New mayor of Mogadishu (left) with the outgoing mayor (right).

I don’t mind the President removing a mayor he named in the first place, but I think the Federal government lost a great opportunity here. To me, the entire case against Thabit focused on tapering down Thabit’s political rise. Many of Farmaajo’s supporters accuse the mayor of “upstaging” the government. This is the most absurd argument a national salvation government can make. It is trivial and misses the point of what the national priorities must be. If Thabit was doing great things, as many in government circles acknowledge, why not let him do even more by supporting him and giving him the resources he needs? If Thabit was a “rising political threat” making deals with the opposition and had to be “dealt with”, as many on the Federal government camp are insisting, why not get rid of him before the President embarked on that very successful trip to the North? Farmaajo had an opportunity to change the narrative from opposition talking points and focus on rebuilding and reconciliation. The Federal government fell right into another political trap by infuriating yet another influential community in the capital. The news cycle is back to Farmaajo’s government and its political shortcomings in Mogadishu instead of the Presiden't very successful trip to Puntland and Galmudug. Another important point to make is that Farmaajo’s government has developed a habit of being reactive rather than proactive. It stays complicit in things until there is a negative press that impacts its reputation. It is decisions are not driven by principles. An example of this was the eviction of the 4000 innocent people from government land. From all we know, Farmaajo and Kheyre knew about the coming evictions and were informed before Farmaajo left Mogadishu. Even if the top officials were not aware, the federal government could have stopped the eviction order the day it was announced. Instead it waited for days until the news spread everywhere. My last point is, why appoint Mohamed Toulah and Omar Abdirizakh, two diehard loyalists who worked on Farmaajo’s campaign, as vice mayors? The Somali people are desperate for a lasting leadership. The country must move beyond the political score-settling.

Allahunaxriisto the dead. There are no winners in a war like this. It is time to end clan wars and move our Somali people forward. I thought Ceel-Afweyn city was exclusively inhabited by Saalax's family. What is Siilaanyo doing there?

I got the sense the talks were more of a business opportunity than anything else. Thanks for the analysis Galbeedi.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said late Saturday that Turkish ground offensive into northwestern Syria's Afrin will likely start on Sunday, depending on developments. Speaking to reporters with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, Devlet Bahçeli, Yıldırım said that Turkish jets destroyed "almost all" terrorist targets they had identified belonging to the YPG. He said Turkish artillery would continuing to shell the region. "As of tomorrow, depending on developments, our ground elements will carry out the necessary activities," Yıldırım said. The prime minister also came together with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar at the Armed Forces' headquarters in Ankara to follow up and discuss the Operation Olive Branch. Some 72 Turkish warplanes participated in the Operation Olive Branch targeting seven regions in the counter-terror operation, the TSK said later, adding that the warplanes safely returned to their bases. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu confirmed on Saturday that both ground troops and F-16 warplanes were being used in Operation Olive Branch, underlining that o civilians were targeted and all current casualties were only YPG terrorists with uniforms. Yıldırım reiterated that Turkey decided to launch the operation after an increase in terror attacks on Turkish land from southeastern Syria. Turkey has launched a military campaign in Afrin region to eliminate the PKK, PYD, YPG and Daesh terrorist organizations, and to save civilians in the region from the terrorists' oppression and cruelty. Daily Sabah

Turkish war planes have launched air strikes on Kurdish fighters in northern Syria in a move likely to raise tensions with the US. Turkey wants to oust the YPG militia, which it calls a terrorist group, from Afrin region on its southern border. The US-backed YPG says at least nine people were killed in the air strikes. Russia has moved its troops away from Afrin, saying it is concerned but will not interfere. Syria denounced Turkey's "aggression" and "brutal attack". Turkey had been shelling the area for two days, ahead of its declaration of a military operation on Saturday. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42759944

Saalax is as dhalad as lafta geela badha. He is 100% Reer Sheekh. It would be fair if Barwaaqo was using the argument that Saalax is not much different from the Somalilanders (ministers and MPs) in Mogadishu in terms of thought and political belief, but to deny Saalax's family authenticity is beneath the respected Marwo.

Mr. Bihi has every right to demand the guys sleeping in Hargeisa hotels prove "they can be trusted" by visiting the war front, but that doesn't mean you have to take the offer, especially when you are 75-year-old educated guy who is not looking for few dollars. Galaydh reminds me of Trump. Same delusional thinking, same outbursts, same obsession with imaginary "enemies" and same ego.

