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.

The Ikran Tahlil Affair Has Deepened Somalia Political Crisis

Monday morning, Somalis were awaken to a deepening of the political crisis born out the election impasse. Mohamed Hussein Roble ordered National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) director Fahad Yasin to submit a report on Ikran Tahlil Farah disappearance within 48 hours after the opposition put a pressure on him. Mr. Yasin requested instead a […]

Golweyn Massacre Victims Demand Justice

A demonstration against the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces responsible for the Golweyn massacre in the Lower Shabelle region took place today in Mogadishu. The largest number of protesters against AMISOM’s presence gathered in Daljirka Dahsoon Square in the Somali capital. The protest was led by relatives of civilians killed by AMISOM forces […]

Has PM Roble Flipped To Opposition?

The publication of two communiques in recent days has stirred the anti-Somali opposition in Somalia and raised questions as about if Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble flipped to opposition. On August 7, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo issued a decree in which he prohibits all state institutions from signing, during this sensitive election period, agreements. He […]

Is Saeed Deni Seeking The Presidency?

Puntland President Saeed Abdullahi Deni is in an undisclosed election campaign, seeking the presidency of Somalia. Although Deni has not yet officially announced his intentions, he is taking steps to make it clear that he intends to take over the seat currently held by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. The reason Deni has not yet announced […]

The Hirshabelle Imbroglio

Since Ali Gudlawe’s presidential election, Hirshabelle regional state has been plagued by internal political struggles that threaten the federal electoral process. On july 3rd, Hirshabelle cabinet ministers led by the Vice-president Yusuf Ahmed Hagar (Yusuf Dabageed) arrived in Beledweyn, Hiran region, to hold a cabinet meeting for the first time since November 2020. On the […]

Somali Anti-Colonial Struggle and How July 1st Came To Be

This article summarizes Somali anti-colonial struggle and how July 1st came to be known as the National Day. The Somali people are among the nations of the world who have long struggled to find a way out of foreign colonialism and to achieve freedom, unity and modern nation-building in Somalia. July 1 is a national […]

Galmudug And Hirshabelle Leaders Urge For A Return to the September 17 Deal

In a dramatic shift in Somalia’s political saga, the regional states of Hirshabelle and Galmudug leaders jointly issued a statement assessing the polarized political situation in the country and calling for a return to the September 17 deal. In their statement, published yesterday, Ahmed Abdi Karie Qoorqoor and Ali Abdullahi Hussein Gudlawe deplored the tragic […]

Opposition Militias Attack Mogadishu

On Sunday evening, militias loyal to Abdirahman Abdishakur, Hassan Khayre and Hassan Sheikh, members of the opposition, attacked government forces in Mogadishu. The attack happened in different locations.

<< Previous Posts

Canadian Forces Abuses In Somalia, 29 Years Later (15,945)
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 (15,510)
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 (13,789)
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 (7,258)
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 (6,970)
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 (6,895)
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 (5,935)
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...