Somalia

32 people died, 63 wounded in Somalia hotel attack, Al-Shabab responsible

Police in Somalia said Saturday that 32 people died and 63 others were wounded in an attack on a beach hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, the previous evening. Police spokesperson Maj. Abdifatah Adan Hassa, told journalists that one soldier was killed in the attack and that the rest were civilians. Another soldier was also wounded in the attack, Hassan said. Witnesses reported an explosion followed by gunfire. Al-Qaida's East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, said through its radio that its fighters carried out the attack. Lido Beach, a popular area in Mogadishu, is bustling on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy their weekend. A witness, Mohamud Moalim, told The Associated Press that he saw an attacker wearing an explosive vest moments before the man blew himself up next to the beach-view hotel. Moalim said some of his friends who were with him at the hotel were killed and others were wounded. Another witness, Abdisalam Adam, told AP that he saw many people lying on the ground and had help

Pakistan, Panama, Somalia, Greece elected as UNSC non-permanent members

Pakistan, Somalia, Denmark, Greece and Panama were Thursday elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning 2025. The five members were elected by a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly for a 2-year term starting on January 1, 2025, until December 31, 2026. In the two seats for African and Asia-Pacific States, Somalia got 179 votes and Pakistan 182. In the Latin American and Caribbean States, Panama got 183 votes while in the Western European and other States, Denmark got 184 votes and Greece 182. "Proud moment as Pakistan receives a resounding 182 votes and is elected to the United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-26," Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X. He said Pakistan was looking forward to working with the international community to address pressing global challenges. "We will continue to play our role in promoting peace, stability, and cooperation among nations," he said. Elected for the 8th time as a .

Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, Somalia set to get seats on UNSC

Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia were set to get seats on the UN Security Council in a secret ballot Thursday in the General Assembly. The 193-member world body is scheduled to vote to elect five countries to serve two-year terms on the council. The 10 non-permanent seats on the 15-member council are allotted to regional groups who usually select their candidates but sometimes can't agree on one. There are no such surprises this year. Last year, Slovenia soundly defeated Russia's close ally Belarus for the seat representing the East European regional group, a vote that reflected strong global opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time, the regional groups put forward Somalia for an African seat, Pakistan for an Asia-Pacific seat, Panama for a Latin America and Caribbean seat, and Denmark and Greece for two mainly Western seats. The five council members elected Thursday will start their terms on Jan. 1, replacing those whose two-year terms end on D

Somalia wants to terminate UN mission assisting peace efforts in country

Somalia is asking the United Nations to terminate its political mission in the country, which has been assisting the government to bring peace and stability in the face of attacks by the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab. In a letter to the Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the decision followed a thorough consideration of our strategic priorities. The current mandate of the mission, known as UNSOM, expires Oct. 31 and Fiqi asked for the swift conclusion of the necessary procedures for the termination of the mission by the end of the mandate. The U.N. mission has worked closely with African Union peacekeepers, whose current transitional mission, ATMIS, has been scaling back its presence and is expected to turn over security responsibilities to Somali forces at the end of the year. In November, the Security Council suspended the AU pullout for three months at Somalia'

All nine pirates caught by Indian navy handed over to Mumbai police

All nine pirates involved in piracy were apprehended on Wednesday after Indian Navy ships INS Trishul and INS Sumedha conducted successful anti-piracy operations east of Somalia on 29 March.The operations resulted in the rescue of FV Al Kambar and its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals.In an official post on X, the Indian Navy said, Robust actions by #IndianNavy ships Trishul & Sumedha during #antipiracy ops East of Somalia on #29Mar 24 had resulted in the successful rescue of FV Al Kambar & its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals. All nine pirates involved in piracy were apprehended for further transit to India.""INS Trishul arrived in Mumbai on 3 April and handed over all nine pirates to the local police for further legal action by the Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022," Indian Navy added.Indian Navy reaffirms its resolve to safeguard all merchant shipping and seafarers transiting in IOR irrespective of their nationality.On March 30, 23 Pakistani ...

