Latest news in Somalia? September 13th, 2026
13-09-2026
- Piracy Developments: Somali pirates released the cargo vessel MV Sward and its 17 crew members (15 Syrian and 2 Indian nationals) near the coastal town of Garacad in Puntland after nearly five months in captivity following the payment of a ransom. The vessel had reportedly been used as a mothership during several regional hijacking attempts. Dawan Africa+ 1
- Parliamentary & Legal Approvals: Somalia’s Senate approved a new comprehensive mining law alongside amendments to the national procurement framework to establish structured regulations for natural resource extraction. In parallel, the House of the People held its first reading on the Charter Establishing the African Minerals Strategy Group. Dawan Africa+ 1
- Parliamentary Policy Changes: The House of the People voted overwhelmingly to abolish a longstanding $100 monthly deduction from members’ allowances, previously used since 2013 to cover security-related emergency medical and funeral costs. Dawan Africa
- Diplomatic & Security Ties: Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali held high-level discussions in Mogadishu with Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu, focusing on counterterrorism cooperation, bilateral security capacity-building, and expanding duty-free trade access for Somali exports. FTL Somalia
- Counterterrorism Operations: Somali security forces, supported by coordinated U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrikes in southern regions, continue targeted operations aimed at degrading al-Shabaab operational networks. Horn Observer