And you wonder why Galbeedi is very upset with these people. They are literally moving mountains to fill their pockets while average Somalilanders in the very same mountains is starving to death.

Al-Sisis is either planning a big surprise against GERD or he is just trying to save face. We will know what he is up to in the coming months.

These kinds of stories give Somalino a new hope.

What a wonderful story. Faiza was paralyzed for months after a rapist in Puntland shot her in the reproductive organs, paralyzing her. There was very little hope for this young woman. Thabit, the mayor of Mogadishu, heard about the young woman's story and worked hard to send her to Turkey for treatment. After a successful surgery by Turkish doctors, Faiza finally walks. Watch this video. Thabit gets emotional.

I agree the old man is fit for his age. He probably inherited good genes. I don't think he is picky about his diet or exercise.

This is getting serious. We pray for peace.

Nice pictures. You should have pasted them here individually instead of the tweet. I told you Mr. Bihi reads SOL. We were just talking about his fitness the other day.

Suldaanka, I think you are underestimating Puntland.

I doubt it Maakhiri. But if it is true and she was gorging on alcohol in public knowing the weight on her shoulders and how much her poor family suffered to escape poverty and war to bring her here, then she is not very bright. Feel bad for the Abu family. We Somalis have a deep misunderstanding of what it means to "have fun".

I remember seeing her graduation pictures a while back. Not a good news for the Portland Somali community. Power can get to your head sometimes.

Zahra Abu is sworn in as a Portland police officer on Jan. 8, 2016. Staff photo by Gabe Souza A 24-year-old Portland police officer has been charged with five misdemeanors, including assault and battery, after being arrested Saturday night at a concert venue in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester police said Zahra Munye Abu, of Portland, is also facing charges of trespassing, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Abu caused a disturbance while attending a Ja Rule and Ashanti concert at the Palladium Nightclub on Main Street, said Worcester police Sgt. Kerry F. Hazelhurst. “The nightclub was hosting several live musical acts,” Hazelhurst said in an email. “She was (given) several opportunities to leave and refused. Eventually she was placed under arrest.” A Deering High School student in 2011, Zahra Munye Abu went on to study criminal justice and women-and-gender issues and is now a police officer in Portland. Her arraignment in the concert disturbance is scheduled Wednesday. Staff photo by John Ewing Worcester police would not provide more details about the incident, and members of Abu’s family declined to comment when contacted by phone at their home. “The Portland Police Department was notified late Saturday night of the arrest of Police Officer Zahra Abu in Worcester, Massachusetts,” Sauschuck said in an email. “This issue will be dealt with as a personnel matter from this point forward, so I will have no further comment.” Chris Besaw, the Palladium general manager, declined to comment about the arrest or what occurred before local police became involved. Abu was bailed out of jail at 1 a.m. Sunday, Hazelhurst said. He did not know the bail amount. She is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Worcester District Court. Abu is a high-profile member of the Portland police force because she is the first member of Maine’s Somali immigrant community to become a police officer in Maine. She was born to Somali parents in a Kenyan refugee camp and has lived in Portland since she was 2 years old. She graduated from Deering High School in Portland and studied criminal justice and women-and-gender issues at the University of Southern Maine. If convicted, Abu faces a maximum penalty of up to 2½ years in a county jail on the assault and battery and the resisting arrest charges. Each of the other charges include less severe maximum penalties.

Sad story. As usual, the culprits will never be caught.

Tillamook, in West Burco and Erigavo country, the word Jeegaan is politically offensive. Ask Saalax.

Farmaajo is a politician with one of the best US lobbying firms working for him. His every move is carefully choreographed and calculated. After the Mogadishu debacles and setbacks, he needed to change the media narrative and his trip to Garowe did just that. It was brilliant as Galbeedi would agree. Abdiweli is an old friend of Farmaajo (they had a falling out when Abdiweli became PM) and the two recently worked out their differences, promising to work together. Puntland did everything it could to give Farmaajo a great welcome to Garowe with the authorities there actively organizing the turnout many days prior to the visit. Some Mogadishu media found it offensive that Hassan Sheikh Mohamed's pictures were burned in Puntland after former president's visit and in contrast farmaajo was welcomed with open arms. I don't believe it was clannish. I think it had everything to do with how Hassan handled the Federalism talk with Puntland. In the coming months, we will see whether Farmaajo's trip to Garowe has any lasting impact on his presidency. For now, we can assume not much has changed in Mogadishu's opposition towards him.