Somali police say at least 4 civilians died in a roadside bombing in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Police suspect the bombing Tuesday was intended for African Union Peacekeepers who are protecting the fragile Somali government from Islamist militants. The insurgent group al-Shabab is trying to topple the United Nations-backed government and turn Somalia into a […]
Somali Prime Minister Resigns, Reversing Pledge to Stay
Somalia’s prime minister says he is resigning, reversing a pledge he made last week to stay in office after an outpouring of support by Somalis opposed to his departure. Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told reporters Sunday his decision to leave office was made to avert political collapse in his homeland. He said his departure […]
Somali Pirates Free German Cargo Ship
Officials say Somali pirates have freed a German cargo ship after receiving a multi-million dollar ransom. The MV Susan K and its crew of 10 had been held since April. Officials say it will now head to Djibouti. Somali pirates have hijacked dozens of ships in recent years and taken in hundreds of millions of […]
Somali Pirates Free German Cargo
Officials say Somali pirates have freed a German cargo ship after recieving a multi-million dollar ransom. The MV Susan K and its crew of 10 had been held since April. Officials say it will now head to Djibouti. Somali pirates have hijacked dozens of ships in recent years and taken in hundreds of millions of […]
Somali Pirates Rescue Crew as Ship Burns
Somali pirates say they have evacuated 19 crew members from a hijacked ship that caught fire Wednesday. The Panama-flagged cargo ship MV Orna caught fire in the pirate stronghold of Harardhere, on Somalia’s Indian Ocean coast. VOA’s Somali service talked to a regional piracy expert, Andrew Mwangura, who says the ship was still on fire […]
Pirate-Hijacked Cargo Vessel Burning of Somali Coast
A Panamanian-flagged cargo ship that has been under pirate control in Somalia for more than six months is burning. Andrew Mwangura, a local maritime reporter, told VOA the MV Orna caught fire Wednesday evening. The ship, which is owned by the United Arab Emirates, was in the Indian Ocean just north of the pirate stronghold […]
Somali PM Defies Deal, Refuses to Resign
Somalia’s prime minister is refusing to resign, defying a deal made by the president and parliamentary speaker to pave the way for a new government. Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said Tuesday that he will stay in office following a wave of public support for him that included demonstrations in Mogadishu. Mr. Mohamed said he […]
Somali Pirates Free Egyptian Ship Held Since August
Somali pirates have released an Egyptian-owned cargo ship and its crew after receiving a ransom of more than two million dollars. The Panama-flagged MV Suez was seized in the Gulf of Aden more than 10 months ago while carrying a load of cement from Pakistan to Eritrea. The ship has a crew of 23 people, […]
Al-Qaida’s Leader in East Africa Killed in Somalia
Somali authorities say security forces shot and killed al-Qaida’s leader in East Africa during a confrontation at a checkpoint earlier this week. Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was believed to have played a key role in the bombing attacks in 1998 that caused mass casualties and severely damaged U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam. The United States […]
Al-Qaida’s Leader in East Africa Killed in Somalia
Somali authorities say the man believed to be al-Qaida’s leader in East Africa is dead, killed during a confrontation with police. Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was believed to have played a key role in the deadly bombing attacks in 1998 that caused mass casualties and severely damaged U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam. The United States […]