Somalia

18 May 2022; MEMO: Somalia's newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has welcomed the US' decision to redeploy special operation forces in Somalia to help in the fight against the Al-Shabab militant group, Anadolu news agency reported.

Mohamud's office said in a short statement posted on Twitter that the Somali president "thanks and appreciates" his American counterpart, Joe Biden, for authorising the deployment of American troops to Somalia.

MOGADISHU, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was re-elected as the tenth President of Somalia, defeating incumbent President Mohamed Farmajo in the third round of vote held in the capital, Mogadishu on Sunday.

Farmajo, who was seeking re-election for the third term in office, conceded the defeat and shook hands with Mohamud.

The 67-year-old Mohamud, who was previously president from 2012-2017, becomes the first president to be elected twice in the history of Somalia.

MOGADISHU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Somali President Mohamed Farmajo has officially announced his candidacy for re-election in the presidential elections slated for May 15 in the capital, Mogadishu.

Farmajo who made the announcement in a televised speech on Sunday evening expressed his commitment to continue with the progress and development that he has started during his first term in office.

The incumbent president who was elected in February 2017 said he decided to seek re-election in response to the many calls from the Somalis.

MOGADISHU, April 22 (Reuters) - Six people were killed on Friday by a blast at a seaside restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, an ambulance service official told Reuters.

"So far we have carried six dead civilians and seven others injured," Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Aamin Ambulance Service said.

Somalia's Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the blast, with their military operations spokesperson Abdiasis Abu Musab telling Reuters they were targeting "security officers and politicians of the apostate government."

MOGADISHU, March 23 (Reuters) - Somalia's security forces are battling a "terrorist incident" the gates of a military camp in the capital Mogadishu, state-run television said, with a witness saying attackers had forced their way in and begun shooting.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab said it was behind the attack. The militant group's Radio Andalus said in a broadcast that its fighters had attacked the Halane base, and they were still shooting.

The camp hosts African Union peacekeeping troops, U.N. and other international organisations and is near the airport.

MOGADISHU, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Senior African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali National Army (SNA) military commanders have wrapped up a five-day meeting by agreeing to set up a joint technical team to implement rules of operations for the new peace mission.

The joint team which will also include the United Nations officials will work on implementing the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) that will be replacing AMISOM effective April 1.

MOGADISHU, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The Somali government said Wednesday it will sustain a reform program that it has initiated in various sectors following the conclusion of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to the country.

"It is clear that real progress is being made in the reform program and we remain committed," Somali Finance Minister Abdirahman Beileh said in a brief statement, welcoming the outcome of the IMF mission's second and third reviews of the extended credit facility to Somalia.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Sitting under the hot sun, hungry women and children await food aid in a camp on the outskirts of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. They have walked for days, fleeing the drought now ravaging a large part of rural Somalia.

Their growing ranks are expected to swell further in the coming months as the Horn of Africa region faces its worst drought conditions in a decade.

MOGADISHU, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 13 others wounded in a suicide attack at El Gaab junction in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Thursday, police and medical sources said.

Abdifatah Aden Hassan, Somali police spokesman who confirmed the 10:30 a.m. incident, said a suicide bomber wearing explosive vests wrapped around his waist blew himself up, causing multiple casualties.

Amin ambulance director Abdikadir Abdirrahman told Xinhua that they have taken several wounded people to hospitals.

04 Feb 2022; MEMO: Somalia is facing a political standoff due to the country's delayed presidential and parliamentary elections, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Currently, Somalia seems to have taken a path that could see parliamentary elections on 25 February as agreed by Somali Prime Minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble, and regional leaders after almost a week of intense discussions.

However, there are sticking points, including allocation of 30 per cent seats in parliament to women.