Mogadishu, June 30 (IANS) The Somali National Army, supported by international security partners, conducted a series of airstrikes in the Godey area of southern Somalia on Tuesday, killing 35 al-Shabaab militants, the Ministry of Defence said.The ministry said the joint strikes also injured 20 other militants, specifically targeting the group’s network of caves, weapons caches, and hideouts, Xinhua news agency reported.It added that the initial strikes triggered a series of large secondary explo…
Latest Somalia News & Updates
Mogadishu, June 27 (IANS) The Somali National Army (SNA) and international partners killed 30 al-Shabaab militants during a joint operation in the Middle Shabelle region of southern Somalia, officials announced on Saturday.According to the Ministry of Defence, the forces also destroyed two vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and other logistical supplies used by the group to plan terrorist attacks.The military operations took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, specifically targeting al-Shabaab mobilisat…
New Delhi, June 14 (IANS) FIFA will reportedly pay Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan his full tournament fee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite his inability to officiate at the competition after being denied entry into the United States.According to a report by The BBC, the world governing body has decided that Artan will receive the full remuneration allocated to match officials for the tournament, ensuring he is not financially affected by the circumstances that forced him to miss the eve…
New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan says his dream of officiating at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been shattered after he was denied entry into the United States despite traveling with what he described as valid documentation and a proper visa.Artan was expected to be the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup finals. However, on Monday, he was removed from FIFA’s list of tournament officials after US immigration authorities prevented him from entering the coun…
New York, June 9 (IANS) Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan due to officiate in the FIFA World Cup has been denied entry to the United States, according to an official from his country’s sports ministry. Artan was among the 52 referees announced by Fifa to officiate at the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, which runs from June 11 to July 19. He was set to be the first Somali referee to take charge of a game at the World Cup.An official in the Somali national football lea…
Mogadishu, June 8 (IANS) Somalia’s humanitarian crisis is rapidly escalating due to a devastating combination of prolonged drought, potential El Nino-related flooding, and severe economic shocks stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) warned on Monday.FAO said the economic disruption has fueled inflation, making necessities increasingly unaffordable for vulnerable families and undermining local market stability.Government f…
United Nations, June 4 (IANS) In a contentious race to succeed Pakistan for a seat earmarked for the Asia Pacific region on the UN Security Council, Kyrgyzstan has defeated the Philippines after four rounds of voting. To be elected, countries have to get a two-thirds majority. In elections held in the General Assembly on Wednesday, Portugal and Austria defeated the European powerhouse, Germany, for the two Western European seats.With the combination of votes for the two seats, Portugal received …
Mogadishu, June 1 (IANS) The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), the European Union (EU) delegation to Somalia and diplomats from several foreign missions in the country on Monday called for the resumption of dialogue and an election roadmap in the African nation. The Embassies of the UK, France, Norway, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden in Somalia, the Embassies of Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, and Poland in Nairobi, the EU dele…
Dar es Salaam, June 1 (IANS) The East African Community (EAC) will convene an extraordinary virtual meeting of health ministers from June 1 to 2 to coordinate a regional response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting parts of East Africa, the regional bloc has said in a statement. The meeting will focus on strategies to contain the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment, according to the statement…
United Nations, May 30 (IANS) The UN Security Council adopted a resolution to renew for a year, until May 31, 2027, an arms embargo against South Sudan as well as targeted sanctions of travel ban and asset freeze against individuals and entities.Resolution 2821, adopted with nine votes in favor and six abstentions, also extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which assists the work of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee, until July 1, 2027.The African members of the Security Council — the …