Latest news with #SomaliNationalArmy
See - Sada Elbalad
18-05-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt Strongly Condemns Deadly Terrorist Attack on Somali Army Camp in Mogadishu
Nada Mustafa Egypt condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack that took place on May 18 inside the Damanayo military camp of the Somali National Army in the capital, Mogadishu. The attack resulted in the death and injury of dozens. In a statement issued by Foreign Ministry, Egypt, both its government and people, affirmed its full solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia in the wake of this tragic incident. The statement reiterated Egypt's continued support for Somalia's national institutions and its security and military capabilities to help the country combat all forms of violence, terrorism, and extremism, and to enable it to extend its full sovereignty over its entire territory. Egypt also extended its sincere condolences to the government and people of Somalia and to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to all those injured. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Sufis vs. Jihadists in Mogadishu
Soldiers from the Somali National Army at a military base north of Mogadishu, Somalia, April Somalia Jihadism is an ever-fluctuating menace: a local terror one year, a threat to global order the next. Somalia is an exception to the swinging pendulum of extremist power. The al Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab has attacked nearly every state institution, security installation and large hotel in Mogadishu over the past 20 years. In April it captured key towns within 150 miles of the capital, where radicals continue to plant roadside bombs and launch mortars. The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia recently determined it needs an additional 8,000 troops to fulfil its mandate. That Somalia is an incubator of jihad is a tragic irony. Somali Islam comes from the mystically inflected Sufi tradition. The deepest Somali divisions have been between regions and clans—when the government collapsed in the 1990s, separatists and tribal warlords, not religious ideologues, fought over the remains. But jihadism can achieve a kind of institutional status when nothing else functions on a national scale. As a Somali colonel pointed out to me, al-Shabaab had a head start on the government in their long-running war. It was founded in 2006, while the Somali National Army reconstituted only in 2008. Jihadism offers a way out of the clan system and a vehicle for retribution in tribal disputes, with al-Shabaab drawing many of its soldiers from among marginalized clans. The state struggles to assert its authority anywhere, and local and foreign trainers, weapons traffickers and ideologues operate with impunity. The terror group offers its fighters greater opportunities for pillage and power than any other organized force. But there is a religious element to the conflict. I interviewed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud inside the Villa Somalia, a windowless building inside a labyrinth of security checkpoints. The cerebral 69-year-old, who survived an al-Shabaab attack on his convoy in March, said the government was engaged in an 'ideological war.' The president quoted a Quranic phrase as proof that Islam has inherent respect for human dignity. In contrast, he says, 'al-Shabaab are people who get together and kill 1,000 people in one second.' The government is launching a TV network promoting a view of Islam uncorrupted by jihadist ideology. It has twice gathered more than 300 prominent Somali religious scholars for conferences to condemn al-Shabaab. The president acknowledges the meetings were necessary in part because of the low status of Somalia's political leadership. 'When the politician says al-Shabaab is bad, people can see it as politics. . . . But when a prominent religious figure makes a fatwa and says that something is un-Islamic, the people don't tolerate it.' Abdulkadir Moalim Nur, a politician and Sufi imam, says that isn't enough. 'Sufis gathered and issued a fatwa, but who is implementing it? The president tried his best. But you need to have force.' Mr. Nur, an ally turned rival of President Sheikh, had no visible security when I met him at his open-air mosque amid hundreds of white-robed students and followers. He heads a newly founded Sufi political party and has served as a government minister and as Somalia's ambassador to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a position he recently resigned when he re-entered electoral politics. Still, he says, 'by default I'm a spiritual leader, not a politician.' The son of a prominent cleric, Mr. Nur returned to Mogadishu in 2009 after a long period out of the country. For a time al-Shabaab controlled nearly 80% of the capital. Mr. Nur organized a Sufi militia to fight the jihadists. His group suffered more than 200 fatalities in the campaign, which pushed the jihadists into the hinterland. Since then, al-Shabaab has murdered Mr. Nur's son and sister. 'Pre-civil war, there was not even a single jihadi in this country,' he says. 