Saturday June 22, 2024 (HMC)  Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received credentials from the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, Richard H. Riley, inside Mogadishu’s airport on Friday.

Ambassador Riley thanked the Somali government for the warm welcome and presented his plan to strengthen diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two governments. He also shared a message and greeting from the President of the United States, Joe Biden.

President Mohamud also met with General Michael E. Langley, Commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), alongside Ambassador Riley, to discuss Somalia-U.S. strategic security cooperation and joint counter-terrorism efforts.

The arrival of the new ambassador comes amid reports that al-Shabab has reversed all gains made by the Somali National Army in central Somalia over the last two years and is now working with Houthi militants to expand its capabilities.

According to senior U.S. defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security issues, the Somali National Army’s campaign in central Somalia had put al-Shabab “on the back foot” for the past two years. “But what we’ve seen is they [al-Shabab] have reversed all of those gains over the last six months,” one of the officials said.

The country has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from al-Shabab and the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group

Saturday June 22, 2024  (HMC) – At least 38,000 students in the breakaway state of Somaliland, including those in the eighth grade of middle school and the fourth grade of high school, sat for the national certificate exam on Saturday. However, students from Las Anod did not participate.

The exclusion marks the first time in 15 years that students from Las Anod have not participated in the Somaliland certificate exams.

According to the Somali National Broadcaster, students from Las Anod and Buhoodle took the certificate examination conducted by the federal government of Somalia today. “A total of 1,154 students, both boys and girls, are taking the exam, and officers from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education are present at the test sites,” the broadcaster reported.

Daoud Ahmed Farah, chairman of the Somaliland Examinations Office, has made alternative arrangements for the students from Las Anod. These students are now taking their exams in areas such as Burao.

The exclusion of students from Las Anod is a direct result of the conflict that has been raging in the region. The Somaliland government lost control of Las Anod after significant opposition from local residents, which escalated into armed clashes with the Somaliland army. The conflict in Las Anod has seen violent crackdowns on civil protests and driven by deep-seated political and territorial disputes, further complicating the administration and governance of the region.