Faisal
@faisalahali.bsky.social
Freelance journalist reporting on Somalia and East Africa.
🔗 https://www.aljazeera.com/author/faisal-ali
🔗 https://www.aljazeera.com/author/faisal-ali
Been looking into why Jimmy Carter didn’t frame the 1977 Somalia-Ethiopia war purely in Cold War terms & back Mogadishu when Moscow supported Ethiopia.
His administration was signalling it no longer wanted a reactive, anti-Soviet policy in the Third World.
His administration was signalling it no longer wanted a reactive, anti-Soviet policy in the Third World.
October 10, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Been looking into why Jimmy Carter didn’t frame the 1977 Somalia-Ethiopia war purely in Cold War terms & back Mogadishu when Moscow supported Ethiopia.
His administration was signalling it no longer wanted a reactive, anti-Soviet policy in the Third World.
His administration was signalling it no longer wanted a reactive, anti-Soviet policy in the Third World.
Here is an infographic with the figures per country. It also says that these groups control a territory (all together) roughly the size of Tanzania (950,000 square kilometers).
August 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Here is an infographic with the figures per country. It also says that these groups control a territory (all together) roughly the size of Tanzania (950,000 square kilometers).
A new report finds nearly 150,000 people have been killed by al-Qaida and IS-affiliated groups across Africa over the past decade. The toll has risen steadily since the War on Terror began.
22,307 were killed in the past year alone — a 60% rise from 2020–2022.
22,307 were killed in the past year alone — a 60% rise from 2020–2022.
August 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A new report finds nearly 150,000 people have been killed by al-Qaida and IS-affiliated groups across Africa over the past decade. The toll has risen steadily since the War on Terror began.
22,307 were killed in the past year alone — a 60% rise from 2020–2022.
22,307 were killed in the past year alone — a 60% rise from 2020–2022.
The Associated Press has tallied the damage done to Sudan after two years of fighting. Here are some of the infographics they’ve produced:
July 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM
The Associated Press has tallied the damage done to Sudan after two years of fighting. Here are some of the infographics they’ve produced:
July 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The Sentry has released a report detailing how the Eritrean army has been looting personal belongings, gold, industrial equipment, and more from Tigray.
Meanwhile, UK art houses have reported a sharp increase in the number of Ethiopian artifacts appearing in their collections.
Meanwhile, UK art houses have reported a sharp increase in the number of Ethiopian artifacts appearing in their collections.
July 2, 2025 at 10:22 AM
The Sentry has released a report detailing how the Eritrean army has been looting personal belongings, gold, industrial equipment, and more from Tigray.
Meanwhile, UK art houses have reported a sharp increase in the number of Ethiopian artifacts appearing in their collections.
Meanwhile, UK art houses have reported a sharp increase in the number of Ethiopian artifacts appearing in their collections.
The team at Geeska magazine have launched an English-language Somali newsletter, which will also bring you news from the region and the continent. It goes beyond the headlines to examine what’s driving conversations in the region.
subscribe & share: somalibyte.substack.com/p/opening-sa...
subscribe & share: somalibyte.substack.com/p/opening-sa...
June 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM
The team at Geeska magazine have launched an English-language Somali newsletter, which will also bring you news from the region and the continent. It goes beyond the headlines to examine what’s driving conversations in the region.
subscribe & share: somalibyte.substack.com/p/opening-sa...
subscribe & share: somalibyte.substack.com/p/opening-sa...
Bolsonaro insists he didn’t try to stage a coup after Lula took power — he just did all the things involved in staging a coup, according to his own response at trial today.
June 11, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Bolsonaro insists he didn’t try to stage a coup after Lula took power — he just did all the things involved in staging a coup, according to his own response at trial today.
We have stats on the US airstrikes in Somalia.
According to the New American Foundation, the US has carried out 34 airstrikes, which have killed between 33 and 123 civilians. There have been two further airstrikes since the last they reported.
That is an airstrike every four days since 2025.
According to the New American Foundation, the US has carried out 34 airstrikes, which have killed between 33 and 123 civilians. There have been two further airstrikes since the last they reported.
That is an airstrike every four days since 2025.
June 2, 2025 at 8:52 AM
We have stats on the US airstrikes in Somalia.
According to the New American Foundation, the US has carried out 34 airstrikes, which have killed between 33 and 123 civilians. There have been two further airstrikes since the last they reported.
That is an airstrike every four days since 2025.
According to the New American Foundation, the US has carried out 34 airstrikes, which have killed between 33 and 123 civilians. There have been two further airstrikes since the last they reported.
That is an airstrike every four days since 2025.
South Sudan's government, after the blanket revocation of the visas of all South Sudanese passports in the US, has decided to admit a man it previously claimed was not a national of their country, following his deportation to Juba.
April 10, 2025 at 12:56 PM
South Sudan's government, after the blanket revocation of the visas of all South Sudanese passports in the US, has decided to admit a man it previously claimed was not a national of their country, following his deportation to Juba.
The US says that the information they provided was verified by the S/Sudan embassy in DC which is what has caused the issue. Chris Landau, the deputy secretary of state, says S/Sudan's embassy confirmed he was from there, which authorities in Juba reject
April 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The US says that the information they provided was verified by the S/Sudan embassy in DC which is what has caused the issue. Chris Landau, the deputy secretary of state, says S/Sudan's embassy confirmed he was from there, which authorities in Juba reject
The South Sudanese foreign ministry said that the name provided by the individual and his documents were incorrect after they verified them. They have released a video of the man in question, in which he claims to be from North Kivu in the DRC.
