Somalia Brief: Security operations, foreign support, and diplomatic outreach

Feb 03, 2026 — Security operations, international military aid, diplomatic visits

Top story

• What happened: Somali security forces, backed by international partners, intensified counter‑terrorism activity and capacity building across the country: the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said it killed up to seven Al‑Shabaab militants in a planned raid in Qaahira, Middle Shabelle; US forces delivered weapons and heavy equipment to the Somali National Army (SNA) in Middle Shabelle; and the Somali Police Commander launched an advanced counter‑terrorism training programme attended by senior officials and the EU mission head.
• Why it matters: Operations, new equipment, and specialist training together signal a stepped‑up security push combining on‑the‑ground action with international support — changes that could affect counter‑terrorism operations and local security dynamics in the coming weeks.
• Sources: NISA kills seven militants (primary) — Also from: US delivers military support, Somali police launch advanced training

What else happened

Elections

• Independent Electoral and National Boundaries Commission (IENBC) delegation arrived in Baidoa to assess electoral preparedness and hold consultations with South West State officials — (Source: IENBC in Baidoa).

Governance & Diplomacy

• Federal Government reaffirmed commitment to an inclusive dialogue with the Future Council and said it established a technical committee to prepare consultative meetings, while noting delays and an incident on Feb 1 affected proceedings — (Source: Federal Government statement).
• Prime Minister Hamza met the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to discuss governance, institution building, and humanitarian support for drought‑affected communities — (Source: PM receives Swiss delegation).
• Somalia’s Foreign Minister held talks in Pretoria with South Africa’s international relations minister to expand cooperation on trade, education, health and agriculture — (Source: Somalia–South Africa meeting).
• Somalia and Russia signed an MoU in Geneva to deepen health‑sector cooperation, including training, digital health and maternal and newborn care — (Source: Somalia–Russia MoU).

Security cooperation

• Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met the EU Ambassador as EU‑backed military support projects were handed over; completed works include a central communications centre and a sector hospital for the SNA — (Source: Defence minister meets EU).

Economy & Food security

• The Planning Ministry and FAO held a consultation workshop on the FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF 2026–2030) to align FAO priorities with Somalia’s National Transformation Plan — (Source: FAO CPF workshop).

On the ground

• Training opening: senior officials and the Head of the EU Mission attended the police counter‑terrorism training launch in Mogadishu, highlighting international presence at security capacity‑building events — (Source: police training).
• After the Qaahira raid, NISA urged civilians to avoid known militant locations and to report information via its hotlines, signalling concern for bystander safety in areas of operations — (Source: NISA statement).
• IENBC officials in Baidoa are set to meet South West State leaders, underlining preparatory, in‑person steps toward electoral coordination at the sub‑national level — (Source: IENBC visit).

Watchlist

• Follow official updates on the Qaahira operation and any further security actions or casualty confirmations from NISA — (Source: NISA report).
• Watch for statements detailing the scope and deployment of the US‑delivered equipment and how it will be used by SNA units in Middle Shabelle — (Source: US delivery).
• Track outcomes from the Federal Government–Future Council dialogue process and the IENBC consultations in Baidoa for any agreed electoral timetables or technical decisions — (Sources: Federal Government, IENBC).
• Look for next steps and implementation plans following the Somalia–Russia health MoU and FAO CPF consultations to see which projects move to delivery phase — (Sources: Somalia–Russia MoU, FAO CPF).

Sources: Somali National News Agency (SONNA)

Compiled from public reporting; links above.