Al-Shabaab — militant organization conducting armed attacks on security installations in Kenya's north-east, recently repulsed from multiple raids on police camps in Mandera County.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… But with the country deeply divided between rival clans, and much of it under the control of Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab, there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets. …
Somalia capital rocked by gunfire and fighting overnightThe Standard
… But with the country deeply divided between rival clans, and much of it under the control of Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab, there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets. …
Somalia capital rocked by gunfire and fighting overnightThe Standard
… o prevent Ebola from reaching Somalia, coordination that now faces disruption from the political crisis.Khaire accused Mohamud of deploying state security forces against political opponents and alleged that troops trained and equipped by international partners to fight al-Shabaab …
AU Commission condemns Mogadishu clashes as Somalia faces twin crisesCapital News
… Speaking in Kutulo on the final day of his three-day tour of the Northern region, the President said significant gains had been made in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants who for years terrorized communities in the area. …
Ruto Hails Security Gains Against Al-Shabaab in North Eastern RegionCitizen Digital
… At a time when Somalia should be rallying a united front against the persistent threat of Al-Shabaab militants, internal political tensions in Mogadishu are diverting attention from national security priorities, weakening the collective effort necessary to combat terrorism. …
OPINION: Somalia at a crossroadsCitizen Digital
… But with the country deeply divided between rival clans, and much of it under the control of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist insurgent group, there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets. …
Somalia declares 'transition period' as presidential mandate ends without dealCitizen Digital
… In February 2026, President William Ruto announced the reopening of the border that had been closed following multiple attacks by al-Shabaab militants. …
President Ruto: Why we have not re-opened Kenya-Somalia borderCapital News
… In February, Ruto had announced that the Kenya-Somalia border would reopen in April, ending a closure that has been in place since 2011 due to security concerns linked to Al-Shabaab. …
Ruto blames Somalia instability for failed border reopeningThe Standard
… The Kenya–Somalia border has been partially closed since 2011 due to security threats linked to Al-Shabaab insurgents.Although the government had announced plans for phased reopening in 2024 and 2026, renewed insecurity has stalled implementation, with only limited trade exemptio …
Somalia border still closed, Ruto saysThe Standard
… And in light of the terror attacks on Kenya between 2014 and 2016 by Somalia-based Al-Shabaab terrorists, these fears are justified. …
Open border, but not at the cost of Kenyan livesInterior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned political players against using goons at events and called on elected leaders to embrace peace and issue-based politics. Murkomen stated that the government has authorised county security teams to take action against politicians ferrying goons to meetings or using guns to threaten residents.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned political players against using goons at events and called on elected leaders to embrace peace and issue-based politics. Murkomen stated that the government has authorised county security teams to take action against politicians ferrying goons to meetings or using guns to threaten residents.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made an unexpected visit to Kenya and met with President William Ruto at Ruto's private residence in Narok County. According to official information, the two discussed bilateral issues and mechanisms for regional peace and stabilisation, though insiders noted Mohamud had been summoned to receive a brief from G7 leaders concerned about Somalia's deteriorating political situation.
26 June 2026 · The Standard →
Terrorist organisations like Al-Shabaab and Islamic State Somalia are increasingly recruiting women for intelligence gathering, recruitment, weapons smuggling, and financial facilitation because their perceived harmlessness allows them to evade security detection. Kenya has responded by placing 13 terrorists, including women, on domestic terrorism sanctions lists and focusing on identifying Kenyan women recruited into these groups.
23 June 2026 · The Standard →
Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama, Somalia's Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, has emerged as the leading contender to succeed Speaker Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe. If elected, Abdulkadir would assume the influential Speaker role at a critical moment as Somalia navigates constitutional reforms and efforts to consolidate democratic institutions.
18 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Somalia held one-person-one-vote elections in parts of southern Somalia on December 25, 2025, marking a historic shift toward universal suffrage after decades in which such elections were viewed as aspirational rather than realistic. The move has drawn both support and criticism over concerns about political motives, security, and lack of consensus on constitutional reforms.
18 June 2026 · The Standard →
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre's four-year tenure has seen notable progress in governance, diplomacy and economic reform, including $4.5 billion in debt relief under the HIPC Initiative in December 2023, but Somalia continues to face challenges in security, federal relations and climate resilience.
17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Fino Special Operations Group Camp in Lafey, Mandera County on Friday evening, firing three RPGs and launching heavy machine gun fire in a firefight lasting over 30 minutes. One police officer sustained a knee injury, and two civilians at a nearby trade centre were also injured.
13 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Fino Special Operations Group camp in Mandera County on Friday evening using RPGs and machine guns, but were repulsed after a 25-minute gunfight. Three security officers sustained injuries, with no fatalities reported.
