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Suicide Bomber Kills At Least 10 Recruits At Somali Military Base, Al Shabaab Claims Attack

May 19, 2025, 12:26 am

At least 10 individuals died on Sunday when a suicide bomber struck a queue of young volunteers enlisting at the Damanyo military base in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, witnesses and officials said. The attack was claimed by the al Shabaab militant group.

Eyewitnesses told of how a man in a tuk-tuk accelerated to the base gate, alighted, and blew up explosives within the crowd of teenagers gathered to enlist. Military captain Suleiman reported he witnessed around 10 deaths, both recruits and civilians, although the number of deaths could increase.

At the site, dozens of shoes left behind and fragments of the bomber were to be seen. Another eyewitness, Abdisalan Mohamed, described hundreds of young men at the gate mere minutes before the explosion, followed by a thick cloud of smoke obscuring what happened next.

The military hospital medical staff said 30 people were brought in with wounds from the blast, six of whom were killed outright. The area was immediately cordoned off by government troops to protect the site.

Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab said it carried out the attack, saying it had killed between 30 and 30 soldiers and injured 50 others. There has not been any response from Somali authorities to the militant group’s figures.

The al Shabaab insurgency has terrorized Somalia since 2007, with continuous attempts to extend its reach in central areas. Sunday’s attack is a repeat of a similar suicide bombing in 2023 at the adjacent Jale Siyad base, where 25 soldiers were killed.

The fatal attack came after Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale, the 26th battalion commander, was assassinated on Saturday in the Hiiran region. His killing came in the wake of alleged al Shabaab infiltration into government and security ranks.

Somalia Offers U.S. Exclusive Control of Strategic Bases and Ports

March 29, 2025, 4:50 pm

Somalia has offered the United States exclusive control over key air bases and ports, seeking stronger security ties. The proposal, outlined in a letter from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to U.S. President Donald Trump, includes access to bases in Balidogle and Berbera, along with the ports of Berbera and Bosaso. The move could deepen U.S. military influence in the Horn of Africa while igniting regional tensions, particularly with Somaliland.

A Strategic Offer to Strengthen Ties

The letter, dated March 16 and verified by a regional diplomat, highlights Somalia’s intent to boost military cooperation. The president emphasized that granting the U.S. control of these assets would enhance security and prevent external rivals from gaining influence in the region. Somalia’s foreign affairs and information ministries have not yet commented on the matter.

The U.S. has long maintained a military presence in Somalia, primarily targeting Islamist militant groups like al-Shabaab. If accepted, this deal could secure Washington’s access to critical military and logistical hubs, reinforcing its operations in East Africa.

Somaliland Rejects Somalia’s Proposal

The offer includes assets in Berbera, a port city in the breakaway Somaliland region. This could fuel tensions between Somalia’s central government and Somaliland, which has operated independently for decades.

Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden dismissed the proposal. “The U.S. knows who to engage with when it comes to Berbera,” he told Reuters. He accused Somalia’s government of corruption and insisted that Washington should deal directly with Somaliland, which he described as “peaceful, stable, and democratic.”

Somalia strongly opposes Somaliland’s independence bid, and the dispute over Berbera could further strain relations.

Geopolitical Implications

Balidogle, located about 90 km (55 miles) from Mogadishu, has been a critical base for U.S. and Somali forces in counterterrorism operations. Bosaso, in the semi-autonomous Puntland region, serves as a strategic trade and security hub.

If Washington accepts the offer, it could reshape the balance of power in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. presence could deter rival nations from expanding influence in the region while reinforcing its counterterrorism strategy. However, opposition from Somaliland and potential diplomatic hurdles may complicate the deal.

As tensions mount, Somalia’s proposal remains a pivotal move that could redefine U.S. engagement in Africa. The decision now rests with Washington.

Trump Orders Military Strikes In Somalia Targeting Senior ISIS Planner

February 2, 2025, 12:22 am

President Donald Trump of the United States on Saturday announced airstrikes aimed at a senior Islamic State attack planner and other operatives who had been hiding in caves in Somalia. On his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the airstrikes successfully destroyed the caves, killing several terrorists and ensuring no civilians were hurt during the operation.

