ANKARA, Turkey (HOL) — Turkey and Somalia reaffirmed their growing maritime and security partnership on Monday during high-level talks in Ankara between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Somali Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur.

In the grand theater of international law and politics, sovereignty and nationhood are often treated as interchangeable concepts. Yet history and practice reveal they are not. The Westphalian system, widely regarded as the foundation of modern state sovereignty, presupposes more than borders and flags. It rests on the existence of a shared political community—a nation. Without that foundation, sovereignty becomes a hollow shell, a legal fiction vulnerable to internal disintegration and external manipulation. Somalia illustrates the risks of sovereignty without nationhood. Its borders may be internationally recognized, but its deep internal divisions and the absence of a cohesive national identity render its sovereignty fragile, even performative.

The Red Sea, a vital artery in global trade and maritime navigation, has long held strategic importance for the world’s economy and security. Connecting the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, it serves as one of the busiest and most crucial maritime corridors. Every year, billions of dollars worth of goods, including oil, food, and manufactured products—pass through these waters, sustaining the lifelines of international commerce. Yet today, this region stands at a dangerous crossroads.

As Somaliland navigates the complexities of state-building and democratic consolidation, the experience of other Global South nations can offer timely and instructive insights. One such instructive case is Bangladesh, which has periodically employed interim governance frameworks to steward national transitions.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), in coordination with international partners, carried out a targeted operation in the Hiiraan region on Monday night, killing 13 al-Shabab militants, officials said.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced that all services it provides will now require the use of a National Identification Card issued by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), in a nationwide effort to unify identity verification across public institutions.

Garowe (HOL) — Puntland’s government has ruled out placing young Al-Shabaab and ISIS fighters in rehabilitation centers, arguing that the militants are too dangerous to be housed outside secure detention facilities.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government has strongly condemned a missile attack carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the State of Qatar on Monday night, calling the strike a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

Garowe (HOL) — Puntland regional government has acknowledged it does not have dedicated rehabilitation centers for young prisoners who defect from al-Shabab and ISIS or are captured during security operations.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has convened a high-level expert stakeholder meeting in Nairobi to validate the End-Term Review Report of its Regional Agricultural Investment Plan (RAIP) 2016–2020.

The sharp descent into hunger faced by Hussein Idris Nunow’s family of seven since he lost his job digging sand in Baidoa bears witness to the fragile livelihoods of displaced people living in the crowded camps.

JIGJIGA, Ethiopia (HOL) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has accused Somali Region officials in Ethiopia of unlawfully detaining two senior members of the party for over three weeks, describing the incident as part of a pattern of political intimidation that threatens the 2018 peace agreement.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia plans to triple its renewable energy capacity by 2030, aiming to reduce high electricity costs, expand access in rural areas, and break its dependency on imported diesel fuel.

Garowe (HOL) — A World Bank–funded anti-locust program in Puntland is facing collapse following allegations of widespread corruption, unpaid wages, and financial mismanagement involving the region’s agriculture ministry.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Seven Ugandan peacekeepers serving under the African Union mission in Somalia were killed during a joint military operation to retake a strategic town in Lower Shabelle from Al-Shabaab militants, officials confirmed Monday.

Baidoa (HOL) — Intense fighting broke out Monday morning between Somali government forces and al-Shabab militants after the extremist group launched an assault on a military base on the outskirts of Baidoa, according to residents and security sources.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has ruled out any return to the country’s long-standing system of indirect elections, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to implementing a universal suffrage model ahead of upcoming electoral reforms.

Mogadishu, June 23, 2025 (HOL) — The United Nations has officially removed Somalia from its list of countries implicated in the recruitment and use of child soldiers, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to comply with international child protection standards.

At least seven Ugandan soldiers have been killed in Somalia, an army spokesperson said Sunday, part of the ongoing fight against the Al-Shabab terrorist group.

Istanbul (HOL) — Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdisalam Abdi Ali met Sunday with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul.

Beledweyne (HOL) — Somali National Armed Forces (SNA), supported by local militias known as Macawisley, killed at least 20 al-Shabab militants during a military operation Sunday in the Hirshabelle State of central Somalia, according to military officials.

A roundup of reactions as US joins Israel’s war and attacks three Iranian nuclear sites after days of speculation over US involvement in the conflict.

The Swedish-Somali artist Salad Hilowle stands in front of one of his very large photographs at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.

Hargiesa (HOL) — Somaliland authorities have conducted national school exams in eastern Sanaag, escalating tensions in a region contested by Puntland, which had explicitly banned the tests.

Garowe (HOL) — Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe) met with Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni in Garowe on Sunday in a strategic show of unity, as both leaders push for stronger regional influence amid Somalia’s stalled national reforms.

Garowe (HOL) — The district commissioner of Eyl in the Nugaal region, Faysal Khaliif Wacays, was seriously injured Saturday in a knife attack allegedly carried out by a local youth leader, according to security sources.

Istanbul (HOL) — Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdisalam Abdi Ali participated Saturday in the opening of the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali government forces have destroyed two Al-Shabab weapons depots in a targeted military operation in Aadan Yabaal, a strategic town in the Middle Shabelle region long used by the militant group as a base for attacks across central Somalia.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Army (SNA) forces, in coordination with Ugandan troops under the African Union Stabilization Support Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), have on Saturday captured the strategic towns of Sabid and Anole from al-Shabab militants in the Lower Shabelle region.

Mogadishu (HOL) — The Federal Government of Somalia has announced the postponement of the upcoming National Consultative Council meeting, originally scheduled to begin on June 22 in Mogadishu.

Addis Ababa (HOL) — U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander Gen. Michael Langley met Friday with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in the capital, Addis Ababa, to discuss regional security challenges.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is expected to attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Saturday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Thursday, as war rages between Israel and Iran.

Istanbul (HOL) — Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdisalam Abdi Ali arrived in Istanbul on Friday to participate in the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Jowhar (HOL) – Former head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdullahi Mohamed Ali (Sanbaloolshe), has been re-elected to seat HOP058 in the House of the People of Somalia’s 11th Parliament.