Lawmakers in Somalia elected former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new head of state in presidential elections on Sunday. Mr Mohamud defeated current president, Mohamed Abudallahi Farmajo, in office since 2017. The ballot was limited to Somalia’s 328 MPs due to security concerns over holding a wider election, and …
Read More »Somalia. Curfew imposed on the presidential polling place
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) imposed a curfew on the Afisyoni air force hangar in the capital, Mogadishu, and the surrounding areas ahead of the presidential election due to take place on Sunday, the BBC reported. The curfew runs from Tuesday to Monday next week. More than …
Read More »Somalia: President Farmajo is seeking second term
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has announced his candidacy for a second term in presidential elections scheduled for May 15. On Twitter, President Farmajo said he was seeking a second term in “response to the call of the Somali people” and to continue “on the path of progress and development”. …
Read More »Turkey strongly condemns attack on AU base in Somalia
Turkey strongly condemned on Tuesday the terrorist attack against the military base of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in the center of the country, where Burunian soldiers house. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the attack by Al-Shabab militants on the AU base. “We strongly …
Read More »Somalia: African Union base attacked by Islamist militants
Al-Shabab Islamist militants targeted an African Union base in central Somalia where Burundian soldiers house, news agencies reported. Witnesses said there was heavy fighting at the base, which is about 130 km (80 miles) northeast of the capital, Mogadishu. According to the local military commander, Mohamed Ali, militants launched the …
Read More »Somalia: parliament has new Speaker
Somali lawmakers elected Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur as the new president on Thursday, in a vote delayed due to disagreements over who would be in charge of security at the polling place. Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur was declared winner in a vote overseen by Abdisalan Liban Dhabancad, parliament’s interim speaker. …
Read More »Somalia: Al-Shabab denies plan to attack President and PM
The al-Qaeda-allied al-Shabab militant group has dismissed reports that it was planning an attack against the Somali president and prime minister. Pro-al-Shabab Somali Memo website quoted an unnamed senior al-Shabab commander who termed the claim by the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) “laughable”. The Shabab commander said Nisa …
Read More »Somalia: Al Shabab plans to kill President Farmajo and PM Roble
The al Shabaab group linked to al Qaeda plans to target Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, the country’s intelligence agency warned on Tuesday. Violence by the group, which aims to topple the central government and impose its own severe version of Islamic law, has …
Read More »Somalia: female MP killed in suicide bombing
At least 15 people, including a female member of the Somali federal parliament, were killed in two suicide bombings in Beledweyne town in central Somalia. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has termed the killing of Amina Mohamed Abdi “an assassination”. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has tweeted a message of …
Read More »Somalia: several dead in the attack on the main airport military base
A gunfight at the entrance to the international airport complex outside the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has left at least eight people dead, local media reported. Aden Adde International Airport hosts peacekeepers, the offices of UN organisations and diplomatic missions. According to a police spokesman, five of the dead were foreigners, …
Read More »