents return to negotiations. WAJID, Bakool Region (WDN) — Somalia’s escalating confrontation over South West State...
Government employees reportedly went eight months without pay this year, raising fears that prolonged salary delays could push an already strained civil service towards a breaking point. GAROWE, Puntland (WDN) — Puntland’s civil servants are facing mounting financial hardship after going for months without salaries, according to officials from the regional Ministry of Labour and...
Irish authorities have alerted police to concerns that 22 Somali children who arrived in Ireland without accompanying adults may have been trafficked, according to a report published by the Irish Examiner on Tuesday. DUBLIN (WDN) — Irish authorities have raised concerns about the possible trafficking of 22 Somali children who arrived in Ireland unaccompanied, highlighting...
Civilian vehicles struck in Lower Shabelle as militants sustain attacks on major highways; Puntland reports killing two suspected bomb-makers ahead of a new offensive in the Calmadow Mountains. MOGADISHU, Somalia (WDN) — A pair of roadside bombings targeting civilian transport in southern Somalia has left multiple people dead and others wounded, underscoring the dangers facing...
Renewed fighting in Yemen is driving families towards Somalia’s northeastern coast, placing fresh demands on Puntland’s authorities and humanitarian agencies to provide protection and assistance. BOSSASO, Puntland (WDN) — The renewed conflict in Yemen is creating a new humanitarian challenge across the Gulf of Aden, with people fleeing the violence arriving in Puntland, including through...
Federal special forces reportedly lose two armoured vehicles in an ambush near Jamaada as government troops retreat to their bases, dealing a setback to Mogadishu’s effort to recover territory in Bay region. BUURHAKABA, Bay Region (WDN) — An attempt by Somali federal forces to recapture Buurhakaba district from forces aligned with former South West State...