Archive December 25, 2025

Residents of Somalia’s capital are casting ballots in local council elections, marking the first time in more than 50 years that voters will directly choose their representatives, a milestone overshadowed by opposition boycotts.

Polling stations across Mogadishu opened at 6am local time (03: 00 GMT) on Thursday, with lines forming early as Somalis queued to participate in what President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called a “new chapter in the country’s history”.

About half a million people registered to vote for 390 district council seats, with approximately 1, 605 candidates competing across 523 polling stations in the capital.

Authorities deployed close to 10, 000 police officers and imposed a city-wide lockdown, restricting vehicle and pedestrian movement, as well as stopping flights into the city’s main airport.

Security in Somalia’s capital has improved this year, but the government continues to battle the al-Qaeda-affiliated armed group al-Shabab, which carried out a major attack in October.

Information Minister Daud Aweis described the election as a “resurgence of democratic practices” after decades without them, while electoral commission chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan assured voters they could trust security measures “100 percent”.

Somalia last held direct elections in 1969, months before an October military coup that kept civilians out of power for the next three decades.

After years of civil war following military leader Mohamed Siad Barre’s fall in 1991, the country adopted an unpopular indirect, clan-based electoral system in 2004, in which clan representatives select politicians, who in turn choose the president. The process has historically been deeply contested by candidates seeking top office.

The incumbent president, Mohamud, who won power twice through this system, announced in 2023 his commitment to transition to universal suffrage at the local, federal and presidential level.

His government secured parliamentary approval for constitutional reforms and established a national electoral commission to oversee the transition, a move that has galvanised major opposition figures, including two former presidents.

An agreement reached in October 2024 between federal and regional leaders collapsed amid bitter opposition, complicating upcoming presidential polls.

‘ More of a symbolic vote ‘

Prominent opposition figures have openly criticised the Mogadishu vote and the government’s overall trajectory, accusing it of excluding them from the electoral process.

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed described the procedures as “unfortunate”, attacking what he called an “exclusionary voter registration process” that lacks legitimacy. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmaajo, claimed the process “opens the door to dangers that threaten the security of the country”.

Two important federal member states, Puntland in the north and Jubbaland, bordering Kenya, have rejected the framework outright.

Major opposition figures, including the leaders of those federal states, met in the port city of Kismayo earlier this month, issuing a communique in which they threatened to hold their own separate national elections.

While signalling willingness to negotiate a “transparent, consensus-based electoral process”, they firmly rejected Thursday’s vote as premature and illegitimate.

Mahad Wasuge, the executive director of the Mogadishu-based Somali Public Agenda think tank, told Al Jazeera that the government had invested significant political capital in holding a direct election and a local poll offered an “easy win or easy exit” because it is low stakes.

The government, he added, exercises significant control over Mogadishu’s political scene, so wouldn’t have faced a real threat.

But he noted “the vote isn’t supported by Somalia’s international partners and the major opposition figures have boycotted it, which is a red flag”. He characterised it as “more of a symbolic vote”.

The election comes as Somalia faces mounting security challenges in regions near the capital.

Al-Shabab, an armed group seeking the government’s overthrow, launched a major offensive in February 2025 that reversed government territorial gains. UN experts recently told the UN Security Council that the group’s ability to carry out major attacks “remains undiminished”.

The United Nations Security Council renewed the mandate of a UN-backed African Union peacekeeping mission this week, but it faces major funding shortfalls which could threaten its effectiveness and continuity.

The United States ambassador to the UN, Jeff Bartos, Somalia’s most important security partner, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, warning that Washington was no longer prepared to continue funding the mission.

Who: South Africa vs. Egypt
What: CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025
Where: Adrar Stadium in Agadir, Morocco
When: Friday at 4pm (15:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

In the first battle of the titans group matchup of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) showpiece in 2025, record-holder Egypt takes South Africa on Friday in the first battle of the titans group matchup.

Egypt’s development has been largely overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Mohamed Salah’s superstar forward and his club, Liverpool, but they are still among the top-tier favorites to win another AFCON title.

In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Bafana Bafana had been a dominant force on the continent, but until recently she had lost all of its influence on both the continent and the world.

However, there are still high hopes for South Africa, and if they can defeat their northern foe, they might make an early statement.

Al Jazeera Sport examines the game more closely:

What is the most recent news regarding Salah’s future at Liverpool?

If you are a fan of Liverpool and hope that one of the club’s most renowned and influential players stays at the Premier League champions, there may be some good news.

Salah’s outburst, according to Reds manager Arne Slot, “moved on” from the club’s criticism of their poor start to their title defense.

