Author: Mohamed Ali Jama

NISA

How Somalia’s spy agency head shakeup fits president’s political interests

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud replaced Mahad Salaad with Abdullahi Sanbalolshe as director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) as his political interests have shifted. Salaad, a staunch ally, has held this position since President Mohamud came to power in May 2022. At the time, the appointment was made against the advice of the […]

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Turkish drone attack in Baqdaad

Turkish drone kills 22 civilians in Somalia in failed counterterrorism operation

On the evening of March 18, airstrikes carried out by drones operated by Turkish troops stationed in Somalia killed 22 civilians, including children, in a small village on the outskirts of Afgoye district in Lower Shabelle. Among the victims, there were mainly women, young children and the elderly. In addition to the 22 deaths, 21 […]

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MoU Protest in Mogadishu

Somali nation in unison to reject Ethiopia’ encroachment

Since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a memorandum of understanding on January 1 with Musa Bihi Abdi, the leader of the breakaway Somaliland region, the Somali nation reacted in unison by rejecting what it saw as yet another Ethiopian attempt to encroach on its territory. Even though street protests, meetings, online discussions and local […]

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PM Hamze Barre

US, UAE pressure Somali president to sack PM for calling Israel a terrorist organization

After weeks of no official statement and a president unwilling to address the great anguish felt by the Somali nation over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, Prime Minister Hamze Abdi Barre lashed out at Israel, calling it a terrorist organization while backing Hamas in its liberation struggle. In a conference held in Mogadishu earlier […]

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Thank you Farmajo

Farmajo denounced government’s plan to tamper with the constitution

Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, now in self-imposed exile in Turkey, made a rare entrance into Somalia’s federal politics to warn the nation about government’s plan to tamper with the constitution without any oversight. In his press release published on X (twitter) and Facebook, Farmajo denounced the actions of the current government aimed at unilaterally […]

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Goojacadde

The Fall of Gooja’adde and the Victory of SSC-Khatumo Forces

August 25 will go down in the annals of Somali history as the day the forces of the division funded by the former colonial power were defeated. The Las Anod defense forces finally stormed the stronghold of Goojacadde sheltering the secessionist forces of Somaliland who bombarded the besieged town on a daily basis for 8 months.

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HSM Las Anod

Why President Hassan Sheikh shuns Las Anod’s plea for recognition

For eight months, the breakaway northern Somali region, also called Somaliland, has been shelling on daily basis the city of Las Anod whose residents has vowed to remain part of a united Somalia. In spite of Sool, Sanaag and Ayn suffering and Las Anod’s plea for recognition, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud kept silent.

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October 14 Brigade

How the Jaale Siyaad Academy massacre was masterminded from Villa Somalia

Two weeks have passed since the suicide attack at the Jaale Siyaad Academy (JSA) which targeted soldiers of the October 14 Brigade relocated from Marka for training. The involvement of government officials linked to Al-Shabab, the silence of the president and the cover-up including the muzzling of the media are clues that the massacre was masterminded from Villa Somalia.

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Baraawe City

Barawe violence: Clan Expansionism or Blunder of Unruly Troops?

Over the past couple of weeks, outbreaks of violence and clan conflict have escalated across Somalia from north to south and erupted in areas hitherto spared from such violence in recent years. The violence in Barawe, the official capital of Southwest State, has exposed the critical flaws in federal leadership in the Lower Shabelle region. […]

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Askar iyo Bajaj

Why Mogadishu is Grappling with Out-of-Control Violence

Mogadishu, the Somali capital, with a population of 4.5 million, is plagued by out-of-control violence that is going crescendo. Unlike what most people believe, violence is no longer the preserve of the usual suspects: Al-Shabab insurgents. In fact, extremists compete with youth gangs and government forces. Day and night there are assassinations, suicide bombings, police […]

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