Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Nine months after their abduction near the Kenyan border town of Moyale, Marsabet County, two South Korean nationals have appeared in a newly released video showing them alive but in distress inside Somalia. The video, which surfaced on social media on Monday, features humanitarian worker and reportedly missionaries David Ian Lee and his mother-in-law Hiwi Sokk Cheon, who were kidnapped on August 12, 2024, by suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists from their home in the village of Odda, near the Kenya–Ethiopia border. In the three-minute footage reviewed by WAJ, David Ian Lee is seen pleading for help from the South Korean government.…

South Sudan has resumed oil exports through Sudan after a months-long disruption caused by damage to a critical pipeline amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The development offers a major financial lifeline to Juba, which depends on oil revenues for nearly 98% of its national budget. The flow of crude oil resumed on January 8, 2025, after successful repairs to a damaged section of the pipeline passing through conflict-affected areas of Sudan. The pipeline services oil production from Blocks 3 and 7 in South Sudan and ends at Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The repairs were made possible through…

Khartoum — Once a battleground echoing with gunfire, Sudan’s capital is now witnessing a cautious return to life. Weeks after the Sudanese army reclaimed control of Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), small signs of recovery are emerging amid the wreckage of war. In neighborhoods like Kalakla, which bore the brunt of heavy fighting, the clatter of donkey carts and the aroma of fresh produce from reopened market stalls hint at a fragile normalcy. “People feel safe again,” says Maqbool Essa Mohamed, a vendor who has returned to his spot in the southern district’s main market. “Business is moving…

South African police have rescued 44 Ethiopian nationals, including 17 minors, from a house in Sandton, one of Johannesburg’s most affluent suburbs, in what authorities suspect is a human trafficking case. The operation followed an emergency call reporting cries for help coming from the residence. Upon arrival, officers discovered the group locked in multiple rooms, according to a police statement. “We discovered 44 undocumented individuals—among them 17 minors—held under suspicious circumstances,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo. Authorities are currently awaiting interpreters to speak with the victims and determine the full extent of the situation. The rescue sheds light…

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has unveiled a groundbreaking draft proclamation that would allow foreign nationals to own immovable property in the country—potentially reversing decades of state-centered land ownership policy. The new bill, officially referred to the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) for deliberation, outlines specific conditions under which non-Ethiopians may acquire land and property without undermining citizens’ constitutional rights. According to the Council, the legislation aims to balance local access to land while attracting foreign capital, encouraging real estate development, and generating employment. If passed, the law would mark a significant departure from the current legal framework, which strictly prohibits…

Sudan’s brutal civil conflict took another violent turn as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled the presidential palace in Khartoum on Thursday, marking their second major strike on the capital within a week. The artillery attack, launched from al-Salha neighborhood across the White Nile, highlights the paramilitary group’s persistent threat despite losing control of the city last month. No casualties were immediately reported, but the shelling signals growing pressure on the army, which has struggled to maintain its grip on Khartoum and other strategic zones. Just days earlier, the RSF bombarded the army’s General Command headquarters in the city. The…

Somalia’s decision to ban the entry and transit of travelers holding Taiwanese passports has sparked diplomatic waves across the Horn of Africa and beyond, as tensions around Taiwan’s international status and Somaliland’s sovereignty continue to escalate. The ban, which came into effect on April 30, was confirmed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused China of pressuring Somalia into the move. In a strongly worded statement, Taiwan protested the decision and urged the Somali government to immediately revoke the directive, citing concerns over the freedom and safety of Taiwanese citizens. Somalia has not officially commented on the ban. However,…

Sudan’s military leader and head of the Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has appointed Ambassador Dafallah Al-Haj Ali Osman as Minister of Cabinet Affairs and de facto head of government, in a move that underscores a broader political shake-up amid the country’s ongoing civil war. Al-Haj, Sudan’s current ambassador to Saudi Arabia, brings decades of diplomatic experience to the post. Since joining the Foreign Ministry in 1980, he has served in multiple senior positions, including ambassador to France, Pakistan, and the Vatican, as well as Sudan’s representative to the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He…