The airstrikes occurred in the Golis Mountains region, which was notorious for giving shelter to ISIS fighters. According to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, preliminary information pointed to the deaths of several ISIS operatives in the strikes. This information could not be confirmed. However, according to a Somali government official, who spoke under anonymity, attacks did occur. He said that he supported such an action.

“Somalia cannot be a safe haven for terrorists,” said the official, who stated that the Somali government was assessing the full impact of the operation.

These strikes only went on to weaken ISIS’ ability to plan and execute terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies, said Hegseth, who also highlighted that the operations sent a strong message and further reaffirmed the United States commitment to eliminating the terrorist threats worldwide.

This is part of the US continuing military operations against ISIS in Somalia-an operation that’s been going without interruption since Republican and Democratic administrations. A year ago, this kind of operation killed three ISIS militants.

Somalia’s President to Visit Ethiopia: Strengthening Ties Amid Strained Relations

January 11, 2025, 7:44 pm

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is to pay a visit to Ethiopia on Saturday, a good sign that bilateral relations have now improved following nearly a year of tensions over plans by Ethiopia to construct a naval base at Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland. The visit will come after both countries agreed in December to settle their differences and the technical negotiations by February.

In Ethiopia, President Mohamud will hold talks with leaders of the Ethiopian nation to “strengthen bilateral relations and advance shared priorities.” The visit is following Ethiopia’s defense minister visiting Mogadishu on January 2, the first bilateral visit since tensions increased.

Relations soured in January of the previous year after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, allowing the lease of a coastline for a naval base. Somalia saw this as an incursion into its territorial integrity, and this led to threats to expel Ethiopian peacekeepers and strengthened relations with Egypt and Eritrea. However, after months of rising tensions and failed international mediation, both countries agreed to resolve the issue through dialogue, with the visit being a follow-up to the agreement reached during talks in Turkey.

Ethiopia-Somalia Tensions Ease As Defence Minister Visits For First Time Amid Somaliland Dispute

January 2, 2025, 7:02 pm

In the first bilateral visit to Somalia since the two nations plunged into a diplomatic rift last year, Ethiopia’s Defence Minister Aisha Mohammed Mussa paid a significant visit there on Thursday. Relations had soured after Ethiopia entered into a controversial agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway Somali region, to establish a naval base and commercial port. This deal has been met with widespread outrage in Mogadishu, which considers Somaliland as part of its territory and termed the agreement an act of aggression.

The Somali state minister for foreign affairs, Ali Omar, confirmed Mussa’s visit but did not specify the topics discussed during her trip. Ethiopia has a military presence in Somalia, with approximately 10,000 troops deployed to combat the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. However, the strained relationship over the naval base deal prompted Somalia to threaten expelling Ethiopian forces unless the agreement was revoked.

The deal, signed in 2023, is a deal whereby Somaliland leased part of its coastline to Ethiopia to build a naval base and port. In return, Ethiopia was to consider supporting Somaliland’s bid for independence, which the latter declared unilaterally in 1991 and has not been recognized by the international community since then.

As tensions heightened, Ethiopia and Somalia agreed to resume talks in December 2024, after a series of talks held in Turkey. The two sides agreed to start technical negotiations by February 2025 to solve the dispute. While the Ethiopian troops are deployed in Somalia within the context of a deployment of an African Union peacekeeping mission and bilateral cooperation, regional anxieties have grown surrounding the potential blowback if troops are withdrawn, especially in combating al-Shabaab. Somalia had reacted to Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland by deepening its relations with Ethiopia’s regional arch-rivals, Egypt and Eritrea.

This visit could signal a potential thaw in relations, as both countries seek to address their differences while continuing to combat regional threats.

Somalia: Tensions Soar Between Jubbaland And Federal Government After Drone Strikes

December 11, 2024, 3:30 pm

Fighting has broken out between Somalia’s semi-autonomous Jubaland region and the federal government, marking a significant escalation in tensions after Jubbaland conducted elections against the advice of Mogadishu.

