Somali Security Forces

Somali forces have ended a deadly siege by Al-Shabaab jihadists at a hotel in the capital Mogadishu that lasted about 30 hours, a security commander told AFP around midnight Saturday.

At least eight civilians have been confirmed dead in an attack by Islamist terrorists on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, an official said Saturday, as security forces continued to battle gunmen holed up inside.

Somali security forces have rescued nine of the 11 crew members who were kidnapped from an Indian cargo dhow and taken ashore by pirates, said Hirsi Yusuf Barre, the mayor of Galkayo town in central Somalia.

Somali security forces rescued a hijacked Indian cargo dhow on Monday, but pirates took one of the 11-strong crew with them when they fled to land, authorities said.

Somali Islamist group al Shabaab today shelled residential areas in the town of Baidoa, west of the capital Mogadishu, hitting a hospital and likely causing casualties, the African Union (AU) peace keeping force AMISOM said in a Twitter post.

Kenya's trendy Westgate shopping mall will reopen on Saturday, nearly two years after gunmen from the Somali militant group al Shabaab massacred at least 67 people inside and held out for four days as security forces laid siege to the complex.

Security forces foiled an attempt by Islamist militants to launch a suicide attack on a political conference in a central Somali town on Thursday, killing three gunmen and the driver of a car packed with explosives, police said.

Somalia's journalist union on Monday urged the government to ensure a fair trial of three colleagues arrested last week when security forces stormed a major radio station for "negative" broadcasts.

Islamist militants attacked Somalia's presidential compound on Tuesday with a car bomb and gunmen broke through a perimeter wall but were repulsed by security forces, and the president was not there at the time, the interior ministry said.

Security camera footage of soldiers appearing to loot goods during last month's Nairobi shopping mall siege has infuriated Kenyans who had initially praised troops for their courage in battling the Somali attackers.

Israeli forces on Sunday joined Kenyan efforts to end a deadly siege by Somali militants at a Nairobi shopping mall, a security source told AFP.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to partially suspend an arms embargo on Somalia for 12 months for military equipment intended solely to develop the country's security forces and provide security for the Somali people.

Somali forces have ended a deadly siege by Al-Shabaab jihadists at a hotel in the capital Mogadishu that lasted about 30 hours, a security commander told AFP around midnight Saturday.

At least eight civilians have been confirmed dead in an attack by Islamist terrorists on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, an official said Saturday, as security forces continued to battle gunmen holed up inside.

Somali security forces have rescued nine of the 11 crew members who were kidnapped from an Indian cargo dhow and taken ashore by pirates, said Hirsi Yusuf Barre, the mayor of Galkayo town in central Somalia.

Somali security forces rescued a hijacked Indian cargo dhow on Monday, but pirates took one of the 11-strong crew with them when they fled to land, authorities said.

Somali Islamist group al Shabaab today shelled residential areas in the town of Baidoa, west of the capital Mogadishu, hitting a hospital and likely causing casualties, the African Union (AU) peace keeping force AMISOM said in a Twitter post.

Kenya's trendy Westgate shopping mall will reopen on Saturday, nearly two years after gunmen from the Somali militant group al Shabaab massacred at least 67 people inside and held out for four days as security forces laid siege to the complex.

Security forces foiled an attempt by Islamist militants to launch a suicide attack on a political conference in a central Somali town on Thursday, killing three gunmen and the driver of a car packed with explosives, police said.

Somalia's journalist union on Monday urged the government to ensure a fair trial of three colleagues arrested last week when security forces stormed a major radio station for "negative" broadcasts.

Islamist militants attacked Somalia's presidential compound on Tuesday with a car bomb and gunmen broke through a perimeter wall but were repulsed by security forces, and the president was not there at the time, the interior ministry said.

Security camera footage of soldiers appearing to loot goods during last month's Nairobi shopping mall siege has infuriated Kenyans who had initially praised troops for their courage in battling the Somali attackers.

Israeli forces on Sunday joined Kenyan efforts to end a deadly siege by Somali militants at a Nairobi shopping mall, a security source told AFP.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to partially suspend an arms embargo on Somalia for 12 months for military equipment intended solely to develop the country's security forces and provide security for the Somali people.