Friday 12, Dec 2025 {HMC} Puntland Police Chief General Mumin Abdi Shire announced on Thursday that Puntland security forces have destroyed more than 100 ISIS bases in the Cal-Miskaad mountains as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations.

Speaking one year after the launch of Operation Hilaac, the commander said the offensive has eliminated the group’s key fighters, reducing ISIS’s military capability by nearly 85 percent. He noted that weapons caches, supply stores, and factories used to manufacture explosives and plan attacks were also dismantled.

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General Shire revealed that the most dangerous technological and chemical center used by ISIS where foreign experts specialized in technical attack operations had been stationed was completely destroyed.
He praised Puntland’s efforts to curb terrorist activity, adding that friendly countries had provided technological and intelligence support crucial to the success of the operation.

According to the police chief, the sustained operations have significantly weakened ISIS, reducing its ability to instill fear among the population.

Operation Hilaac, launched in late 2024, is Puntland’s major counterterrorism campaign targeting ISIS and al-Shabaab militants entrenched in the rugged Cal-Miskaad mountain range and across the wider Bari region.

Source Sonna

Friday 12, Dec 2025 {HMC} The General Manager of the Port of Mogadishu, Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nur (Americo), received a high-level delegation from the Republic of Sudan at his office on Friday. The visiting team was led by the Sudanese Ambassador to Somalia, Abdelrahman Khalil Ahmed (Afandi).

The diplomatic envoy was accompanied by senior administrators from prominent Sudanese academic institutions, specifically Al Neelain University and Darul Salam University. The academic delegation has been in the capital over the past few days conducting a series of engagements.

A key outcome of the meeting was the presentation of an educational support package. Ambassador Americo formally accepted a provision of scholarships from the administration of Darul Salam University. These scholarships are specifically designated for the Mogadishu Port Administration, aiming to enhance the professional skills and academic qualifications of the port’s workforce.

The meeting highlighted the enduring relationship between the two nations and the importance of integrating educational opportunities with critical infrastructure management.

The reception was also attended by the Deputy Manager of Mogadishu Port, Ismail Awmuse, signifying the importance the port leadership places on international cooperation and staff development.

Source Sonna

Friday 12, Dec 2025 {HMC}An oil tanker seized off the coast of Venezuela will be brought to a United States port, according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who floated the possibility of Washington seizing more sanctioned ships in the region.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Leavitt addressed a US military operation a day prior to take control of the tanker. She explained that the US intends to keep the oil on the vessel, despite protest from Venezuela.

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“The vessel will go to a US port, and the United States does intend to seize the oil,” Leavitt told reporters, adding that the proper legal processes would be observed.
She did not rule out similar actions in future. Observers have called Tuesday’s tanker seizure an escalation in the US pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

“We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black-market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” Leavitt said.

Washington has not officially identified the tanker, but British maritime risk firm Vanguard said the vessel appeared to be the crude carrier Skipper.

The tanker was sanctioned in 2022 for allegedly helping to transport oil for Iran’s Quds Force and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.

Caracas has called the seizure an act of “international piracy”.

The US has surged military assets to the Caribbean region in recent months, leading to speculation that the administration of President Donald Trump could be teeing up aggressive actions against Maduro.

Since September 2, the Trump White House has also conducted 22 known strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. That bombing campaign has killed at least 87 people, prompting outcry over alleged violations of international law.

In multiple media appearances, Trump has threatened to continue the bombing campaign on land, possibly in Venezuela itself, to stop alleged drug traffickers.

“We’re going to start doing those strikes on land too,” Trump said at a December 2 cabinet meeting.

“You know, the land is much easier. It’s much easier.  And we know the routes they take. We know everything about them. We know where they live. We know where the bad ones live, and we’re going start that very soon, too.”

Experts, however, have dismissed claims that Venezuela is a leading source for the drugs smuggled into the US.

Maduro has said the pressure campaign is aimed at toppling his government.

Putin expresses ‘solidarity’ with Venezuela

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Moscow’s support for Venezuela in a call with Maduro, according to the Kremlin.

“Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people,” the Kremlin said in a readout.

It added that the Russian leader also “confirmed his support for the Maduro government’s policy aimed at protecting national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure”.

Venezuela’s government, meanwhile, said in a statement that Maduro and Putin “reaffirmed the strategic, solid and growing nature of their bilateral relations”.

