Somalia

The United States on Tuesday vowed to intensify its security operations against al-Shabab to help stabilize Somalia.

South African Nicholas “Fink” Haysom has been replaced as the United Nations special representative in Somalia by James Swan. In addition to being Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ special representative in the troubled East African country, Swan is also head of the UN mission (UNSOM).

The United Nations Security Council decided Friday to cut 1,000 troops from a regional peacekeeping force in Somalia, despite a rise in attacks by the Al-Shabaab militia in Mogadishu. The council voted unanimously to draw down the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), but left the door open for the council to revisit that decision if violence worsens. … The force's mandate was extended for a year.

Despite Somalia’s persistent security threats, recurrent political crises, capacity constraints and the difficulties in navigating political obstacles to its reform agenda, the Horn of Africa country remains on a “positive trajectory,” the UN Security Council was told on Wednesday.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the civil societies have resolved to come up with programmes that will help empower citizens to actively participate in the affairs of the country.

Somalia’s al Shabaab stormed a government building, detonating a suicide car bomb in the heart of Mogadishu with at least 15 people, including an assistant minister, killed during the ensuing gun battle.

A human rights group says 14 civilians were killed during five U.S. airstrikes in Somalia in the last two years, an allegation the U.S. military strongly denies.

The Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday that he “strongly condemns the deadly terrorist attacks” that took place in the Somali capital Mogadishu late on Thursday local time, which reportedly killed more than 20 people, with scores injured.