Trade Yes, Troops No: Somalia’s Nuanced Response to Ethiopia’s Maritime Ambitions
In a significant clarification of regional tensions, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has articulated a nuanced position regarding Ethiopia’s long-standing desire for maritime access.
The Hawadle Clan is Trapped Between Al-Shabaab and Villa Somalia
The Hawadle clan is caught in a devastating crossfire. They now face three distinct adversaries: the anti-Hawadle political establishment, the Al-Shabaab Islamist group, and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Ethiopia at War Again
For years, Ethiopia’s federal government and regional militias existed in an uneasy truce. Violence flared and alliances shifted, but the country repeatedly avoided a return to the scale of the…
The Poet’s Dilemma: Navigating the Ruins of Somali Unity
Recent footage from the streets and the United Nations headquarters in New York, featuring Dr. Abdurahman Duale Beyle campaigning for Somaliland's international recognition, has sparked shock and an unsettled debate…
The Shub Assassination Plot: Sovereignty, Suspicion, and Spoiled Evidence
The September 4, 2026, missile strike targeting the Doolow residence of General Mahad Abdirahman Aden—widely known as "Shub," the former commander of the Somali Custodial Corps—has escalated from a localized…
From Assab to Berbera: Eritrea Sounds the Alarm on UAE Port Imperialism
Eritrea’s foreign minister, Osman Saleh, has accused the United Arab Emirates of “port imperialism” in Africa.
Irro in Washington: Gaza, Diplomacy, and a Somali Social-Media Reckoning
When Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” arrived in Washington in September, his objective was clear: persuade the U.S. to treat Hargeisa as a recognized sovereign state. This is a…
Beyond Ebola: How Africa Fights Back Against Health Imperialism
Every Ebola outbreak exposes more than a pathogen; it exposes power.
Twenty-Five Years After 9/11: How the War on Terror Hijacked Somalia’s Future
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, Somalia is still living with the consequences of its open-ended “War on Terror.”
Saudi Arabia’s Yemen Quagmire: Three Missed Chances
A kingdom that once sought to reshape the Middle East through military intervention and economic largesse now finds itself squeezed between two hostile chokepoints...