Somalia

Despite relentless al-Shabab attacks, Somali defense officials say the country is making progress in building a viable security force capable of not only protecting state institutions but also expanding governmental authority.

The African Union says it will delay withdrawal of its sanctioned military forces in Somalia, citing resurgence of Al-Shabaab attacks. The decision was reached on Wednesday by the African Union Peace and Security Council, the 15-member body that decides policy and programmes on security across the continent, following a request from Somalia.

[…] Al-Shabaab remains a strong regional actor and has proved itself to be a resilient force. It has so far defeated all attempts (both internal and external) at eradicating it on the battlefield. This includes the deployment of Somali, western and African Union troops.

The United Nations Security Council voted Thursday to maintain an arms embargo on Somalia over strong objections from its government, saying the al-Shabab “terrorist group” still seriously threatens peace and stability in the region and sanctions are needed to degrade its activities.

A steep rise in civilian casualties across Somalia, largely at the hands of Al-Shabaab militants, has exacerbated an already grim human rights and humanitarian situation there, said the UN human rights chief on Monday.

Somalia's military says it has liberated more territory from al-Shabab, including a strategic town that had been under the group’s control for 15 years.

U.N. experts say the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab has widened its revenue stream beyond its traditional activities, like charging tolls at checkpoints, to illegally taxing properties and construction.

A suicide bomber struck a military training camp in Somalia on Saturday, causing casualties, a military official said, in an attack claimed by the Al-Shabaab jihadist group one week after twin blasts left 116 dead.

Following the Secretary-General’s strategic review of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the Security Council today extended until 31 October 2023 the Mission’s mandate and tasks, as set out in resolutions 2158 (2014) and 2592 (2021), as Council members condemned the terrorist attack two days ago in Mogadishu.

(Somalia President Hassan Sheik Mohamud) said Somalia’s wait to join the community has been a delayed dream for the people and his government and urged the East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General Peter Mathuki, who is on a visit to Mogadishu, to expedite the process of admission so that his country can be the 8th member of the EAC.