Addis-Ababa (WDN) – Somalia’s federal government was absent from a four-day regional maritime security conference in Addis Ababa, where neighboring countries and regional administrations discussed security cooperation across the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The absence comes as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces mounting opposition over constitutional changes and elections,...
MOGADISHU (WDN) — The battlefield defeat inflicted on Somali federal forces by Al-Shabaab near Jameeco has exposed serious questions about military command, operational planning and the alleged intrusion of civilian politicians into decisions that should rest with experienced military officers. Numerous concerned voices, including former presidents, have called for an independent investigation into the incident...
MOGADISHU (WDN) — Still reeling from a disastrous battlefield setback in which federal forces reportedly suffered heavy casualties, lost dozens of military vehicles and saw soldiers captured or scattered in retreat, Somalia’s Federal Government is preparing to renew its offensive to seize Buurhakaba. The reported decision to send reinforcements back into battle, with Turkish air...
Bosaso (WDN) A cargo vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by a missile or an unidentified object, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. Somali traders confirmed that the vessel, identified as SKY Quba,...
Mogadishu (WDN) -The unannounced visit comes as Somalia faces a deepening political impasse over elections and constitutional disputes, raising questions about the purpose of a trip whose agenda remains undisclosed. The Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, Abdulqadir Mohamed Nur (Jaamac), has arrived in Nairobi on what has been described as a working visit,...
The Somali Future Council wants a president who listens and negotiates. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has instead governed unilaterally, deepening political divisions and helping ignite a new conflict in South West State. MOGADISHU (WDN) — Somalia’s political opposition has issued another warning that the country’s electoral dispute is threatening national unity, federalism and the stability of...
ABU DHABI —(WDN) An oil spill off the United Arab Emirates is adding a new threat to the country’s already vulnerable tourism industry, as attacks on tankers and mounting environmental risks disrupt coastal areas and raise concerns about the safety of the Gulf’s waters. Beaches across the northern UAE, including in Ras Al Khaimah, have...
MOGADISHU (WDN) — A major military operation by Somalia’s Federal Government in the vicinity of Burhakaba has reportedly ended in a devastating battlefield setback, with claims of hundreds of soldiers killed, wounded or captured, dozens of military vehicles destroyed, and surviving troops fleeing into the bush. The reported scale of the losses has raised serious...
MOGADISHU (WDN) — Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has called for an independent investigation into the heavy losses reportedly suffered by federal forces near Buurhakaba, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of undermining military professionalism through political interference and questionable promotion practices. In a statement addressing the recent fighting in Bay region, Sharif questioned the...
BUURHAKABA (WDN) — Just hours after reports of a major setback for Somali federal forces near Jameeco, drones launched a fresh strike inside Buurhakaba, reportedly reducing two armed technical vehicles to burning wrecks. Preliminary reports suggest the vehicles may have been captured from government troops during the previous day’s fighting, adding a dramatic new development...