” Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was greeted by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Thursday for discussions intended to strengthen their relations.“

Hostilities between the adjacent nations escalated last year when landlocked Ethiopia secured an agreement to rent a section of coastline from Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia.

Ethiopia intended to construct a naval base and a trading port in return for a potential acknowledgment of Somaliland's independence.

Mogadishu was outraged by the pact, blaming Addis Ababa for compromising its territorial integrity.

After discussions facilitated by Turkey in December, the two nations promised to establish a solution for Ethiopia's access to and from the sea.

Mohamud subsequently traveled to Ethiopia in early 2025.

Thursday's talks centered on a variety of bilateral matters from trade to security as the two leaders strive to normalize relations.

Just prior to the Ethiopian leader’s arrival, shells were launched in the Somali capital, although it remains uncertain whether the assault was linked to his trip.

The security conditions in Somalia are extremely unstable, with the Islamist group al-Shabaab operating within its borders.

”On Tuesday, at least six individuals lost their lives as militants besieged a hotel in Beledweyne, a city in central Somalia, where local elders and government representatives were congregating. “

They set off a car bomb prior to shooting as they charged into the structure.

Videos circulated on social media displayed large columns of black smoke ascending from the hotel, along with extensive damage.

A fierce confrontation with Somali security forces persisted into the early afternoon as they sought to drive the gunmen out.

The Islamist militant organization al-Shabaab has taken responsibility for the attack, stating they have killed over 10 individuals.

It is thought that two notable traditional elders are among the deceased, while multiple individuals have been admitted to the hospital.

The elders were involved in a gathering with officials to explore strategies for combating al-Shabaab in the area.

The group, which is connected to al-Qaeda, has been fighting the Somali government for over 16 years.

It often conducts bombings and attacks aimed at government officials and military members.

The group retains control over areas in rural Somalia and remains a considerable threat, even with ongoing military efforts from Somali government forces and African Union peacekeepers.

Beledweyne, situated roughly 335 kilometres north of the federal capital Mogadishu, serves as the capital of the Hiran region.

It serves as a tactical site in the administration's continuous efforts against al-Shabaab.

The assault commenced when a car bomb detonated Tuesday at the Cairo Hotel, which accommodates traditional leaders and military personnel engaged in organizing the government’s campaign against al-Shabab.

On Wednesday, Omar Alasow, the mayor of Beledweyne, announced that security forces had "effectively concluded the siege" and that six militants from al-Shabab were killed. The exact number of civilians killed in the attack remains unknown.

Beledweyne, located approximately 335 kilometers (208 miles) north of the capital city, Mogadishu, serves as the capital of the Hiran region and is a key site in the current efforts against al-Shabab.

” On Wednesday, Somali security forces concluded a 24-hour standoff at a hotel in the central city of Beledwyne, resulting in an unspecified number of fatalities, including all al-Shabab militants involved in the assault.“

 - Authorities stated.

Estimates of the casualties resulting from the attack differed. A local resident, Muhsin Abdullahi, reported that six individuals, among them two prominent traditional elders, were murdered. However, witness Hussein Jeelle Raage stated that three of his relatives were among at least 11 individuals he was aware had died.

Videos posted on social media displayed thick smoke billowing from the hotel, along with considerable damage to the structure.

Al-Shabab, which is against Somalia’s federal government, often conducts bombings and attacks aimed at government officials and military members in the Horn of Africa country. The organization retains influence over areas in rural Somalia and represents a major risk, despite ongoing military efforts by government forces and African Union peacekeeping troops.

Shortly after president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s convoy departed from the presidential palace, a bomb explosion shook the motorcade.

As per several eyewitness reports, the blast may have resulted in the deaths of up to three individuals, though no official data regarding casualties has been made public.

However, government sources indicated that the president was unhurt and traveling to Middle Shabelle in southern Somalia to supervise military actions against al-Shabab.

”Al-Shabab, opposing the federal government, often conducts bombings and attacks aimed at military and government officials.“

In the past few weeks, Somalia's administration has intensified its actions against al-Shabab, which dominates areas of rural Somalia and poses a risk to the government's authority in the Horn of Africa.