Despite the quietening of Anfield chatter, the general consensus is that a transfer window offer from Saudi Arabia, who have expressed interest in Salah, is very likely to occur in January.

According to Hossam Hassan, the 33-year-old former Chelsea and Roma forward, his international coach is completely focused on helping Egypt win AFCON 2025.

Salah has already won two Cup of Nations titles, both in 2017 and 2021, but has yet to add another international accolade to his long list of club victories.

What took place in Egypt’s opening AFCON 2025 game?

In Egypt’s opening game against Zimbabwe, Salah scored a late winner.

Despite early Egyptian dominance, Prince Dube’s 20th minute turnaround was decisive. Omar Marmoush, a manchester city player, scored the 64th minute winner for Egypt before Salah headed home the winner in the dying seconds.

What took place in South Africa’s opening AFCON 2025 game?

For the first time in 21 years, South Africa opened an AFCON with a win over neighboring Angola with a 2-1 victory.

Given Zimbabwe’s relative revival and Angola’s rise, Group B’s success as a result of Lyle Foster’s winner from outside the box seems crucial to Bafana Bafana’s chances of progress, especially given that the Angolans will be disappointed that they have not taken at least a point from the game.

South Africa was in the lead after Oswin Appollis, but Show had Angola at the break.

How do teams advance to the knockout rounds of AFCON 2025?

The four best third-place finishers will also advance, while the top two teams from the six groups will automatically advance to the round of 16.

What’s going on with Group B?

After their opening victories, Egypt and South Africa both have identical goal differences and have three points.

Zimbabwe and Angola are not yet in the running for the tournament, but a victory for either South Africa or Egypt in the group’s second round will enable the winner to advance to the knockout stages.

That team will almost be eliminated if Zimbabwe or Angola lose their match on Monday at Marrakech Stadium.

When are the final group games between South Africa and Egypt?

On Monday, both teams will finish the group. No matter what happens in Egypt’s match against South Africa, a win for either Angola or Zimbabwe in their match on Friday will set up a tense finale.

Finales of Group B:

Angola vs Egypt (Adrar Stadium, 5pm/16: 00 GMT)
• Zimbabwe vs. South Africa (Marrakesh Stadium, 5:00 p.m. / 00 p.m. GMT)

Egypt has won the AFCON how many times?

Egypt has won seven AFCON titles in a row, but their most recent success occurred in 2010. Their first appearance came in 1957’s inaugural edition, when they defeated Ethiopia 4-0 in the final. Egyptians won three AFCONs consecutively between 2006 and 2010.

South Africa has won the AFCON how many times?

South Africa, who hosted the tournament in 1996, has only ever won once. While winning the bronze medal at the most recent AFCON, Bafana Bafana also qualified for the 1998 competition.

What was the most well-known encounter between South Africa and Egypt?

Egypt was the victim of South Africa’s defeat in the 1998 AFCON final.

Only Ghana, who won in 1963 and 1965, had previously won the same title as the Egyptians, with a 2-0 victory, sealing what was the country’s fourth title at the time. Since then, Egypt and Cameroon have both successfully defended titles.

What transpired during Egypt’s most recent game against South Africa?

With five minutes left in the round of 16, South Africa’s Thembinkosi Lorch scored the only goal of the final meeting between the teams in the 2018 edition, which was postponed to 2019.

Nigeria, who were the eventual winners, also knocked South Africa out in the quarterfinals, out.

Head-to-head

South Africa and Egypt have each won five of their ten meetings, and this is their 10th meeting.

The first encounter, which was a 1992 international friendly between Bafana Bafana and Bafana Bafana, was delayed until 1995.

The Egyptians won the 1996 AFCON with a 1-0 win, and the Egyptians won their way to retaliation.

News from the Egypt team

Mohamed Hamdi’s only concern is Coach Hossam Hassan’s knock. Otherwise, it is anticipated that Egypt will remain the same as the team that defeated Zimbabwe.

news from the South Africa team

The same team that won 2-1 against Angola is expected to be named similarly by Hugo Broos. Relebohile Mofokeng’s position on the wing is in jeopardy, but Tshepang Moremi is pressed for a spot on the side.

Egyptian starting lineup is anticipated.

Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Mohamed Abdelmagid, Hossam Abdelmagid, Mohamed Hamdi, Hamdi Fathi, Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Mohamed Salah (captain), Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet

South African starting lineup is anticipated

Relief centers brim with donations for people displaced by the fighting near the Thai border fill with donations while Cambodian children write letters to soldiers. Since the beginning of the conflict with Thailand, Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig has been stationed in a Phnom Penh center where there has been a surge of unrest.