Thursday 29,May 2025 {HMC}  A delegation of officers from the Turkish Special Forces arrived in Mogadishu for a visit to the General Farhan Mohamoud Qaroole Haramcad Camp. The visit shows ongoing efforts to strengthen security ties and enhance cooperation between the special forces units of Turkey and Somalia.

During their time at the camp, the Turkish delegation engaged in a productive meeting with the Commander of the Somali Special Forces, Abdihakiin Eeldheer. Discussions centered on key areas of mutual interest, including the enhancement of training programs, the exchange of operational experiences, and strategies to further develop the capabilities of the Somali special forces.

Commander Abdihakiin Eeldheer expressed his gratitude to the visiting Turkish delegation, highlighting the significance of their presence. He noted that the meeting serves as a clear indicator of the deepening relationship and collaborative spirit between the two nations’ elite military units.

This visit signals a continued commitment from Turkey to support Somalia in building its security apparatus and enhancing its capacity to address security challenges. The cooperation between the two countries’ special forces is considered a vital component of these broader efforts.

Thursday 29,May 2025 {HMC} The Somali National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) and the United Nations held a high-level meeting in Mogadishu to assess the ongoing humanitarian situation in the country. The discussions, co-chaired by SoDMA Commissioner Mahmoud Moalim Abdulle and UN Deputy Special Representative George Conway, focused on critical issues affecting relief operations, including funding shortages and the need to optimize aid delivery.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Somalia, technical experts from SoDMA, and representatives from both organizations. A major point of discussion was the recent decline in donor funding, which has strained humanitarian efforts across Somalia. Participants emphasized the urgent need to reassess priority interventions and ensure the most efficient use of available resources.

Commissioner Abdulle highlighted SoDMA’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with international organizations to enhance disaster response and build a more resilient humanitarian system. George Conway echoed these sentiments, reaffirming the UN’s support for Somalia and stressing the importance of continued collaboration to mitigate the impact of reduced funding.

Both parties agreed to enhance coordination mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and ensure that assistance reaches those most in need. The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to explore innovative solutions to funding gaps while maintaining essential services and ongoing projects.

This gathering rflects the critical role of sustained international support in addressing Somalia’s complex humanitarian needs, particularly amid recurring droughts, displacement, and food insecurity. SoDMA and the UN pledged to maintain regular consultations to adapt strategies to the evolving situation on the ground.

Source SONNA

Thursday 29,May 2025 {HMC}  Kenya’s President William Ruto has publicly apologised to Tanzania following days of tension between the neighbouring countries.

Some Kenyans on social media have been targeting Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan following the recent detention and deportation of prominent East African activists.

Angry Tanzanian MPs on Monday accused Kenyans of cyberbullying and disrespecting Tanzanian sovereignty and “meddling in domestic affairs”.

Speaking at a national prayer breakfast on Wednesday, Ruto appeared to extend an olive branch to Tanzania.

“To our neighbours from Tanzania, if we have wronged you in any way, forgive us,” he said.

“If there is anything that Kenyans have done that is not right, we want to apologise,” the president added.

Ruto also apologised to young Kenyans, popularly known as Gen-Zs, who have been critical of his administration since the deadly anti-tax protesters last June.

Some of them have dismissed Ruto’s apology, insisting that the president should resign.

The president made the remarks in response to a call by visiting American preacher Rickey Allen Bolden, who urged leaders to pursue reconciliation.

The diplomatic row was triggered by the deportation of activists who had travelled to Tanzania to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

Among them were Kenyan Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire from Uganda.

The two said they were held incommunicado for several days and tortured, before they were left at the border by Tanzanian security forces, sparking widespread condemnation across the region and from international rights groups.

Tanzania is yet to comment on the torture claims but President Samia had earlier warned that she would not allow activists from neighbouring countries to “meddle” in her country’s affairs and cause “chaos”.

Both Kenya and Uganda had formally protested against the detention of the activists, accusing the Tanzanian authorities of denying consular access despite repeated requests.

The alleged mistreatment of the activists triggered an online war, with social media users from Kenya and Tanzania clashing over the claims.

In a heated debate on Monday, Tanzanian parliamentarians expressed outrage over the young Kenyans trolling President Samia.

The MPs said Samia had every right to defend Tanzania’s national interests.

The legislators’ comments angered some Kenyans who hit back by sharing lawmakers’ contacts and flooding their phones with messages to express their disapproval.

Tanzania’s Iringa Town MP Jesca Msambatavangu said that most of the messages came via WhatsApp, forcing her to temporarily switch off her phone.

Msambatavangu, however, welcomed the engagement, encouraging Kenyans on social media to “counter ideas with ideas”.

She asked young Kenyans to create a WhatsApp group for further engagement and promised to engage them in a live session on Saturday.

“Kenyans are our neighbours, our brothers, and we cannot ignore each other,” she added.

Source BBC

Thursday 29,May 2025 {HMC} Armed militiamen launched a coordinated assault on the central prison in Galkayo early Thursday morning in an apparent attempt to forcibly free inmates, according to reliable local sources.

The attack triggered a fierce gunfight between Puntland security forces and the assailants, disrupting the city’s calm and raising concerns over repeated prison breaches.

While the gunfire has reportedly ceased, officials have yet to confirm whether the attackers succeeded in freeing any prisoners. The number of casualties resulting from the firefight remains unknown.

The Galkayo Central Prison holds individuals convicted of serious crimes, including drug trafficking and clan-related killings, and those sentenced to death by the Puntland military court. Due to its high-risk population, the facility has been the target of multiple attacks in recent years.

A similar incident occurred four months ago when an attempted prison break led to the death of one person and injuries to two others.

Authorities have not yet commented on who was behind the latest assault or whether any security lapses occurred. Security forces remain on high alert as investigations continue.

The recurrence of such attacks has raised alarm over the security of key detention centers in Puntland and the broader implications for law enforcement and judicial authority in the region.

Thursday 29,May 2025 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday welcomed African football legends Samuel Eto’o, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jay-Jay Okocha at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu, marking a powerful moment in Somalia’s efforts to rebuild its global image through sports.

The President hailed the visit as a symbol of progress, noting that the presence of international sports icons reflects growing confidence in Somalia’s security gains and national recovery.

“This visit by our African brothers is a reminder of how far Somalia has come. It also underlines our shared commitment to peace, unity, and the empowerment of youth through sport,” said President Mohamud.

The high-level meeting was also attended by Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Abdiqadir Cali, Somali Football Federation President Ali Abdi Mohamed, and CECAFA representatives, including South Sudan FA President Augustino Maduot Parek and Djibouti FA President Suleiman Hassan Waberi, who is also a FIFA Council Member.

Their visit comes a day after a historic peace match at Mogadishu Stadium, where the football legends joined foreign-based Somali Premier League players in a widely celebrated exhibition match. Thousands packed the stadium in a rare moment of unity and celebration, with Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre in attendance.

Supported by FIFA, the event formed part of a broader “peace tour” initiative aimed at showcasing Somalia’s readiness to host international fixtures and reignite national pride through sport. It also served as a platform to inspire Somali youth and strengthen international ties through sports diplomacy.

President Hassan Sheikh reiterated his government’s commitment to investing in sports infrastructure, nurturing local talent, and playing sports a pillar of social development and peacebuilding.

The visit by Eto’o, Adebayor, and Okocha is seen as a milestone in Somalia’s reintegration into global sporting circles and a sign that the nation is slowly but steadily returning to the international stage.