13 June 2026 · The Standard →
Security forces in Mandera County thwarted an attack by approximately 10 suspected Al-Shabaab militants on Jabi Quick Response Unit Camp in Lafey Sub-County on Wednesday evening. Police report zero casualties or injuries among officers and no damage to the facility.
11 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Heavy gunfire erupted in Mogadishu on Thursday as Somalia faced a fresh political crisis, with former president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo attacking President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for using force to suppress dissent and for extending his tenure by one year after his term expired on May 15, a move opposition leaders say undermines constitutional and democratic processes.
4 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Heavy gunfire and clashes erupted in Somalia's capital overnight between rival political factions as opposition leaders gathered for planned protests against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's announced one-year extension of his term. Armed forces were deployed on the streets as residents reported sporadic fighting continuing into Thursday morning.
4 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Heavy gunfire and fighting erupted overnight in Mogadishu after clashes broke out between rival political factions ahead of planned demonstrations against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's one-year term extension announced in mid-May. Armed forces deployed on streets as police conducted a "large-scale security operation" against what they described as "heavily armed militias."
4 June 2026 · The Standard →
The African Union Commission has condemned armed clashes in Mogadishu between opposition forces and state security troops, with opposition leaders accusing security forces of attacking residences linked to former political leaders. The violence threatens coordination of Somalia's response to an Ebola outbreak, with Martini Hospital designated as the national testing centre now at risk.
4 June 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto said the government has made significant progress against Al-Shabaab militants in Northern Kenya through deployment of security personnel including KDF, National Police Service, and National Police Reservists, and pledged continued commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the region.
2 June 2026 · Capital News →
An opinion piece warns that Somalia is in a critical constitutional crisis with far-reaching implications, as the current administration's constitutional mandate expired on May 15, 2026, leaving the country in a political vacuum without a nationally endorsed path to legitimate leadership.
30 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Somalia's government declared the country in a "transition period" after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term ended Friday without an agreement with the opposition on holding elections. Talks between government and opposition, facilitated by British and U.S. diplomats, failed to reach a compromise.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President William Ruto said the Kenya-Somalia border, closed since 2011 and announced for reopening in February 2026, cannot yet reopen due to escalating war between Somalia's National Army and Jubaland forces at the border.
14 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President Ruto blamed renewed conflict and political instability in Somalia for delaying the Kenya-Somalia border reopening, citing clashes between Somalia's Federal Government and regional forces near the border, fighting between the Somali National Army and Jubaland forces that worsened security, and ongoing uncertainty over Somalia's political transition.
13 May 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto said Kenya is maintaining the Kenya–Somalia border closure due to renewed fighting between Somalia's Federal Government and regional forces, along with political uncertainty including the expiry of constitutional timelines for the presidency and parliament. Ruto noted that Kenya had been progressing toward reopening the border before fresh clashes erupted and that Kenya assisted the Somali National Army to reduce conflict near the frontier.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece cautions against reopening the Kenya-Somalia border after years of closure due to insecurity, citing 72 terror-related attacks in 2025 along the border counties that killed 50 people, despite the border being closed. The author acknowledges President William Ruto's planned formal reopening announcement during Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir on June 1, 2026, citing trade benefits, but argues that security concerns must be weighed against economic gains.
12 May 2026 · The Standard →
Somalia's democratic transition advanced as thousands of citizens voted in one-person-one-vote elections across 18 districts outside Mogadishu, marking among the most ambitious democratic exercises in decades. The elections represent a shift from the nation's traditional indirect voting system dominated by clan delegates, as recent federal government reforms aim to establish universal suffrage and expand political participation.
10 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Somalia's democratic transition gained momentum after South-West State conducted historic one-man one-vote elections, described as a landmark moment for the country emerging from conflict. Low-key opposition protests in Mogadishu saw only small numbers of demonstrators despite earlier fears of major unrest, while security forces maintained a visible presence across key roads.
10 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Journalists in Somalia continue to face killings, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation by security forces, with rights groups warning conditions will worsen as elections approach. The Somali Journalists Syndicate has recorded at least 18 violations against journalists since January 2026, including arbitrary arrests, threats, torture, and equipment confiscation.
3 May 2026 · The Standard →
With two weeks before his four-year mandate expires, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is courting Somalia's traditional clan leaders to support universal suffrage and abandon the indirect clan-based electoral system in place since 2004. Opposition factions and two Federal Member States oppose the shift, citing security concerns and questioning the legality of the president's tenure.
2 May 2026 · The Standard →
A Kahawa Magistrates' Court in Kenya convicted Somali national Abdikarim Hassanow Hassan of terrorism-related offences linked to Al-Shabaab, including membership, organizing meetings in support of the group, radicalisation, recruiting, and financing travel. He was handed multiple 10-year prison sentences to run concurrently for recruiting and radicalising a minor with promises of financial gain and military training, and facilitating the minor's attempted journey to Somalia.
27 April 2026 · Capital News →