Since the Syrian civil war broke out more than a decade ago, Syrians have fled to countries in the Middle East and Europe, as well as to African countries that have been grappling with instability. Many Syrian refugees found themselves in Somalia, a war-torn nation in the Horn of Africa that has faced terrorist attacks, piracy and humanitarian crises…There is no official data on the number of Syrian refugees living in Somalia, but officials estimate it to be in the thousands. Syrians who found refuge in Somalia said the two countries’ history of amicable relations drove them. The Syrians say Somalis’ friendliness toward refugees and Somalia’s lack of visa restrictions also drew them to Mogadishu and other major cities in the country. In return, the Syrian refugees, which include doctors, nurses, engineers, chefs, technicians, and teachers among their ranks, have enriched Somalia culturally and economically because of the knowledge and skillsets they brought with them. (VOA)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Ethiopia and Somalia early next year after brokering a deal to end tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors, he said on X Sunday…The pair agreed to end their nearly yearlong bitter dispute after hours of talks brokered by Erdogan…The dispute began in January when landlocked Ethiopia struck a deal with Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base. In return, Somaliland — which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 in a move not recognized by Mogadishu — said Ethiopia would give it formal recognition…Turkey stepped in to mediate in July, holding three previous rounds of talks — two in Ankara and one in New York — before last week’s breakthrough, which won praise from the African Union, Washington and Brussels. (AFP)

The pirates who hijacked a Chinese-owned fishing vessel with 18 crew off the northeastern coast of Somalia last month are demanding $10 million in ransom, according to a Somali official. The hijackers also shared photos on social media of their captives surrounded by armed men on the ship’s deck. The vessel was hijacked in late November and taken to Xaafuun district in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where it is being held along with the captives. The ship’s security guards later joined forces with the armed men from the coastal region. A Somali government official said the vessel was issued with a fishing license by Puntland in 2020, but the license had expired…The hijacking underscores the persistent challenges of maritime security in Somalia’s waters. (AP)

Sudan’s civil war shows no signs of abating, with intense fighting reported across multiple fronts over the past 72 hours. Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions in scattered areas, while the RSF launched drone attacks and ground offensives against SAF strongholds…El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, remains a flashpoint. SAF forces reported destroying 13 RSF combat vehicles and killing dozens of fighters during artillery strikes and air raids, on Sunday. An RSF infiltration attempt on the city’s southeastern outskirts was repelled after prolonged skirmishes. (Dabanga)