Somali Prime Minister Unveiled His Cabinet
Mogadishu (Alshahid) – Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed unveiled his new cabinet consisting of 18 ministers, a drastic reduction of his predecessor’s 39 bloated ministerial posts. “The Somali people and the international community were waiting for a competent and credible Somali cabinet, and I am happy to appoint this lean but capable cabinet. I call [...]
Somali pirates seize Spanish fishing vessel
Nairobi (Alshahid)—Somali pirates have hijacked a Spanish fishing boat in the dangerous waters of the Indian Ocean after a month of a lull of activity along the coast of the Horn of Africa nation, a regional maritime official confirmed on Friday. Andrew Mwangura, the East Africa Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP), said the 100-meter [...]
Top UN envoy hails Somaliland agreement on presidential elections
Nairobi(Alshahid)— The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, hailed political officials of the self-proclaimed Somaliland (north-west) for signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the way forward to holding presidential elections which had been postponed three times, said a press statement issued Friday. The ruling United Peoples’ Democratic Party (called UDUB) and opposition groups in [...]
Al-Shabaab takes over Kismayo town
Mogadishu (Alshahid)—Al-Shabaab rebel group has captured Kismayo town from another rebel group called Hizbul Islam, residents say. Haevy fighting erupted between the two groups early on Thursday. At least 8 people were killed in the fighting and about 50 others were injured. The seizure of Kismayo by al Shabaab comes after Hizbul Islam fighters pulled [...]
Uganda wants Somalia mandate to be reviewed
Kampala (Alshahid)—Ugandan Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga has said the mandate of the peacekeeping force in Somalia needs to be reviewed, new vision reported. Briefing Parliament yesterday, the minister said the African Union (AU) force, composed mostly of Ugandan soldiers, should be allowed to attack. “As per now, the mandate is very restrictive. It is framed [...]
Somali rebel groups fight in Kismayo
Mogadishu (Alshahid) – Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam militias battled in southern Somalia’s Kismayo port on Thursday, killing at least seven people and the fighting threatened to spread to other parts of the failed Horn of Africa state. Witnesses said al Shabaab gunmen and their one-time allies from Hizbul Islam attacked each other at dawn. Hundreds [...]
US court to hear Somali ex-minister torture case
WASHINGTON- The U.S. Supreme Court said on Wednesday it will rule on whether a former Somali prime minister is protected by sovereign immunity from a lawsuit seeking to hold him responsible for torture and human rights abuses. The justices agreed to review a ruling by a U.S. appeals court that allowed the lawsuit to proceed [...]
Meeting opens in Djibouti for the police commanders of East Africa
Djibouti (Alshahid) – Meeting has opened in Djibouti for the police commanders of East African countries on Tuesday which will continue for three days. The agenda of the meeting is about fighting criminals, stopping illegal migration, and the terrorism issues. Djibouti police commander, Colonel Abdullaahi Abdi Farah, said 13 countries attended in the meeting which [...]