First Independent Mena Newspaper
Somaliland’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, is offering the United States access to a strategic military base near the Red Sea and critical mineral resources, including lithium, in exchange for formal diplomatic recognition. The breakaway region, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has yet to receive international recognition despite decades of stability and democratic […]
Africa has surpassed a staggering 155,000 deaths linked to militant Islamist groups over the past decade, according to a new report from the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies. The report highlights an alarming 60% surge in fatalities since 2023, driven primarily by intensifying insurgencies in the Sahel and Somalia. In the past year alone, […]
Somalia has intensified its campaign against terrorism financing, taking decisive action to dismantle the financial infrastructure sustaining extremist group Al-Shabaab. The National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), led by Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh, reported the deactivation of 575 mobile lines and the freezing of 21 bank accounts […]
East Africa is experiencing a profound geopolitical shift as Gulf states and Turkey expand their influence through infrastructure, energy, and security investments totaling an estimated $75 billion, according to a new report by the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies. This influx is transforming the region’s political and economic landscape, particularly in fragile states like […]
As the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, security analysts warn of potential destabilization in already volatile regions of Africa, particularly the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Though both countries have limited economic and diplomatic presence in Africa, their regional entanglements and alliances could produce indirect but serious consequences. Hendrik Maihack of Germany’s Friedrich […]
At least 120 children have been abducted in recent days by Islamist insurgents in Mozambique’s northern oil-rich Cabo Delgado province, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported, adding that they were reportedly being forced into labor, used to transport looted goods, and in some cases turned into child soldiers or forced into marriage. The kidnappings mark […]
The United Kingdom is intensifying its defense partnerships with Kenya, Somalia, and Nigeria as part of a renewed strategic focus on African security outlined in its newly released Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The review, adopted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, identifies the three nations as critical allies in combating global threats and securing vital […]
Amid a surge in insurgent activity across Africa, the U.S. military is recalibrating its strategy, stepping back from its traditional focus on governance and development to emphasize burden-sharing and self-reliance among African partners. At the recent African Lion 2025 military exercise — the continent’s largest — Gen. Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), […]
An airstrike has been carried out by the US and Somali Forces against Islamist militants during a battle for control of the strategic central town of Adan Yabaal, located north of Mogadishu. The Government reported that the strike was “well-coordinated” and targeted al-Shabab group, which had recently raided the town. Adan Yabaal has been a […]
Al-Shabab fighters launched a coordinated dawn attack on the strategic town of Adan Yabaal in central Somalia on Wednesday (16 April), igniting heavy clashes with government troops and raising concerns over the sustainability of the country’s counterinsurgency campaign. The town, situated approximately 240 kilometers north of Mogadishu, serves as a critical logistical hub linking Hirshabelle […]