By Faisal A Roble One of the most controversial political issues in the Somali Peninsula is that of Somaliland. There are competing narratives of where Somaliland begins or ends, and who belongs to it. Clan boundaries are indisputable. Colonially created sub-identity consciousness in the Somali Peninsula is, on the other hand, contentious. Yet, these communities...
By Abdisaid M. Ali The Civilian Republic, 1960 to 1969: National Unity of Purpose, Constitutional Rule, and the Incomplete State Formation Part II is divided in two because Somalia faced the same state formation challenge under two different political orders. The first sought to build the republic through constitutional rule, parliamentary politics, and gradual institutional...
By Osman A. Hassan Wajir, the principal town of Wajir County in Kenya’s former Northern Frontier District (NFD), stands today not merely as a geographical location but as a living colonial archive, an urban space where the legacies of empire have not faded into history but instead continue to structure daily life, governance, mobility, and...
By Faisal A. Roble This essay is both historical, an appreciation note, and a nod to the concept of “Oodi Abka dhow” or when loosely translated, “proximity is thicker than blood.” has any relevance, this story is a good example. Context: On March 2, 2026, while the world was busy with the Israeli/US vs. Iran...
By Adan Makina Arabic Calligraphy gained prominence during the Islamic Golden Age especially from the Arabic language Kufic script. The types of pens to be used for right and left-handed calligraphers vary in sizes and shapes while prices vary depending on places of transactions. Rhonde script is a form of handwriting that translates to calligraphy...
By Ali Haji Warsame As a young man eager to learn in the 1970s, I frequently heard the term “dowladdii musuqmaasuqa”, or “the corrupt government”, used in reference to the civilian administration of 1960-1969. This derogatory term was often employed by those who sought to discredit that period, and I was no exception. At that...
By Ali Haji Warsame Somalia’s name is once again in the spotlight, attracting attention for both positive and negative reasons, while trending widely on social media platforms. At first glance, Somalis across the globe appear to be able to endure and withstand significant challenges that they face abroad and at home, while still thriving. Yet...
Eng. Mohamed A Mire In recent weeks, international media outlets have reported extensively on the Somali community in Minnesota, USA, as they face heightened targeting by ICE. This wave of hostility follows President Trump`s inflammatory remarks directed at Somalis, spurred largely by the outspoken courage of Rep Ilhan Omar. In his tirade, Trump went so...
PARIS (AP) — In a dimly lit office in a corner of the French National Institute for Art History, Sudanese archaeologist Shadia Abdrabo studies a photograph of pottery made in her country around 7,000 B.C. She carefully types a description of the Neolithic artifact into a spreadsheet. As the war between the Rapid Support Forces...
By Baba Ahmed TIMBUKTU, Mali (AP) — Thirteen years ago, Abdoulaye Cissé risked his life to smuggle tens of thousands of fragile manuscripts out of Timbuktu as al-Qaida -linked extremists swept into the desert town. At night, he loaded crates of manuscripts from the Ahmed Baba Institute of Higher Islamic Studies and Research onto donkey carts, aware that their pages...