Somalia

List of Somalia articles

A line of soldiers wearing camouflage uniforms kneel on the ground while disassembling rifles.
A line of soldiers wearing camouflage uniforms kneel on the ground while disassembling rifles.

The Somali Underdogs Taking on Terrorists

Inside the U.S.-led training program which aims to finally eradicate al-Shabab.

A man in military clothing stands in a street.
A man in military clothing stands in a street.
The remains of a police car in Somalia.
The remains of a police car in Somalia.

Somalia’s al Qaeda Branch Has Gotten ‘Bigger, Stronger, and Bolder’ Since U.S. Exit

As in Afghanistan, Trump’s decisions to withdraw have only emboldened terrorists.

Newly elected Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud waves to supporters in Mogadishu on May 15.
Newly elected Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud waves to supporters in Mogadishu on May 15.

Somalia’s New President

After a long delayed indirect election, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces many challenges.

People fill water tanks in the Shabelle River in Gode, Ethiopia, on April 8.
People fill water tanks in the Shabelle River in Gode, Ethiopia, on April 8.

War in Ukraine Is Worsening East Africa’s Food Crisis

Rising wheat, fuel, and fertilizer costs amid a historic drought could lead to mass hunger and instability throughout the Horn of Africa.

A Somali mother and child walk through the Kobe refugee camp near the Ethiopian-Somali border on July 19, 2011.
A Somali mother and child walk through the Kobe refugee camp near the Ethiopian-Somali border on July 19, 2011.

Climate Threats Are Multiplying in the Horn of Africa

In a long overdue step, the U.N. Security Council may finally address climate security.

Police officers patrol by the wreckage of a car at the scene of suicide car bomb attack that targeted the city's police commissioner in Mogadishu, on July 10.
Police officers patrol by the wreckage of a car at the scene of suicide car bomb attack that targeted the city's police commissioner in Mogadishu, on July 10.

Could Somalia Be the Next Afghanistan?

A similar rapid collapse of state institutions awaits if Somali elites and Western governments don’t alter their approach.

The MV Ever Given container ship sails in the Suez Canal
The MV Ever Given container ship sails in the Suez Canal

How the Red Sea Became a Trap

From piracy to the Ever Given, colonialism left hard scars.

Women queue to vote at a polling station in Gabiley, Somaliland, on May 31.
Women queue to vote at a polling station in Gabiley, Somaliland, on May 31.

Somaliland’s Strategic Case for Independence

Lacking formal international recognition, the territory is seeking to make its mark through infrastructure deals and bilateral ties with key global powers.

Truck at a roadblock in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Truck at a roadblock in Democratic Republic of the Congo

It’s the Roads, Stupid

Armed checkpoints along key trade routes—not natural resources—are the key to financing rebel groups and insurgencies around the world.

Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, commonly known by his nickname of Farmajo, attends the special assembly for abandoning the two-year extension of his presidential term at Villa Hargeisa in Mogadishu on May 1.
Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, commonly known by his nickname of Farmajo, attends the special assembly for abandoning the two-year extension of his presidential term at Villa Hargeisa in Mogadishu on May 1.

Don’t Blame Me for Delaying Somalia’s Elections

Somalia’s president says entrenched elites are blocking the path toward universal suffrage and insisting on an indirect electoral system that maintains their power.

Refugees walk with their goats in floodwaters at the Dadaab refugee complex, in the northeast of Kenya, on April 17, 2018.
Refugees walk with their goats in floodwaters at the Dadaab refugee complex, in the northeast of Kenya, on April 17, 2018.

The West’s Obsession With ‘Good Refugees’ Is Bad Policy

Wealthy countries love to celebrate immigrant success stories, but they are letting many potentially productive citizens fall through the cracks.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, delivers a speech in Nairobi on Nov. 26, 2018.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, delivers a speech in Nairobi on Nov. 26, 2018.

Will Somalia’s Missed Election Lead to Chaos?

The vote scheduled for early February was canceled, leading to uncertainty and a power vacuum in Mogadishu.

A girl walks toward her tent at a displacement camp for people affected by intense flooding in Beledweyne, Somalia, on Dec. 14, 2019.
A girl walks toward her tent at a displacement camp for people affected by intense flooding in Beledweyne, Somalia, on Dec. 14, 2019.
People attend the funeral ceremony of Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Omar Osman, who died a week after being seriously wounded in an al-Shabab suicide attack at his office, in Mogadishu on Aug. 4, 2019.
People attend the funeral ceremony of Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Omar Osman, who died a week after being seriously wounded in an al-Shabab suicide attack at his office, in Mogadishu on Aug. 4, 2019.

Trump’s Withdrawal From Somalia Is a Security Threat. Biden Should Reverse It.

U.S. troops are scheduled to leave the country on Jan. 15, opening the door for al-Shabab terrorists to step up their attacks. The new administration should recommit to protecting the country.

Wind turbines tower over a building on a farm in Colorado City, Texas, on Jan. 21, 2016.
Wind turbines tower over a building on a farm in Colorado City, Texas, on Jan. 21, 2016.

The Best Deep Dives of 2020

Essential reads from a Chinese wind farm in Del Rio, Texas, to U.N. headquarters.

Members of the Somali military watch as firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a car bomb exploded in Mogadishu on Jan. 29, 2019.
Members of the Somali military watch as firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a car bomb exploded in Mogadishu on Jan. 29, 2019.

10 Conflicts to Watch in 2021

The world in 2021 will be haunted by the legacies of 2020: an ongoing pandemic, an economic crisis, Donald Trump’s divisive presidency—and new threats emanating from wars and climate change.

A Somali police officer patrols as bystanders gather at the site of a suicide car bomb explosion in Mogadishu on Sept. 30, 2019.
A Somali police officer patrols as bystanders gather at the site of a suicide car bomb explosion in Mogadishu on Sept. 30, 2019.

Trump’s Plan to Withdraw From Somalia Couldn’t Come at a Worse Time

Whether political theater or not, calls to leave could exacerbate violence and increase the influence of Russia and China.

Hodan Osman on Harvard University’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 16, 2018.
Hodan Osman on Harvard University’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 16, 2018.

Can One Woman Fix a Failed State?

Hodan Osman couldn’t stamp out Somalia’s endemic corruption. But she made sure the country’s soldiers got paid.

Load 10 More Articles
Loading graphics