Adan Ahmed Haji, the assistant security minister of Jubaland, reported during a press conference on Wednesday that federal forces from Mogadishu attacked Jubaland forces in Ras Kamboni using drones earlier in the day.

The federal government’s Information Minister Daud Aweis and Interior Minister Yusuf Ali have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the incident.

The unrest follows Jubaland’s re-election of Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe as regional president for a third term in late November, despite opposition from the national government. Jubaland, which borders Kenya and Ethiopia, is one of Somalia’s five semi-autonomous states and has historically had strained relations with Mogadishu.

The situation underscores the fragility of Somalia’s federal structure and raises concerns about further escalation in the already volatile region.

Somalia, Puntland Executes 10 Al-Shabaab Fighters Amid Ongoing Conflict

August 18, 2024, 12:56 pm

On Saturday, Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, executed ten fighters from the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. The executions, carried out by firing squad in Galkayo, were the result of a military court trial that convicted the fighters of involvement in multiple assassinations and bombings in the city.

According to police sources cited by AFP, the fighters had previously been sentenced to death by the supreme court of the armed forces for their role in violent attacks in Galkayo.

Al-Shabaab’s Decline and Recent Attacks

Al-Shabaab, an Islamist extremist group with ties to al-Qaeda, emerged in the early 2000s with the aim of establishing an Islamic state in Somalia. Despite initially gaining support by promising security, the group’s reputation was severely damaged when it rejected Western food aid during the 2011 drought and famine, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

For nearly two decades, al-Shabaab has been engaged in a violent campaign to overthrow Somalia’s central government and impose its strict interpretation of sharia law. Recent months have seen a resurgence in violence, including a suicide bombing and gun attack on a busy beach in Mogadishu that killed 37 people. In June, a car bomb at a cafe in the capital claimed five lives, and in March, an hours-long siege on a hotel resulted in three deaths and 27 injuries.

The conflict in Somalia continues as al-Shabaab remains a significant threat to stability and security in the region.

Deadly Beach Explosion In Mogadishu Kills 32, Injures 63; Government Blames al Shabaab

August 3, 2024, 7:04 pm

At least 32 civilians were killed and 63 injured in an explosion at a popular beach in the Somali capital Mogadishu late on Friday evening, police reported. The Somali government has blamed the attack on the militant Islamist group al Shabaab.

This attack marks the deadliest incident in the Horn of Africa country since twin car bombs detonated near a busy market intersection in October 2022, which resulted in at least 100 fatalities and 300 injuries.

In addition to the civilian casualties at the beach restaurant, one soldier was killed during the assault, according to police spokesperson Abdifatah Aden. One of the attackers detonated a suicide bomb, while three others were killed by security forces. Another attacker was captured alive, Aden added.

Although al Shabaab has not yet claimed responsibility for the explosion, the al Qaeda-linked group has been behind similar attacks in the past, including the 2022 car bombings.

Hassan Farah, a survivor, recounted the harrowing experience: “I was in the restaurant sipping coffee and having a good chat with friends when I saw a big man running. In a second, there was something like lightning and a huge blast. We were covered with smoke. Inside and outside the restaurant, many people were lying on the floor while others were bleeding and crying.”

By Saturday morning, the beach was littered with sandals and shoes left behind by people fleeing the scene.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre convened with security agencies following the attack and devised plans to bolster the city’s security, as stated by the president’s office in a post on X.

“The government is determined to eliminate the terrorists. The terrorists want to terrify the civilians. Let the civilians report the terrorists hiding among them,” the post read. The Somali government typically uses the term “terrorist” to refer to al Shabaab, though without directly naming the group.

Al Shabaab, which once controlled large areas of Somalia, has been pushed back by government counteroffensives since 2022. However, the militants continue to conduct significant attacks on government, commercial, and military targets.

