Prof. Abdinasir Ali Osman The Enemy Within Introduction: Al-Shabaab’s enduring presence in Somalia transcends conventional military confrontations, rooted deeply in its insidious ability to permeate the very fabric of the Somali National Army (SNA). This infiltration is not a mere tactical advantage but a strategic cornerstone of the group’s resilience, providing a constant flow of...
By Abdullahi A. Nor Somalia’s federal government appears to have opened a new front—not against Al-Shabaab militants, but against dissenting voices and independent assessments of the country’s spiraling security crisis. In the span of just 24 hours, two respected figures—African Union Special Representative Sivuyile Thandikhaya and former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Abdi Farah Shirdoon...
By Mohamoud Gaildon Talk is circulating of a US tilt toward the recognition of Somaliland──a secessionist entity in northern Somalia──as a separate state. From the upper levels of the Trump administration, nothing public in this regard has emerged; but the signs are unmistakable that a pro-Somaliland drive is underway. Such, if it were to materialize,...
Garowe (WDN) —In a strongly worded statement released Thursday morning, the Puntland Electoral Commission (PEC) has rejected widespread reports claiming it transferred electoral data to Somalia’s federally disputed electoral body. The PEC, a key institution overseeing Puntland’s democratization process, categorically denied any unauthorized sharing of election-related information and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and independence....
Baidoa (WDN) –Southwest regional forces scored a major battlefield victory Thursday morning after repelling a coordinated Al-Shabaab assault on the strategic Burjeedka base in Daynuunay, just outside Baidoa. Officials confirmed that a multitude of militants — including foreign fighters — were killed in the operation. Al-Shabaab militants launched a multi-directional attack on the base, attempting...
Mogadishu (WDN) – Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Ma’allin Fiqi has called for Somaliland’s controversial politician Faisal Ali Warabe to be designated a terrorist, following an incendiary letter in which Warabe appeared to support Al-Shabaab and predicted the militant group would seize Mogadishu between May and June of this year. Minister Fiqi did not mince words...
Mogadishu (WDN)— Al-Shabaab militants launched a heavy assault on the Adan Yabal district of the Middle Shabelle region early Wednesday, successfully recapturing the strategic town after more than five hours of fierce fighting with government forces and allied local fighters. The attack, which began with coordinated explosions, quickly escalated into intense face-to-face combat between Somali...
By Hassan Yusuf In a country grappling with recurring insurgency, fragmented governance, and a paralyzed reform agenda, Somalia’s federal government has proposed what appears to be a giant leap forward: a nationwide “one person, one vote” (OPOV) electoral model. Presented as a historic shift from clan-based power-sharing to democratic legitimacy, the plan promises a future...
U.S. Department of the Treasury Press Release RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Today, the seven members of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) announced joint designations of 15 al-Shabaab leaders, operatives, and financial facilitators operating in Somalia. These targets were involved in a wide range of activities in support of al-Shabaab, including fundraising and proliferation of...
US President Donald Trump’s top Africa envoy laid the groundwork this week for a minerals deal in DR Congo.But any deal between Washington and Kinshasa is dependent on the US helping to negotiate peace in the African nation’s troubled eastern region, according to two people who were present for some of the meetings. After the...