Thursday 19, June ,2025 {HMC}  At least 25 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed when the Somali military carried out precision airstrikes on the terror group’s positions in the Lower Juba region, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

“The Somali National Army’s elite Danab forces, supported by international partners, carried out precision airstrikes on Al-Shabaab positions in Maqooqaha, approx. 100km (62 miles) NW of Kismayo, Lower Jubba,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

It said the operation struck a key command center used for planning terror attacks and the site “sustained heavy structural damage.”

Kismayo is a major port city in southern Somalia and is the administrative capital of Jubaland state, 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the national capital of Mogadishu.

Somalia has long been plagued by insecurity, with al-Shabaab and ISIS (Daesh) posing the most serious threats.

Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting government officials and military personnel.

Source

Thursday 19, June ,2025 {HMC}  Russia is telling the United States not to strike Iran because it would radically destabilise the Middle East, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday, and Moscow said Israeli strikes risked triggering a nuclear catastrophe.

Russia signed a strategic partnership with Iran in January and also has a relationship with Israel, although it has been strained by Moscow’s war in Ukraine. A Russian offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict has not been taken up.

Ryabkov, speaking on the sidelines of an economic forum in St Petersburg, told Interfax news agency Moscow was urging Washington to refrain from direct involvement.
“This would be a step that would radically destabilise the entire situation,” Interfax cited Ryabkov as saying, and criticising such “speculative, conjectural options.”

The head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, has said the situation between Iran and Israel is now critical and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure meant the world was “millimetres” from catastrophe.

“Nuclear facilities are being struck,” she told Reuters, adding that the U.N. nuclear safety watchdog had already noted specific damage.

“Where is the (concern from the) entire world community? Where are all the environmentalists? I don’t know if they think they are far away and that this (radiation) wave won’t reach them. Well, let them read what happened at Fukushima,” she said, referring to the 2011 accident at the Japanese nuclear plant.

Israel says it has struck Iranian nuclear facilities to prevent Tehran developing an atomic weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear arms.

RUSSIAN OFFER TO MEDIATE

In a 20-year strategic partnership pact signed in January by President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Russia did not undertake to help Tehran militarily and is under no obligation to do so despite the countries’ close military ties.

Putin, who has already lost an important partner in the Middle East with the fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad last December, spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Saturday. He offered Moscow’s services as a mediator, which Trump said he was open to before demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

A source familiar with U.S. internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options including joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser, has said the conflict – though opposed by Russia – could yield some benefits to Moscow including higher oil prices, more appetite from China for Russian oil because of difficulties sourcing Iranian oil and a reallocation of U.S. military resources away from Ukraine.

Reporting by Reuters Moscow buro; Writing by Andrew Osborn, Lucy Papachristou and Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Timothy Heritage

Source

Thursday 19, June ,2025 {HMC} Puntland regional authorities have firmly rejected individuals participating in the ongoing National Consultation Forum in Mogadishu to represent the Puntland state, reiterating the administration’s official boycott of the conference.

Speaking to reporters in Garowe on Wednesday, Puntland’s Minister of Information, Mahmoud Aydiid Dirir, dismissed the attendees as politically irrelevant figures with no legitimacy or public mandate in Puntland.

“These individuals have previously failed in Puntland’s political landscape. They attempted to incite unrest and were rejected by the people. They are a political cancer that Puntland society has already removed — and it will not return,” said Minister Dirir.
The minister accused the Federal Government of attempting to use these individuals to sow division and give a false impression of inclusivity at the Mogadishu forum. He said the gathering lacks legitimacy and meaningful outcomes, describing it as a political maneuver orchestrated by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

“President Hassan Sheikh is governing unilaterally, avoiding genuine dialogue. The people invited to Mogadishu do not represent their communities, and the President has previously obstructed efforts for inclusive political consultations,” he added.

Minister Dirir also criticized Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, accusing him of failing in his constitutional role and not effectively contributing to inclusive national leadership.

The National Consultation Forum, which opened earlier this week in Mogadishu, has drawn participation from former presidents, federal and state officials, influential Somali leaders, and scholars. However, key opposition parties and Puntland officials have boycotted the event, citing procedural and political concerns.

Opposition parties affiliated with the Somali Salvation Forum released a joint statement outlining preconditions for their participation, including the formation of a joint technical committee to define the agenda and timeline, a focus on constitutional and electoral issues, and full inclusion of all federal member state leaders.

Source Hiiraan online 

Thursday 19, June ,2025 {HMC} Speaker of the Somali House of the People, Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madoobe, on Wednesday urged political stakeholders to unite in giving the Somali people the opportunity to elect their leaders, reaffirming Parliament’s commitment to strengthening governance through constitutional and legislative reform.

Speaking at the ongoing National Consultative Conference in Mogadishu, Speaker Madoobe underscored the importance of the forum in shaping Somalia’s political future and consolidating democratic progress. He reflected on the country’s arduous journey toward stability, acknowledging the various phases of state reconstruction and the resilience of the Somali people.

“This conference is not just a forum for consultation—it is a testament to how far we have come as a nation and a reminder of how much further we must go, together,” said the Speaker.
He emphasized the need for a unified national approach to overcome remaining challenges to state-building and constitutional finalization. The Speaker stressed that inclusivity and political cooperation are essential to Somalia’s democratic transition.

Madoobe also reaffirmed the Federal Parliament’s readiness to enact key legislation that supports effective governance, noting that both houses have made notable strides in the review of the Provisional Constitution—an essential milestone in Somalia’s nation-building efforts.

“The Federal Parliament stands ready to pass the laws vital to our governance. We are committed to finalizing the constitutional review process and enacting legislation that reflects the aspirations of the Somali people,” he added.

The National Consultation Forum, which opened earlier this week in the capital, has brought together former presidents, federal and state officials, traditional leaders, and scholars. However, major opposition parties and Puntland regional officials have boycotted the gathering, raising concerns over the process and inclusivity.

The Somali Salvation Forum, representing opposition parties, issued a joint statement outlining conditions for their participation. These include the establishment of a jointly organized technical committee to determine the agenda and timeline, a strict focus on constitutional and electoral matters, and full inclusion of all federal member state leaders.

Source Hiiraan online