All articles tagged with #somalia
US prosecutors arrested Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, in Mogadishu in connection with Feeding Our Future, the Minnesota pandemic-era nutrition-fraud scheme; he is described as the alleged second-in-command to mastermind Aimee Bock, who was sentenced last year to over 40 years. The arrest followed FBI-NISA cooperation and signals the international reach of the case.
Abdikerm Eidleh, the right-hand man to Feeding Our Future ringleader Aimee Bock, was detained in Mogadishu, Somalia. He allegedly ran shell companies, recruited sites, took kickbacks, and created fake meal sites to claim meals for thousands of children. He’s charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering, and more, having funneled over $5 million in illicit proceeds and allegedly paying down a mortgage with fraud funds. He appears to have fled the U.S. before warrants were served; the FBI credited Somali partners for the capture.
A Somali World Cup referee, Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and then cut from the FIFA tournament, returned to Mogadishu to a hero’s welcome, said he plans to attend the next World Cup, and urged Somali youths to be proud of their country.
Omar Artan, a FIFA-listed referee from Somalia who was poised to make history at the World Cup, was denied entry to the United States, derailing Somalia’s potential milestone and highlighting how visa barriers can affect international sports officials.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection barred Somali FIFA World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan from entering the United States due to vetting concerns; he arrived in Miami from Istanbul and was deemed inadmissible, with FIFA confirming he cannot train or officiate at the tournament, while noting host-country immigration decisions are separate from FIFA adjudications. Somalia condemned the decision, and Artan is a respected referee; the World Cup is being hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada amid heightened security and stricter immigration enforcement.
A Somali FIFA World Cup referee, Omar Artan, was denied entry to the United States in Miami on vetting grounds, forcing him to miss officiating at the tournament. CBP did not disclose the reason, and the move comes amid concerns that Trump-era immigration policies could hamper World Cup preparations. FIFA noted that host governments determine visa admissibility, while the U.S. will co-host the event with Mexico and Canada, with kickoff in June.
Somali referee Omar Artan, poised to become Somalia’s first World Cup official, was denied entry to the United States at Miami despite a valid visa and is now in Istanbul. He was slated to officiate at World Cup 2026, and Somali officials say the denial undermines merit and fair play, noting travel-ban concerns as part of broader entry issues affecting officials ahead of the tournament.
Award-winning Somali FIFA referee Omar Artan, selected to officiate at the World Cup finals, was denied entry at Miami International Airport amid unclear reasons—potentially connected to a US travel ban. He held a valid visa and has returned to Istanbul; Somalia's sports official condemned the decision as harming fairness and merit in football.
Guardian reporter Mohamed Bulbul and two colleagues were detained and beaten by Mogadishu’s counter-terrorism police after reporting on torture allegations in prison; they were released early Saturday. Media groups described the arrests as unlawful and politically motivated amid a broader crackdown on journalists as protests loom and the presidential term nears its end.
Pakistani families anxiously wait for news as Somali pirates hijack the tanker MT Honour 25, with 10 Pakistani sailors among a 17-member crew held captive off Somalia; with food and water dwindling and scant government communication, relatives are calling for direct action as piracy re-emerges near Somalia amid regional tensions and rising oil prices.
Yemen’s coast guard says the oil tanker M/T Eureka, hijacked off Shabwa, is steering toward Somalia via the Gulf of Aden, with the crew’s fate unknown; piracy in the region has risen as naval patrols are diverted by tensions around Iran, and international partners are coordinating to recover the vessel.
Three vessels have been hijacked off Somalia in the past week, signaling a potential resurgence of piracy near Garacad after the cement carrier Sward was seized on April 26 and the tanker Honour 25 on April 21, with a dhow captured in between; authorities say the attacks remain ongoing and ships should remain vigilant within 150 nautical miles of the coast. Analysts attribute the rise to better-equipped pirate networks and stretched security forces as navies focus on Red Sea threats, amid broader shipping pressures around Hormuz and Bab el Mandeb, raising the possibility of a longer siege at sea.
Maritime authorities warn of a renewed piracy risk off Somalia after a cargo ship was seized and redirected into Somali waters, prompting UKMTO to raise the threat level to substantial. In the last week, at least four vessels (including a fishing vessel and an oil tanker) have been targeted, signaling a comeback after years of decline. Vessels are urged to transit with caution as favorable weather aids small-boat attacks, with confirmed incidents near Garacad and Mareeyo and the 22 April hijacking of the oil tanker Honour 25 reported by security officials.
Pirates hijacked a fuel tanker off the coast of Somalia, highlighting ongoing security risks to shipping in the region.
Somalia is facing a rapidly worsening hunger crisis driven by three consecutive failed rainy seasons, drought and ongoing conflict. About 6.5 million people are skipping meals, with more than 2 million in IPC Phase 4 and 1.8 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition; over 3.3 million people have been displaced. Aid funding is woefully short—only about 20% of the $1.42 billion appeal has been received—forcing cuts in services, rising prices, and closures of health facilities as displacement and needs rise.