Indian Navy brings 9 pirates caught off Somalia to Mumbai, hands over to local police

April 4, 2024, 12:07 pm

The Indian Navy apprehended all nine pirates involved in piracy after successful anti-piracy operations conducted by INS Trishul and INS Sumedha east of Somalia on March 29. The operations led to the rescue of FV Al Kambar and its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals. “INS Trishul arrived in Mumbai on 3 April and handed over all nine pirates to the local police for further legal action by the Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022,” the Indian Navy said. The Navy reaffirmed its resolve to safeguard all merchant shipping and seafarers transiting in IOR irrespective of their nationality.

“On March 30, 23 Pakistani nationals were rescued from the clutches of Somali pirates during a daring 12-hour-long operation in the Arabian Sea,” said the Indian Navy. INS Sumedha intercepted the hijacked vessel, FV Al-Kambar, joined by INS Trishul, which bolstered the operation. “Utilizing their tactical expertise and strategic coordination, Indian naval forces initiated negotiations with the pirates, compelling them to surrender without bloodshed,” the Navy added.

Following the successful apprehension of the pirates, Indian Naval specialist teams embarked on the FV Al-Kambar to undertake thorough sanitization and seaworthiness checks. These meticulous examinations aim to ensure the vessel’s safety before escorting it to a secure area, enabling the resumption of normal fishing activities for its crew.

“On March 29, the Indian Navy responded to a potential piracy attack on an Iranian fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea and diverted two naval ships to intercept the hijacked vessel,” the statement added. The hijacked fishing vessel was intercepted on March 29. “Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and safety of seafarers, irrespective of nationalities,” the statement concluded.

Two blasts jolt Somalia’s capital, leaving 30 dead

October 30, 2022, 12:22 pm

Two car bombs exploded on Saturday at a busy junction in the capital of Somalia, close to important government buildings, inflicting “scores of civilian victims,” including children, according to national police. Despite worries that there may be many more, one hospital employee tallied at least 30 bodies.

When the president, prime minister, and other senior officials met to discuss stepping up efforts to confront violent extremism, particularly by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab organisation that frequently attacks the city, the attack in Mogadishu took place. Additionally, it happened five years after a similar large explosion left over 500 dead in the same place.

No one immediately took blame. Al-Shabab hardly ever claims attacks that result in the deaths of numerous civilians, like in the 2017 explosion. Al-Shabab was specifically accused for the incident by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who described it as “cruel and cowardly.”

A volunteer at the Medina hospital, Hassan Osman, said “out of the total of at least 30 dead people brought to the hospital, the majority of them are women. I have seen this with my own eyes.” At the hospital and elsewhere, frantic relatives peeked under plastic sheeting and into body bags, looking for loved ones.

The Aamin ambulance service said they had collected at least 35 wounded. One ambulance responding to the first attack was destroyed by the second blast, director Abdulkadir Adan added in a tweet.

“I was 100 meters away when the second blast occurred,” witness Abdirazak Hassan said. “I couldn’t count the bodies on the ground due to the (number of) fatalities.” He said the first blast hit the perimeter wall of the education ministry, where street vendors and money changers were located.

The second explosion, according to an Associated Press reporter on the site, happened during noon in front of a busy restaurant. In a location with several restaurants and hotels, the explosions destroyed tuk-tuks and other cars. He reported seeing “several” bodies, many of which he claimed to be civilians using public transportation.

The Somali Journalists Syndicate, citing colleagues and police, said one journalist was killed and two others wounded by the second blast while rushing to the scene of the first.

The incident took place at the same intersection where a sizable al-Shabab vehicle explosion in 2017 left more than 500 people dead.

The government of Somalia has been waging a prominent new effort against the terrorist group that the US has dubbed one of al-deadliest Qaida’s outfits. The extremists, who have recently been the target of numerous U.S. bombings and control sizable portions of central and southern Somalia, have been described by the president as being in “total war.”

In retaliation, the radicals have murdered key clan chiefs, ostensibly in a bid to discourage support for that government offensive.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said the attack would not dampen the public uprising against al-Shabab, and he and the president expressed the government’s determination to wipe out the extremist group.