The Russian president, it said, confirmed his commitment to Venezuelan sovereignty and “reiterated that the channels of direct communication between the two nations remain permanently open”.

The threat of US military action has brought renewed attention to Venezuela’s allies, which have dwindled in recent years. Currently, in Latin America, only Nicaragua and Cuba remain closely aligned with Venezuela.

Elsewhere, Caracas maintains close ties with Russia and China, and ties with Iran have strengthened in recent years amid shared opposition to US policy.

Critics have accused the Trump administration of using military pressure in an effort to open Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to US and Western companies, a charge US officials have denied.

Source Hiiraan Online

Friday 12, Dec 2025 {HMC} Kenya’s High Court on Thursday put the brakes on a $1.6 billion Kenya-US Health Cooperation Framework, issuing temporary orders after a petition argued the agreement risks allowing the transfer of confidential health data belonging to Kenyan citizens.

The decision by Justice Bahati Mwamuye followed a case filed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya, which asked the Court to halt the implementation until the state provides safeguards for how medical and epidemiological information would be handled.

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In her interim ruling, the judge paused any move by the State Law Office, the Senate and other government agencies, to operationalize the deal, saying the suspension applied “insofar as it provides for or facilitates the transfer, sharing or dissemination of medical, epidemiological or sensitive personal health data.”
Mwamuye also issued a separate conservatory order, stating that “a conservatory order be and is hereby issued suspending, staying and restraining the Respondents from implementing or operationalizing the Health Cooperation Framework.”

The contested agreement was signed Dec. 5 in Washington, DC, where Kenya became the first African nation to adopt a government-to-government health cooperation framework with the US.

President William Ruto witnessed the signing alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

Rubio said Kenya was selected as the inaugural partner because of its long-standing institutional stability. Ruto described the deal as a major boost to Kenya’s drive toward universal health coverage.

Nairobi said the funds will strengthen medical infrastructure, supply chains, workforce training and insurance access.

The Court’s suspension means the framework cannot advance until a final determination is made on whether its data-sharing provisions comply with constitutional privacy protections. Further hearings are expected in the coming weeks.

It comes as Uganda signed a five-year $2.3 billion health partnership with the US on Thursday to strengthen the Ugandan health system, expanding essential services and improving disease surveillance.

Officials said the agreement will support maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS programs, infectious-disease control and public-health security.​​​​​​​

Source Hiiraan Online

Friday 12, Dec 2025 {HMC}The State Minister of Defense, Omar Ali Abdi, represented the Federal Republic of Somalia at the 17th Ordinary Meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defence, Safety and Security (STCDSS), held this week at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The high-level gathering brought together defense ministers, military chiefs, and security experts from across the continent to evaluate the current security landscape and harmonize strategies for a stable Africa. The Somali delegation’s participation highlights the Federal Government’s dedication to playing an active role in the continent’s collective security architecture.

The session focused on critical issues facing the African continent, with a primary emphasis on strengthening military cooperation among member states. The delegates engaged in comprehensive discussions regarding the enhancement of defense capabilities and the necessity of a unified front in the fight against international terrorism.

Furthermore, the committee analyzed ongoing peacekeeping missions and future operational plans designed to bolster general security across the region. These discussions are particularly relevant as the African Union continues to refine its peace and security architecture to respond more effectively to emerging threats and conflicts.

Beyond the main plenary sessions, State Minister Omar Ali Abdi conducted a series of strategic sideline meetings with defense ministers and army commanders from fellow African Union member states.

These bilateral talks focused on accelerating defense cooperation specifically within the Horn of Africa, a region where cross-border security challenges require synchronized responses. The State Minister advocated for robust information sharing and coordinated efforts to ensure regional stability.

In his address to the committee, State Minister Abdi articulated Somalia’s firm resolve to contribute to the African Union’s peace initiatives. He stated that the Federal Government is not merely a beneficiary of security support but is increasingly becoming a proactive contributor to the continent’s stability.

“Somalia remains fully committed to active participation in the African Union’s efforts to strengthen peace and military cooperation,” the State Minister affirmed.

The meeting concluded with a renewed consensus among member states to operationalize the decisions made, ensuring that the African Standby Force and other security mechanisms are prepared to address the continent’s dynamic security needs.

Source Sonna