'It was dominated by Sufism.' Since then, nearly every institution and source of authority has disintegrated in Somalia. The few that have asserted themselves are related either to religion or clan. If jihadism is a foreign import, that perhaps raises its appeal in a state whose failure is as thorough as Somalia's: Islamic radicalism puts forth a vision that is unsparing and straightforward as well as global in its ambition and scope. Al-Shabaab is an older and healthier institution than the state it is fighting. The government struggles to produce enduring alternatives to the terrorists destroying the county. Jihadism's foreignness is also a vulnerability in a place that's maintained a strong current of national pride amid decades of conflict. As he sat cross-legged on a dark, hand-crafted leather mat, Mr. Nur offered me a delicacy served at Somali spiritual gatherings: coffee beans soaking in a pool of hot sesame oil, held inside a carved wooden basin. Perhaps the answer to al-Shabaab lies in such Somali distinctiveness—in the assertion of a national and religious identity strong enough to incorporate even the jihadists one day. 'If al-Shabaab wants to recognize Somalia as a nation with known borders and the blue flag, I will invite them here. They are from us,' Mr. Nur said. 'If they want power, let them come here and we can talk. If they want to eliminate Somalia from the world map, we say no.' Mr. Rosen is a staff writer for Tablet magazine. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Middle East
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// PM: Egypt committed to supporting Somali president's vision for unified, prosperous state
CAIRO, April 25 (MENA) - Egypt has always been, and will always remain, committed to supporting the Federal Republic of Somalia, together with the international community, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said. Madbouli made the remarks while participating on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in the Extraordinary Summit of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), held in Entebbe on Friday. He emphasized Egypt's unwavering support for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's vision of establishing a unified and prosperous state. 'The decision to lift the long-standing arms embargo, the adoption of tangible measures to alleviate Somalia's debt burden, and holding the Somali Security Conference in December 2023, have created political momentum that benefitted Somalia's national army,' the premier noted in a speech during the summit, in the presence of Minister of Foreign, Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Badr Abdelatty. 'But unfortunately, despite such momentum, we witnessed a state of uncertainty and obscurity in the international community's priorities throughout 2024, which gave Al-Shabaab group an opportunity to regain strength and undermine hard-won gains achieved by the Somali National Army in 2022 and 2023," the premier said. He added that the establishment of AUSSOM provides an opportunity for the international community to renew its commitment and demonstrate its determination to help the people of Somalia in their pursuit of peace, stability, and development. 'Egypt welcomes the opportunity offered by this well-timed summit for the Federal Government of Somalia and its partner countries to develop a clear approach to reviving AUSSOM, overcoming the mounting threats posed by terrorists, and preserving Somalia's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,' the prime minister said. He asserted the need to focus on mobilizing all necessary resources to enable the Somali National Army to safeguard its substantial gains on the ground. The summit aims to define the roles, commitments, and contributions of troop- and police-contributing countries involved in the new African mission to Somalia. (MENA) M A A/M S H
Al-Ahram Weekly
26-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt committed to supporting Somalia: PM Madbouly at AUSSOM summit
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly asserted on Friday, during the newly formed African Union Support and Stabilization Mission (AUSSOM) summit hosted by Entebbe, Uganda, Egypt's commitment to supporting the Federal Republic of Somalia and the international community. The summit, which brought together the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to AUSSOM, tackled the new mission's financial challenges. Madbouly, who participated in the event on behalf of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, reiterated Egypt's unwavering support for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's vision of establishing a unified and prosperous state. 'The decision to lift the long-standing arms embargo, the adoption of tangible measures to alleviate Somalia's debt burden, and holding the Somali Security Conference in December 2023, have created political momentum that benefited Somalia's national army,' he stated during the summit. Madbouly added that despite such momentum, the international community's shifting priorities in 2024 allowed the Al-Shabaab militant group to regain strength and undermined hard-won gains made by the Somali National Army in 2022 and 2023. 