Mumbai police arrests 9 pirates caught off Somalia coast by Indian Navy

The Mumbai police arrested nine pirates who were brought to India on Wednesday, days after the Navy caught them for hijacking an Iranian fishing vessel with 23 Pakistani crew members on board off the Somalia coast, an official said. The hijacking incident took place on March 29, he said. The Indian Navy rescued the hijacked Iranian fishing vessel and its crew after more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as part of the anti-piracy operation. At the time of incident, the vessel was approximately 90 nm southwest of Socotra. "After the successful operation of the Indian Navy team, the pirates surrendered and the crew members were rescued. The pirates were then taken into custody by the Navy and after six days of journey, the pirates were brought to Mumbai," he said. The Navy then handed over the pirates to the city police, he added. The Mumbai police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, the Passports A

Court orders probe to know age of 7 pirates held off Somalia coast

A special court here on Tuesday directed the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) to initiate an inquiry to ascertain the age of seven out of the 35 pirates, who were apprehended last month in an operation off the coast of Somalia, as they claim to be minors. All 35 pirates were produced before special judge B D Shelke at the end of their initial police remand on Tuesday. During the hearing, seven accused, through their lawyers, submitted documents such as birth certificate, school leaving certificate, etc to claim that they are minors. However, special public prosecutor Iqbal Solkar, appearing for the police, raised an objection about the veracity of the documents, and said it should be verified. The ossification tests done at a state-run hospital revealed that these seven accused are above 20 years of age, he added. Taking note of the contradictory views, the court asked the JJB to launch an inquiry to ascertain their age. The seven accused, for now, have been sent to a children's home

With 35 pirates it apprehended near Somalia, Navy warship reaches Mumbai

Warship INS Kolkata, carrying 35 pirates who were apprehended in an operation off the coast of Somalia, reached Mumbai on Saturday morning, the Navy said. These pirates were then handed over to the Mumbai police, it said. The exercise was undertaken as part of the ongoing Operation Sankalp, wherein Indian Navy ships are deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the safety of seafarers and mercantile trade passing through the region. "INS Kolkata, with the 35 apprehended pirates, returned to Mumbai on March 23 and handed over the pirates to the local police for further legal action in accordance with Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti Piracy Act 2022," the Navy said. In an operation lasting over 40 hours that commenced in the early hours of March 15, INS Kolkata intercepted Pirate Ship ex-MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea based on inputs received by Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre -Indian Ocean Region from UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations). The .

'Indian Navy's daring rescue ops showcase world-class defence capabilities'

The navy rescued 17 crew members of the vessel MV Ruen during an anti-piracy operation lasting nearly two days, with no casualties reported

Indian Navy intercepts Somali pirates on board ship hijacked 3 months ago

The Indian Navy has foiled an attempt by Somali pirates by intercepting their vessel in the high seas off the east coast of Somalia, officials said on Saturday. The pirates had sailed out on board a ship that was hijacked around three months ago, they said. "The ex-MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates on 14 December, was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship towards conducting acts of piracy on high seas," the Navy said. The vessel was intercepted by an Indian Navy warship on March 15, it said. The Navy said the vessel opened fire on the warship, which took actions following international law in self defence and to counter piracy with minimal force necessary to neutralise the pirates' threat to shipping and seafarers. "The pirates onboard the vessel have been called upon to surrender and release the vessel and any civilians they may be holding against their will," the Navy said in a statement. "The Indian Navy remains committed to maritime security and safety

US to build 5 new military bases for Somali army to counter extremist group

The US will build up to five military bases for the Somali army in a project that seeks to bolster the Somalian national army's capabilities amid ongoing threats from an extremist group. Somalia's defense minister and the US charge d'affaires signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday in Mogadishu, the Somali capital. The agreement comes at a time when the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, is scaling back its presence in Somalia. The new bases will be associated with the Somali military's Danab Brigade, established in 2017 following an agreement between the US and Somalia to recruit, train, equip and mentor 3,000 men and women from across Somalia to build a strong infantry capability within the Somali army. The brigade has been pivotal as a quick-reaction force in efforts to repel the extremist group al-Shabab. The UN Security Council has authorised the reduction of the peacekeeping force in Somalia, and the Somali government says it is achieving ..

New India won't tolerate piracy, smuggling at any cost: Rajnath Singh

Maritime piracy and smuggling will not be tolerated under any circumstances, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, adding that this was the promise of a 'New India'

Navy foils piracy attempt on cargo vessel along east coast of Somalia

The Indian Navy foiled a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged, fishing vessel along the East coast of Somalia, officials said on Friday. Indian warship INS Sharda came to the rescue of the vessel FV Omaril with 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani crew members after it came under attack from pirates, they said. "FV Omaril, an Iranian-fagged vessel, had been boarded by seven pirates who had taken the crew as hostages," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said. INS Sharda intercepted the vessel in early hours of Friday and used her integral helo and boats to coerce the pirates for safe release of crew along with the vessel, he said. The ship has ensured successful release of the 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani crew members, he said. "The ship also undertook confirmatory boarding on FV Omari to sanitise and check on the well-being of the crew who had been held captive by the Somali pirates," Madhwal said. "Relentless efforts by Indian Naval platforms, mission deployed for ...

