Kenya arrests two after bombs ‘found in car’

    Police in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa say they have arrested two people who were driving a car with two improvised bombs hidden inside it. The suspects, one Kenyan and the other of Somali origin, were planning to attack an unspecified target, they say. The arrests followed a tip off, a police official added….

    Read More

      Uganda issues Shabaab terror alert

      KAMPALA – Ugandan police are warning of possible terror plots by the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab to attack fuel stations in the country. “We have received intelligence information that terrorists belonging to the Al-Shabaab group are planning to attack Uganda by hitting fuel tankers on transit, fuel depots and stations,” deputy police spokesperson Onyango Patrick…

      Read More

        Somali Prime Minister Creates Govt Office for Clerics

        Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed convened a meeting of religious leaders in Mogadishu on Saturday (March 15th) and announced the creation of a new government office for religious scholars that will help shape public opinion and government decision-making. “The main aim of this meeting is to have a collective position towards the religious-less people…

        Read More

          Prime Minister hosts National Band ‘Waabari’ to discuss the importance of culture in countering terrorism

          His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, hosted a meeting with the Somali National Band, ‘Fanaaniinta Qaranka Waabari’, to discuss the important role they and other leading figures in Somali culture have to play in the fight against terrorists and rebuilding of the nation. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Information, Mustaf…

          Read More

            Ministers visit liberated town of Hudur

            Following the liberation of eight key towns from Al-Shabaab by the Somali National Army with support from AMISOM, ministers today visited the newly liberated areas to access the needs of the people. Minister of Defence, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud, and the Interior Minister, Abdullahi Godah Barre, today visited Hudur town to access the needs of…

            Read More

              Somali traffic cops battle gridlock and chaos

              Mogadishu, Somalia –  “Tow it away, tow it away!” shouts a short man at a group of men wearing white shirts and navy blue trousers. They are the Somali traffic police, and Ali Hirsi Barre – the short man with a larger-than-life personality – is the head of the department. His voice is raspy, but…

              Read More

                Car bomb targets African Union troops in Somalia

                Mogadishu — A convoy of the African Union’s AMISOM force was targeted by a car bomb just outside the Somali capital on Monday, witnesses and a Somali army source said, though it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the Shebab Islamist group said the group carried…

                Read More

                  EDITORIAL: Advising Somalia

                  The Pentagon has acknowledged that the United States recently sent a team of military advisers to war-torn Somalia, to help Somali and other African forces fight the al-Shabab opposition group. This is risky business. The team, which the Pentagon characterized as “small,” is tasked with providing communications, logistics and planning help. Its installation in Mogadishu…

                  Read More

                    Somalia launches ideology war against Al-Shabaab

                    MOGADISHU – Somalia has declared an ideological war against Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group, creating a government office for Muslim scholars to refute Al-Shabaab’s militant ideology and influence public opinion. “You are a very important part of the governance of this nation and play a leading role in the fight against Al-Shabaab,” Premier Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed told…

                    Read More

                      Newly Displaced Somalis Face Dire Situation

                      TEHRAN (FNA)- Newly-displaced people in Somalia are facing a dire situation after the government launched another military operation against local fighters, a report said. Some 6,000 families have fled towns in the Southern and Central parts of the country over the past few weeks after Somali government forces backed by 22,000 African Union soldiers began…

                      Read More

                        President congratulates Somali National Army and AMISOM for string of successes against “the enemies of Islam”

                        His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today congratulated the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM leadership for liberating six towns from Al Shabaab, “the enemies of Islam”. The President said: “I have personally congratulated SNA and AMISOM leaders for liberating six towns from Al Shabaab in the space of a few days. Make no mistake,…

                        Read More

                          Drink to ’50 years a slave’

                          I am rather disturbed by gossip in foreign newspapers that our Lupita Nyong’o is dating K’naan, a very handsome Somali boy who is a rapper. Our economy is suffering. Even the amount of ugali cooked at State House has reduced by 20 per cent. We, therefore, need all the help we can get – including…

                          Read More

                            Government delivers food aid to liberated areas

                            Following the liberation of seven key towns from Al-Shabaab by the Somali National Army with support from AMISOM the government has begun the delivery of food aid to the liberated towns. Up to three million people live in the districts and regions impacted by ongoing military operations and government stabilisation plans are now being implemented…

                            Read More

                              Prime Minister hosts religious leaders and announces creation of government office for religious scholars

                              His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, today hosted a meeting with Somali religious leaders to announce the creation of a government office for religious scholars and condemn the actions and ideology of Al-Shabbab telling them “you have a big role in defending our religion, our people and our country”. The new office will strengthen…

                              Read More