'We believe that the establishment of AUSSOM provides an opportunity for the international community to refocus its efforts, renew its commitment, and demonstrate its resolve to assist the brotherly people of Somalia in their quest for peace, stability, and development,' Madbouly asserted. He stressed the importance of providing Somalia with the necessary resources under AUSSOM to empower the Somali National Army to safeguard its substantial gains on the ground. A 2024 UN Security Council resolution endorsed the African Union Peace and Security Council's decision to replace the anti-terror African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) with AUSSOM, effective January 2025. Egypt announced its participation in the newly formed mission in December 2024, nearly four months after both nations signed a military cooperation protocol. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the Somali government requested the protocol during a press conference in Cairo with the Somali foreign minister at the time. "We spoke about the situation in Somalia and Egypt's support of Somalia to impose its authority and sovereignty on all Somali national land and the full refusal of any [...] unilateral moves that touch the unity, sovereignty and security of Somalia," Abdelatty added during the presser. Last year, tensions increased in the Horn of Africa over Addis Ababa's plan to establish a naval base and a commercial port in Somaliland, a breakaway entity from Somalia that Egypt does not recognize. Egypt has repeatedly asserted its firm position supporting the unity and sovereignty of Somalia over its territories. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
25-04-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Prime Minister: Egypt Committed to Supporting Unified Somalia
Taarek Refaat Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly affirmed Egypt's unwavering and clear support for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's vision for establishing a unified and prosperous state. The prime minister emphasized that Egypt has been and will remain committed, alongside the international community, to supporting the sisterly Federal Republic of Somalia. He also noted the decision to lift the long-standing arms embargo, the adoption of concrete measures to alleviate the debt burden, and the holding of the Somali Security Conference in December 2023. He emphasized that these measures have created political and practical momentum in favor of the Somali National Army. This came during the Prime Minister's participation, on behalf of the President of the Republic, in the opening session of the Extraordinary Summit of Troop Contributing Countries to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), held, April 25, in Entebbe, Uganda. The meeting was attended by Badr Abdel Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs. Madbouly added, "However, it is unfortunate that, amid this momentum, we witnessed throughout 2024 a state of uncertainty and lack of clarity in the international community's prioritization, allowing Al-Shabaab to regain its strength and threaten the hard-won gains achieved by the Somali National Army throughout 2022 and 2023." He continued, "We believe that the establishment of the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) provides an opportunity for the international community to refocus its efforts, renew its commitment, and demonstrate its resolve to assist the brotherly people of Somalia in their pursuit of peace, stability, and development." He emphasized Egypt's welcome of the opportunity offered by this summit, given its opportune timing, for the Federal Government of Somalia and its partner countries to chart a clear path toward revitalizing the African Union Mission, overcoming the growing threat posed by terrorists, and preserving the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia. Madbouly expressed Egypt's conviction that the role of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) stems from a collective conviction that the Federal Government of Somalia must possess the necessary means to lead this process. He emphasized the need to focus attention on mobilizing all necessary empowerment tools for Somalia, and to increase its strength and training programs under the auspices of AUSSOM, to empower the Somali National Army and ensure its ability to maintain the operational gains it has achieved previously. On his part, the Somali President expressed his appreciation to the countries contributing troops to the African Union Mission, stressing the need to exert greater efforts to achieve stability in Somalia in cooperation with the Federal Government. He emphasized that the current development witnessed in Somalia is a result of the support provided by international partners, noting the internal dialogue among the people of Somalia and its success in achieving consensus on many issues. He called on the people of Somalia to rise above differences and cooperate in order to build Somalia. He also addressed the Somali military's counterterrorism efforts, but noted the challenges of rebuilding and supporting the Somali army, as well as providing the necessary funding for the African Union mission to enable it to carry out its work. He also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Somali government, the international community, and all partners to achieve security and stability in Somalia. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. 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