Author: Osman Omar

The Council on Foreign Relations recently described Al-Shabaab as one of Al-Qaeda’s most resilient affiliates, arguing that it survives by exploiting weak state authority, clan divisions, and humanitarian crises. That assessment is especially relevant to Somalia today. Al-Shabaab’s endurance cannot be explained by military strength alone. The organization survives because Somalia’s political and security institutions remain divided. The events in Baidoa illustrate this danger. After Abdiaziz Laftagareen left the South West State presidency, armed forces reportedly loyal to him continued fighting federal troops. Reuters reported that federal positions were attacked with explosives-laden vehicles during the August 17, 2026 clashes. On…

Puntland matters that should not be controversial. It is one of Somalia’s oldest functioning regional administrations, with its own institutions, security forces, commercial networks, and a port in Bosaso that gives it real economic and strategic weight. Its forces have also proved capable of carrying out serious security operations, particularly against ISIS. The mistake is not in recognizing Puntland’s importance. The mistake is assuming that importance automatically gives it the power to determine Somalia’s national direction. Here is a question, when Puntland says no to Mogadishu, what actually stops? Yes, It can make federal agreements harder, raise the political cost…

Somalia’s African Union mission is under financial pressure just as Türkiye is becoming one of the country’s most important long-term security partners. That makes the growing campaign against Ankara’s presence more than a political dispute. It can directly benefit Al-Shabaab. By Osman Omar MOGADISHU — The debate over Türkiye’s role in Somalia is happening at a particularly sensitive moment. The African Union mission supporting Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab is under financial strain. AUSSOM has faced repeated warnings about funding shortages, while Somalia is still fighting an insurgency that has survived nearly two decades of military pressure. At the same time, Türkiye…

U.S. officials met today with representatives of NorthEast State of Somalia, marking an important step for Somalia’s newest federal member state as it begins building a new security strategy  Northeast State of Somalia is newly established, but its geography gives it immediate strategic weight. Located in northern Somalia near the Gulf of Aden and key regional trade and security corridors. The state sits in an area increasingly important to maritime security, counterterrorism, piracy prevention, and the broader geopolitical competition unfolding across the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. Today’s U.S. engagement also fits a wider pattern. U.S. Africa Command has…

Soo-jeedin Qaran oo Lagu Xoojinayo Amniga Habeenkii ee Muqdisho “Askari dhulka jooga wuxuu ilaalin karaa meesha uu taagan yahay. Technology-gu wuxuu ka caawin karaa inuu arko meel ka baxsan indhihiisa.” Muqdisho waxaa habeen kasta ilaaliya ciidamo Soomaaliyeed. Askari ayaa checkpoint taagan. Mid kale wuxuu ilaaliyaa xarun dowladeed. Boolis ayaa waddooyinka gaaf-wareegaya. Sirdoon ayaa xog ururinaya. CCTV ayaa meelo badan duubaya.Dhammaantood waxay qabtaan shaqo muhiim ah. Laakiin marka qorraxdu dhacdo, waxaa jirta su’aal ay tahay in madaxda amniga qaranku maanta isweydiiyaan:

The return of piracy off Somalia’s northeastern coast is triggering an increasingly heated debate among Somalis online. Across TikTok and X, one question keeps coming up: if Puntland has the security capacity to fight Al-Shabaab in some of the region’s most difficult terrain, why does it appear unable or unwilling—to stop pirates operating from the same general area? Much of the criticism is being directed at Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni and his administration. The argument is not simply that piracy has returned. What is attracting attention is where it is returning and the apparent absence of a response proportionate to the threat. Puntland’s…

Both organizations reported the fighting, but neither fully investigated the evidence behind allegations that Al-Shabaab and Laftagareen-aligned forces participated in the same operation. By Osman Omar | The weakness in the international coverage of the Baidoa attack was not necessarily that every reported fact was wrong. The deeper problem was that the most important security question was left largely unexamined. Were fighters loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen acting independently, or was their assault connected to the simultaneous Al-Shabaab attack reported by Somali authorities? Reuters and Al Jazeera English reported the fighting, casualties, and use…

Somalia’s aviation sector is experiencing rapid growth as several airlines prepare to serve Mogadishu. Ahmed Moallim Hassan, Director General of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, announced that SalamAir of Oman, RwandAir, and flynas of Saudi Arabia are expected to operate flights to the Somali capital. He also said tickets for Somali Airlines could become available by mid-September. The expansion will give Somali diaspora communities traveling from cities such as London and Minneapolis more convenient connections. Those visiting Mogadishu will also have improved access to Saudi Arabia through Jeddah or Madinah for Umrah. This is encouraging news for passengers and another…

Is Al-Shabaab Considering a Taliban-Style Political Transition? Reports of a new debate within Al-Shabaab’s media circles have raised an important question: Is the group preparing for negotiations, or simply testing Somalia’s reaction? By Osman Omar A new discussion appears to be taking shape within Al-Shabaab’s media and ideological circles. For the first time, writers connected to the group are reportedly asking whether it should follow a path similar to the Taliban’s by entering negotiations, seeking political influence, and eventually engaging with the international community. A security report published on August 14 identifies a writer named “Eng. Kurtun Hassan” as one of the…

By Osman Omar On August 12, 2026, something special happened for Somalis watching football around the world. In Salzburg, Austria, Omar Abdulkadir Artan walked onto one of European football’s biggest stages as the referee of the UEFA Super Cup. For many people, it was simply another major football match. For Somalis, it meant something more. There was a Somali at the center of the field, trusted with one of the biggest responsibilities in European football. The 34-year-old Somali referee has been on FIFA’s international list since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. He did…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur (Jaamac) was elected Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People. On Monday, August 10, he secured 142 votes against 30 for his opponent, Abdulkadir Omar Macallin (Daada). Nur arrives at the Speaker’s office with experience across several important institutions of the Somali state. Educated in International Relations at Ankara University, he began his government career in diplomacy at Somalia’s embassy in Türkiye. He later served as Deputy Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), senior adviser to the Speaker of Parliament, Minister of Justice, Minister of Defense and, most recently, Minister of Ports…