April 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The South Sudanese foreign ministry said that the name provided by the individual and his documents were incorrect after they verified them. They have released a video of the man in question, in which he claims to be from North Kivu in the DRC.
The government of South Sudan has now issued a statement challenging the Trump administration's version of this story, saying that the individual at the centre of the row, who was deported by the US and not accepted by South Sudan, is actually from the DRC.
April 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The government of South Sudan has now issued a statement challenging the Trump administration's version of this story, saying that the individual at the centre of the row, who was deported by the US and not accepted by South Sudan, is actually from the DRC.
Another problem is that South Sudanese have "temporary protected status" in the US, granted by Obama, which means that, due to conflict in their country of origin, they cannot be deported. This also comes as the country faces a renewed threat of fighting.
Link: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Link: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
April 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Another problem is that South Sudanese have "temporary protected status" in the US, granted by Obama, which means that, due to conflict in their country of origin, they cannot be deported. This also comes as the country faces a renewed threat of fighting.
Link: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Link: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Chris Landau, Rubio's deputy, says the issue concerns one person whom the US says Juba is refusing to repatriate. As a result: "all visa appointments are cancelled, no new visas will be issued, no existing visas will be effective, and hence NO ONE from South Sudan will be entering the" the US.
April 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Chris Landau, Rubio's deputy, says the issue concerns one person whom the US says Juba is refusing to repatriate. As a result: "all visa appointments are cancelled, no new visas will be issued, no existing visas will be effective, and hence NO ONE from South Sudan will be entering the" the US.
Last night, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state announced a blanket measure blocking South Sudanese citizens from the US and revoking existing visas. The US claimed that South Sudan had failed to take back citizens from its country and urged it to help with the deportations.
April 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Last night, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state announced a blanket measure blocking South Sudanese citizens from the US and revoking existing visas. The US claimed that South Sudan had failed to take back citizens from its country and urged it to help with the deportations.
We know also know who may be coordinating these strikes, Sebastian Gorka. He's got a long annoying title, but he's become a big-wig in US counter-terrorism efforts.
April 2, 2025 at 9:24 PM
We know also know who may be coordinating these strikes, Sebastian Gorka. He's got a long annoying title, but he's become a big-wig in US counter-terrorism efforts.
The US has reported an airstrike which it says targeted IS-Somalia militants near Bosaso in Puntland. Africom says "multiple enemy combatants were killed", and interestingly, it says that the strike was carried out at the request of the federal government, not Puntland.
April 2, 2025 at 9:24 PM
The US has reported an airstrike which it says targeted IS-Somalia militants near Bosaso in Puntland. Africom says "multiple enemy combatants were killed", and interestingly, it says that the strike was carried out at the request of the federal government, not Puntland.
A bit of humour from Somaliland as it reacts to HSM's reported offer of Berbera to the US. The offer would "would barely pass as a badly done SNL sketch".
March 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
A bit of humour from Somaliland as it reacts to HSM's reported offer of Berbera to the US. The offer would "would barely pass as a badly done SNL sketch".
Tekkers: A US judge, who sanctioned a man involved in the sale of conflict gold from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, opens his opinion with a reference to John Milton's Paradise Lost. I'm equally entertained, informed and outraged.
Link: law.justia.com/cases/federa...
Link: law.justia.com/cases/federa...
March 28, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Tekkers: A US judge, who sanctioned a man involved in the sale of conflict gold from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, opens his opinion with a reference to John Milton's Paradise Lost. I'm equally entertained, informed and outraged.
Link: law.justia.com/cases/federa...
Link: law.justia.com/cases/federa...
The Kaan report correctly notes that Somaliland may be seeking leverage on this issue to gain concessions. A previous FT report also said that the US was more interested in a base in Berbera, Somaliland, than in resettling Palestinians there.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
The Kaan report correctly notes that Somaliland may be seeking leverage on this issue to gain concessions. A previous FT report also said that the US was more interested in a base in Berbera, Somaliland, than in resettling Palestinians there.
Irro did, however, add that he wanted to consult with Arab countries on the issue to reach a common position, due to Somaliland's historic ties with the region. Also still not a rejection in light of the gravity of what is being discussed.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Irro did, however, add that he wanted to consult with Arab countries on the issue to reach a common position, due to Somaliland's historic ties with the region. Also still not a rejection in light of the gravity of what is being discussed.
Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Irro, spoke to Sky Arabia last month, where he didn’t completely rule out the possibility but said that "diplomatic consultation" was needed, as the US is an important security and military partner.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Irro, spoke to Sky Arabia last month, where he didn’t completely rule out the possibility but said that "diplomatic consultation" was needed, as the US is an important security and military partner.
In any case, Somalia's foreign minister, Ahmed Fiqi, unequivocally rejected the plan.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
In any case, Somalia's foreign minister, Ahmed Fiqi, unequivocally rejected the plan.
Five days ago, AP reported that US officials had contacted Sudan, Somaliland, and Somalia about resettling Palestinians from Gaza. Sudan rejected the proposal outright, while Somali officials denied any contact had been made. And just yesterday Somalia said again no contact had been made.
March 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Five days ago, AP reported that US officials had contacted Sudan, Somaliland, and Somalia about resettling Palestinians from Gaza. Sudan rejected the proposal outright, while Somali officials denied any contact had been made. And just yesterday Somalia said again no contact had been made.