Author: Omar Salad

Based in Mogadishu, Omar is an IT specialist with a unique perspective shaped by his studies in political science. He applies this combined expertise to Somalia's recovery process, having facilitated and contributed to numerous strategic meetings on the subject.

New constitution divides Somali leadership

Can Somalia’s Fragile State Survive Its Sweeping Constitutional Gamble?

A fierce political battle is underway in Somalia’s capital following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s endorsement of a new constitution…

Farmaajo’s Home: A People’s Gift or a Political Statement?

The construction of the house belonging to former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in the Marka district, specifically in the Eljaalle area, has re-entered the country’s political discourse…

Somalia’s Quiet Entanglement in Sudan’s War

Somalia has not officially chosen a side in Sudan’s civil war. Yet, through silence and deniability, it finds itself entangled in the conflict—a quiet entanglement that exposes the deep vulnerability of its fragmented state…

Power and Impunity: MPs expose Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Today, the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stands at the centre of an intensifying storm driven by persistent allegations from opposition lawmakers, growing public scrutiny, and deepening institutional tensions.

Qoorqoor now tops Al-Shabab’s hit list

The government’s war against Al-Shabab is escalating and causing casualties on both sides. Government forces and Ma’awisley militias have made significant progress, with Al-Shabab leaders either eliminated or surrendering in some areas. Besides fighting back with all they got, the ragtag violent organization has increased its suicide attacks against Somali personalities on its hit list. […]

Somali president partially reshuffles army leadership

In response to criticism on his war strategy against Al-Shabab, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, facing countless setbacks, made changes to the army leadership. Brigadier General Madey Nurey Sheikh Ufurow was appointed deputy commander of the armed forces. General Madey served as Admiral of the Somali Maritime Forces during Hassan’s previous term. He is from the […]

How is the President’s Quest for the Lifting of the Arms Embargo Perceived in Somalia

On June 22, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud pleaded his government’s case for the United Nations to lift the arms embargo imposed on Somalia since 1992, at the height of the civil war.

Political Feud over Puntland Leadership, between Collision and Collusion

The political feud between President Hassan Mohamoud and Said Deni escalated on May 8 when Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre of the federal government attacked Deni’s leadership of Puntland. The feud, however, has raised many eyebrows and even left some wary of the real purpose of this conflict. Prime Minister Barre accused Deni of obstructing […]

Controversy around the Presidential Envoy on Somaliland

Saturday’s presidential appointment of Abdirashi Guled as special envoy for Somaliland relations sparked an outcry among the Somali public who sees it as poor leadership and gross injustice towards the victims of Hargeisa’s secessionists in the Sool region.

Las Anod: Under a Rain of Bullets and Shells

Since Monday, the day when the public consultation conference chaired by the local Garaads, traditional chiefs, was preparing to make public their agreement on the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) region self-rule, the city of Las Anod has been subjected to a rain of bullets and shells. The shelling of Las Anod and surrounding fighting […]

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Canadian Forces Abuses In Somalia, 29 Years Later (15,943)
Canadian soldiers sent to Somalia as part of the global humanitarian effort captured a 16 year-old child named Shidane Abukar Arone and viciously tortured him to death in their camp.
The Reason Behind the Erroneous Assumption that Somalis are Caucasian (15,509)
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a belief known as the Hamitic theory gained popularity as an anthropological and linguistic theory.
Dila Massacre 1991 (14,683)
The Dila Massacre, the focal atrocity, involved a series of clan-based mass executions carried out by rebels of the Somali National Movement (SNM), dominated by the Isaaq clan, against the townspeople just after the collapse of the Somali government in early February 1991.
Borama Massacre: The Right To Remember (13,788)
After three decades, the right to remember the victims of the Borama massacre and to speak publicly about the killings committed by the SNM militia is still banned by the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
How Foreign Lobbying for Somaliland Ignores a Tinderbox (10,867)
Foreign lobbyists campaigning for Somaliland base their arguments on carefully selected clichés or guided tours in Hargeisa...
Why the 1969 Revolution is still relevant today (8,627)
Today is the anniversary of the October 21, 1969 revolution that put the armed forces in control of Somalia. It all started with a bloodless coup after the assassination of the first democratically elected president, Abdirashi Ali Sharmarke, on October 15, 1969.
How Las Anod Killings Initiated SSC Self-rule (7,256)
By attempting to violently stifle the power of the people, the oppressive secessionist regime of Somaliland not only hastened its downfall but began the countdown to self-rule for Sol, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC).
The Flag Martyrs Of Somaliland (7,101)
Young people, girls and boys, who were celebrating the country's independence on June 26 outside the city of Borama were seized by police and then were taken to Hargeisa, Gabiley and Mandera Prison...
Factors Impeding Somalia-Somaliland Talks (6,968)
the issues I have discussed will provide readers with valuable insights into the factors impeding Somalia–Somaliland talks. I believe this will empower them to challenge the political elites who benefit from the status quo...
Awdal to Break Free from Somaliland (6,894)
Now that Las Anod regained its freedom, all eyes are on Awdal to break free from Somaliland oppressive choke-hold.
The 4.5 Clan Model: A Somali-owned Solution (6,418)
For decades, Somalia has been using a clan-power sharing model known as “4.5”. Some believe the model has an external origin (Sodere, 1997) and was institutionalized in the Arta (2000) peace process, in Djibouti. In reality, the initial shape of this model was locally devised in January 1991.
How Roble Prepared For His Coup Attempt (5,934)
Few people expected that Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, described as a peacemaker for his apparent neutrality and his apolitical past, would be at the origin of this new crisis.
Somalia Elects Parliament Speakers Amid Controversy (5,929)
Following a tumultuous week, the two chambers of the 11th Somali parliament, whose members were sworn in on April 14, finally elected their speakers...
How Abiy’s Red Sea Speech Aims to Reshape the Horn of Africa (5,832)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's obsession with access to the Red Sea came to light after the broadcast, on October 13, of a speech to parliamentarians...
The Irir Samaale Ploy to Divide and Perpetuate Chaos (5,747)
The clan-based political alliance around Irir Samaale, hatched by the Djiboutian president and his allies in Somalia, the president of the federal government and the head of the separatist region of Somaliland, has recently caused concern among the Somali public...