How will U.S. military operations in Somalia evolve during the rest of the Donald Trump administration? On June 4, the New York Times reported the Pentagon was likely to make cuts among the 1,200 U.S. Special Forces deployed to Africa because Special… Read More ›

somalia
Disputed Reports of Civilian Casualties After Joint U.S.-Somali Raid
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 ›
Despite AMISOM and Drones, Al-Shabaab most deadly African Islamic Militant Group
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 ›
Can Somalia Seal the Galmudug-ASWJ Peace Deal?
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 ›
Around the Horn: “Fake News” In Kenya Elections, AMISOM Challenges, and Al-Shabaab Tax on Refugees
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 ›
Somali Forces Tackle Pirates, Tanzanian Security Mystery, and Weekend Longreads
Piracy Somali pirates suffered some notable defeats in a week that also highlighted the capacity of Somali forces to contribute to counter-piracy operations. However, many of the factors that motivate piracy — including foreign illegal fishing, availability of weapons, perceived corruption over foreign fishing… Read More ›
Piracy, Drought, and Security Shakeups in Somalia
SOMALI PIRATES SEIZE FOURTH VESSEL SINCE MID-MARCH. On 3 April, pirates hijacked the Salama 1 near the Socotra Island and it was later moved to Ceel Huur. Last month, a Reuters report found local frustration in Puntland region over licensing with foreign fishermen… Read More ›
Around the Horn: Ethiopian Exits, Somaliland Courts Trump, and U.S. Expands Drone War
ETHIOPIAN WITHDRAWALS: Ethiopian troops reportedly withdrew from three areas in central Somalia, including Ceelbuur, Dhusamareeb, and El-lahelay. Last October, Ethiopia made similar withdrawals citing “lack of support” from the international community for its Somalia operations, while some attributed it to the need to discuss… Read More ›
Kenya Fails to Apply Lessons Learned from Last Al-Shabaab Mass Raid
In the aftermath of al-Shabaab’s latest mass raid attack against Kenyan troops, the government showed it had not effectively applied lessons learned from the January 2016 El Adde attack where over 140 soldiers were thought to have been killed. At around 5 AM last… Read More ›
A Primer for Understanding How the African Union Mission in Somalia is Funded
The International Peace Institute’s Global Observatory has published a must-read primer on how the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is funded — written by George Washington University Associate Professor Paul D. Williams. The article covers: What AMISOM Financing Issues Are… Read More ›
Political Sands Shift in Central Somalia: Galmudug’s Political Crisis
This week, the Interim Galmudug Administration’s (IGA) parliament voted to oust regional president Abdikarim Guled from office, citing “incompetent leadership” in a no-confidence vote that had been looming for months. Earlier in the week, Guled’s presidential guards reportedly blocked access to the… Read More ›
Power Struggles Hamper Anti-Corruption Efforts in Somalia Elections
Somalia’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) is expected to make a series of important decisions that will address disputes in the electoral process and ultimately delay the presidential vote for a fourth time. To date, the process has been marred by… Read More ›
Does the Kenyan FM’s Call for Self-Determination Translate to Support for Somaliland?
Kenyan Foreign Minister (FM) Amina Mohamed has advocated for self-determination for the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic’s (SADR) as part of her campaign for chairperson of the African Union (AU) commission, raising the issue of whether she would also push for self-determination… Read More ›