U.S. and Somali forces have been accused of killing five civilians in a raid that resulted in the capture of three alleged al-Shabaab commanders in the remote village of Macalinka — 25 miles outside Mogadishu. Both independent and pro-Shabaab media… Read More ›
Al-Shabaab was the most deadly Islamist militant group in Africa over the past year, according to a new study by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) in Washington, D.C. The U.S. government-affiliated think tank revealed important trends and statistics… Read More ›
As part of his tour of Somali regional states, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmaajo” visited Dhusamareeb this week to validate the December 2017 peace agreement between the Galmudug administration and Sufi militia Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a (ASWJ). ASWJ, as a multi-clan… Read More ›
This month, UNHCR is reporting that more than 70,200 Somali refugees have been repatriated from Dadaab, and over 17,400 are registered as “willing to return” to Somalia. An interesting note in the report was that returns to Baidoa had been “suspended… Read More ›
Somalia: On 9 September, al-Shabaab released photos of supplies it looted during its 3 September attack on Buulo Gaduud, just outside Kismayo. It claimed to have killed over two dozen Somali troops in the raid. The group appeared to capture vehicles,… Read More ›
Al-Shabaab and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) dispute the nature of casualties following a series of drone strikes in Somalia’s Jubaland region — part of an ongoing competition to shape public information in the fog of war. According to… Read More ›
Below is an interactive map that traces dozens of the post-election deaths in Kenya among protesters and alleged looters, as well as several local incidents of voter fraud. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announcement of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s… Read More ›
The tallying of votes after national elections in Kenya has kicked off, and the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is posting updates live on its website. Local media outlets are providing breathless coverage, as well explanations of how the… Read More ›
Kenyan Elections Today National elections in Kenya are today. Finally, there will be answer for who will be victorious in the presidential race between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and his perennial challenger in Raila Odinga. In 2013, Kenya’s predominately peaceful polls… Read More ›
This week, the United States provided “limited tactical advisory support” in the arrest of five al-Shabaab suspects in the central Somalia town of Galkayo, including a known facilitator named Abdirizak Hussein Tahliil who held a U.S. green card and lived… Read More ›
Here is a brief overview of some of the inter-related stories in Kenya and Somalia the last week: AMISOM CHALLENGES IN SOMALIA Somalia’s Traffic Police Commissioner General Ali Hersi blamed AMISOM for being involved in approximately 500 traffic accidents and… Read More ›
Does the Gulf crisis between Qatar and its rivals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others others have the potential to impact conflict and development in the Horn of Africa? The UAE-Saudi alliance has accused Qatar of funding terror groups… Read More ›
Earlier this month, Somalia’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) announced a new effort to overhaul the country’s security sector with a new security architecture to define how the government, regional leaders, police, and the army could operate more effectively. The plan lacks specifics in many areas… Read More ›