Taiwan has voiced strong criticism against Somalia after authorities in the East African country enforced a travel ban on individuals holding Taiwanese passports. The move, which took effect on April 30, prevents Taiwanese nationals from entering or transiting through Somalia. Taiwan’s foreign ministry described the action as politically motivated and influenced by China, calling it a violation of basic travel rights. A statement issued Tuesday evening urged Somali authorities to immediately revoke the directive and warned its citizens against traveling to either Somalia or the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. Somalia has not officially commented on the decision, but the ban…

Abdullah Hassan Mohamed, a former pilot and energy expert who has lived in Canada for over 30 years, has spoken out in defense of the recent Somalia–Türkiye offshore oil exploration agreement. His comments come in response to growing disinformation on social media, where claims have circulated that “Türkiye is taking 90% while Somalia gets only 5%.” Drawing on his experience in Alberta — Canada’s oil-rich province — Mohamed explained: “I’ve lived in Alberta for decades. Here, oil companies take 99% of the profit until they recover their costs, and the Alberta government receives just 1% during that phase. The key…

Leading human rights organizations have intensified demands for accountability after new footage identified Kenyan security forces involved in the deadly crackdown on anti-tax protests last June. The renewed calls come in the wake of a BBC Africa Eye documentary, which pinpointed the uniformed officers who fatally shot three protesters outside parliament during demonstrations against a controversial finance bill. Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) urged swift legal action against the officers named in the investigation, stressing the need for transparent justice. The Kenyan government responded defensively, with spokesperson Isaac Mwaura criticizing the documentary as unbalanced. While acknowledging…

A new political movement is taking shape in Ethiopia’s Tigray region as former interim regional president Getachew Reda prepares to lead the formation of the Tigray Liberal Democratic Party (TLDP), marking a decisive departure from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region’s long-dominant political force. The TLDP, rooted in liberal democratic values, is currently undergoing the registration process with the National Election Board of Ethiopia, sources close to the initiative confirmed. Though the party has yet to hold its founding congress, internal documents including bylaws and policy outlines have reportedly been finalized. The creation of the TLDP follows months…

Tensions in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region escalated sharply this week as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a new offensive on El Fasher, prompting fierce fighting and heavy civilian casualties. In response, armed factions allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) firmly rejected an RSF call to evacuate the city, accusing the group of using deception to conceal military failures. The RSF had offered safe passage to SAF units and allied groups, urging them to withdraw from El Fasher “in the interest of peace and humanitarian considerations.” But Mohamed Adam Kosh, commander of the Joint Force alliance and head…

Five quarry workers were killed and two others injured in a brutal ambush early Tuesday morning in Kenya’s northeastern Mandera County, near the Somali border. Authorities suspect the attack was carried out by militants from the Somalia-based extremist group Al-Shabaab. According to local police, the workers were traveling in a minibus around 6 a.m. near Bur Abor village when they were intercepted by an estimated 10 armed men. The attackers, believed to have crossed from Somalia, forced the passengers out of the vehicle and demanded their mobile phones and identification cards. “Victims were shot while lying on the ground,” the…

Somaliland has announced a suspension of sand exports from its northwestern Salal region to neighbouring Djibouti, disrupting a key trade route and deepening diplomatic rifts between the two sides. The decision, which took effect on April 28, was confirmed through an official directive from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. Director General Shucayb Osman Mahmoud instructed local authorities and companies to cease the transport of fine-grade construction sand—commonly known as ciidda niista—until further notice. “This suspension takes immediate effect and applies to all sand shipments originating from the Salal region,” the directive stated. The ministry cited regulatory enforcement as the…

A United Nations panel tasked with monitoring sanctions in Sudan is investigating how mortar rounds originally sent from Bulgaria to the United Arab Emirates ended up in the hands of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), raising fresh questions about the flow of arms into the conflict-stricken Darfur region. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the panel traced seized 81mm mortar rounds—captured by pro-government militias in North Darfur in November—back to a 2019 Bulgarian shipment intended for the UAE. Images and video of the seized weapons, shared online by Sudanese fighters, clearly show serial numbers that match those declared in…