Somalia

World Cup referee from Somalia denied entry to US

Omar Artan was the only Somalian referee on FIFA's World Cup list, with the nation on the US list of "fully suspended" countries for entry.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 match between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea at Alassane Ouattara Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
STRATEGIC CHOKEPOINT: A Puntland Marine officer patrols the Bosasso coastline in the Red Sea against ISIS, in Bari Region in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, Jan. 2025.

Will Israel stand alone for Somaliland? - opinion

FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship is from Lido beach in central Mogadishu, on April 25, 2025 in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Somali terror groups could tighten Hormuz chokehold through Bab-el-Mandeb piracy, experts say

FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship is from Lido beach in central Mogadishu, on April 25, 2025 in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Suspected pirates hijack cargo ship off Somalia, vessel headed toward coastline with crew onboard


Israel's Somaliland envoy sparks regional backlash from 15 Arab, Muslim states

Several Arab and Muslim states condemned Israel's decision to send a diplomatic envoy to Somaliland, while the Republic of Somaliland responded, accusing them of hypocrisy.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar meets with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi in first diplomatic visit to Somaliland on January 6, 2026.

Somali national army takes control of part of Baidoa, largest city in South West state

A shopkeeper in Baidoa, Hussein Abdullahi, said there were federal troops in his part of the city and they were in control there.

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows activity at a street in the southern city of Baidoa, Somalia November 3, 2018.

About 6.5 million people in Somalia face acute hunger due to drought, government and UN say

Somalia declared a national drought emergency in November after years of failed rains, with the UN World Food Programme last week announcing cutbacks to its assistance.

Internally displaced Somali men pray before Iftar outside their makeshift shelter after fleeing drought in the Lower Shabelle region to the camp in Mogadishu, Somalia, February 20, 2026.

Somaliland delegation visits Israel for first time, tours wastewater recycling plant

The visit was intended to present decision-makers in Somaliland with solutions developed in Israel to address water shortages and manage a complex water economy.

A delegation from Somaliland visits Israel.

Egypt boosts commitment to Somalia’s stability with new military deployment - analysis

As part of its efforts to enhance "security and stability," Egypt is sending additional forces to Somalia.

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region, during a gathering calling for Somalia’s territorial unity, in Mogadishu, Dec. 30.

An African bishop’s warning: America is funding its own enemies in Somalia - opinion

You are not building a state in Somalia – you are funding a syndicate that mocks you and fuels the war against your allies.

Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdisalam Abdi Ali, attends an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers called by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah on January 10, 2026.

Why Israel was right to recognize Somaliland - opinion

Somaliland’s six million people see Israel’s recognition as a long-overdue reward for decades of successful state-building.

An illustrative image of a Somaliland flag being held.

Egypt boosts military presence in Somalia after Israel recognizes Somaliland - report

Somalia has strongly condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, marking the first time any nation has officially recognized the breakaway region.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks during a press conference after a meeting with his Greek counterpart in Athens on May 20, 2024.

A century before Trump targeted Somalis, Jews faced politics of blame 

In 1908, New York City Police Commissioner Theodore A. Bingham claimed Jews accounted for half of New York’s crimes.

The crowded "Hebrew district" of New York's Lower East Side, c. 1907.

Somaliland’s lost and forgotten Jews: Inside Horn of Africa's Jewish past - opinion

Beyond the politics, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland reveals a hidden Jewish past, from ancient cemeteries to the origins of the Yibir tribe.

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region, during a gathering calling for Somalia’s territorial unity, in Mogadishu, Dec. 30.