US carried out airstrikes in Somalia that killed 3 al-Qaida militants

The US military said on Tuesday that it conducted airstrikes in Somalia over the weekend that killed three al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants and that there were no civilian casualties. The US Africa Command, based in Stuttgart Germany, said in a statement that the strikes were done at the request of Somalia's government, and they were carried out in a remote area about 35 kilometers (20 miles) northeast of port city Kismayo on Sunday. The statement didn't give the identity of those targeted. There was no immediate response from al-Shabab. Al-Shabab is the largest and most active al-Qaida network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack US forces and threaten Washington's security interests, the statement said. The militants have been waging a 16-year-old insurgency against the weak, Western-backed Somali government, which is being bolstered by African Union peacekeeping troops. The militants have carried out large-scale extremist attacks in neighbourin

Somali extremists kill 1 person, capture 5 others from UN helicopter

Officials in Somalia say al-Shabab extremists on Wednesday killed one person and captured five others on a United Nations helicopter that made an emergency landing in an area controlled by the fighters. The minister of internal security of Galmudug state in central Somalia, Mohamed Abdi Aden Gaboobe, told The Associated Press by phone that the helicopter made the landing due to engine failure in Xindheere village. The minister said seven passengers were on board: six foreigners and one Somali national. He said al-Shabab captured five passengers and another was shot dead while trying to escape. One passenger remained at large. Al-Shabab has not claimed responsibility for the attack. The United Nations office in Somalia didn't immediately respond to questions. An aviation official said medical professionals and soldiers were on board the helicopter that was headed to Wisil town for a medical evacuation but made the emergency landing in an al-Shabab-controlled area. The official spoke

Indian Navy intercepts vessel after attempted hijacking; rescues 21 members

The Navy deployed a warship, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and P-8I and long-range aircraft and Predator MQ9B drones following the incident involving MV Lila Norfolk

Cargo ship hijacked last week moved toward coast of Somalia: EU naval force

A Maltese-flagged merchant ship that was hijacked last week in the Arabian Sea with 18 crew on board is now off the coast of Somalia, the European Union's maritime security force said Tuesday. One crew member has been evacuated for medical care. An Indian maritime patrol plane spotted the Ruen a day after its hijacking last Thursday and made radio contact with the crew, who had locked themselves in a safe room. The hijackers broke into the safe room and "extracted the crew" hours later, the EU Naval Force said. The bulk carrier Ruen remains under the control of the hijackers, whose identity and demands are unknown, the EU Naval Force said in a statement. It did not give details on the condition of the crew member who was taken off the vessel on Monday and moved to an Indian navy ship that has been shadowing the Ruen. The Ruen, which is managed by Bulgarian shipping company Navibulgar, was off the Yemeni island of Socotra near the Horn of Africa when it was boarded, the private ...

Indian Navy evacuates injured sailor from ship hijacked off Somalia coast

The Indian Navy has evacuated one of the 18 crew members onboard a Malta-flagged hijacked cargo vessel off the coast of Somalia to provide medical care after he was injured by the pirates, officials said on Tuesday. It is learnt that the sailor, a Bulgarian national, was injured in firing by the pirates. The sailor was evacuated by frontline ship INS Kochi. "The Indian Navy rendered assistance in evacuation of an injured crew member from the hijacked vessel MV Ruen in the early hours of Monday," said an official. "The injured crew member had sustained injuries during the piracy incident but was reported to be stable. Towards ensuring his safety, the Indian Navy ship was successful in ensuring his release by the hijackers," he added. The official said the injured sailor has been taken to Oman. "The injured crew member was medically managed onboard the ship but due to urgent medical attention required, which was beyond the scope of the ship, he has been transferred ashore at Oman,"

Floods caused by torrential rainfall kill at least 31 people in Somalia

Floods caused by torrential rainfall have killed at least 31 people in various parts of Somalia, authorities have said. Since October, floods have displaced nearly half a million people and disrupted the lives of over 1.2 million people, Minister of Information Daud Aweis told reporters in the capital Mogadishu on Sunday. They have also caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure notably in the Gedo region of southern Somalia, he said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, which has given USD 25 million to help mitigate the impact of flooding, warned in a statement Thursday of a flood event of a magnitude statistically likely only once in 100 years, with significant anticipated humanitarian impacts. While all possible preparatory measures are being pursued, a flood of this magnitude can only be mitigated and not prevented, OCHA said, recommending early warning and early action" to save lives as "large-scale displacement, increased humanitarian

Somali athlete finishes 100-metre race in 21 seconds, sparks controversy

Nasra Abukar Ali, who is said to be 20 years old from Somalia, ran the 100-metre heat in 21.81 seconds. She finished dead last in the race