By Abdullahi Ahmed Nor Introduction Al-Shabaab, also known as Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, is a jihadist fundamentalist group based in East Africa. Since its emergence in the early 2000s, Al-Shabaab has become one of the most notorious militant organizations in Somalia and the greater Horn of Africa. This article delves into the history, ideology, operations, and...
Dr. Adam Aw Hirsi, (Ph.D) The Glimpse The Somali diaspora, dispersed across the globe as a result of conflict and economic instability in their homeland, wields a considerable influence in shaping the socio-economic landscape of Somalia. This article delves into the opportunities and challenges that this diaspora community, especially those based in the West (Western...
By Abdulrahman Baadiyow Haji Farah Oomar Ileeye (1879–1949) was a dedicated Somali nationalist and a pioneer in the realm of Somali civil society. He was born in Hagal in the Saahil region of Somaliland, within a wealthy pastoral family connected to the Qaderiyah Sufi order. From a young age, Haji Farah’s education began at a...
By Abdi Mohamud Historically, the medical condition called autism was rare or unknown to the pastoral Somali society. Despite the limited diet and absence of a modern healthcare system, children were generally born healthy and grew healthy before urbanization. Families never struggled with caring for children handicapped by autism. If any, they were unnoticeable and...
Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow The crisis resulting from the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 1, 2024, between Dr. Abiy Ahmed, the PM of Ethiopia, and Muse Bihi, the President of the separatist Somaliland, has sent shockwaves across the Horn of Africa. This MoU grants Ethiopia a strategic corridor of 20 kilometers...
We, the undersigned representatives of Oromo community associations, and religious and civic organizations in the United States write this open letter to express our profound concerns stemming from the implications of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the government of Ethiopia and Somaliland on January 1, 2024. Our distress is heightened as thousands of Oromo...
By Prof. Abdurahman Baadiyow Attending the 10th conference of Somali Studies, which took place at the Horn Afrika Hotel in Mogadishu from December 5th to 7th, 2023 (ACSOS2023), marked a momentous achievement. The Institute of Somali Studies (ISOS), an autonomous institution affiliated with Mogadishu University, consistently organizes this annual conference. Established as a pivotal academic...
By Mohamud H. Khalif I read, with interest, the piece by Prof. Peter Kagwanja entitled “Kenya needs strategic mindset to engage ‘global Somalia’”, (Kenya needs strategic mindset to engage ‘global Somalia’ | Nation) which appeared in the Daily Nation on June 4th, 2023. The article tackles a motley of loosely connected subjects the common thread...
In our series of letters from African journalists, Soraya Ali tries to reconcile between the idyllic image of Somalia that she grew up with and its reputation as a hostile place. Until a few weeks ago I’d never been home. A country where I speak the language, and look like everyone else but had never...
By Abdighani Hirad I. Summary The Lasanod conflict entered its second month. This report covers the trajectory of the conflict when the people of Lasanod rose against a secessionist entity denying their political identity based on a territorially and politically united Somalia. First, the report contextualizes the conflict in the occupation of Lasanod by the...