Brig Gen Zakia Hussen

H.E. President @HassanSMohamud received the Letters of Credence from the newly appointed Ambassador of Djibouti to Somalia, Osman Doubad Sougouleh, at Villa Somalia Presidential Palace.

"Dhalinyaroow yaa ii sharxi kara sababta aan u aamino/ololeyno ragg waaweyn oo ogol inay aroos ama caleemo saar ugaas isku arkaan isku salaamaan oo isku marxabeeyaan hadana diyaar u ahayn in badbaadinta dalka iyo dadka ka wada hadlaan...?" Gen Zakia @ZakiaHussen [xikmat]

As we celebrate our annual day honoring women worldwide, I take pride in having completed three significant courses. This includes training 60 female police officers from the @ZP_service in firearms instruction and 4x4 driving skills. These officers are now better equipped to serve their nation and qualify for #AfricanUnion and #UnitedNations peacekeeping missions globally. Additionally, we have trained 90 police officers as a Mobile Training Team for SGBV investigations. This team will roll out training across all of #Zambia and is also capable of training other African police services in SGBV training within peacekeeping contexts. Real Impact is Real Empowerment. Happy International Women's Day! #IWD2026 #Security #Peacekeeping

Cognitive warfare doesn’t depend on technological superiority or even persuasive narratives—it works because it’s cheap to launch and costly to resist. In “Cognitive Warfare Is Cheap—and That’s the Problem,” republished by the Irregular Warfare Initiative from Small Wars Journal, Sara Russo argues how small, ambiguous actions can lock governments, militaries, and institutions into resource-intensive cycles of analysis, coordination, and reassurance. These low-cost provocations demand high-cost defenses diverting attention, slowing decision-making, and exhausting resources over time. The real challenge, Russo argues, lies in rethinking cost as a strategic variable: resilience isn’t just about better messaging or attribution, but about designing organizations that can absorb ambiguity without paralysis. Read the full article here: irregularwarfare.org/articles/cogni… #IrregularWarfare #CognitiveWarfare #InformationOperations #InfluenceOperations

As the holy month of #Ramadan officially begins tomorrow we take this time to reflect on the meaning of duty to your fellow man. Ramadan reminds us to the blessings we take for granted, to focus on nourishing our souls more than our bodies and to strengthen the bond between families and communities. Ramadan Mubarak, wishing you all many blessings and virtues. #RamadanMubarak

Our Co-Founder and current Chair of the Board, Kyle Atwell, has a new article out: “Shadow Wars in the Shadow of the Bomb,” co-authored with David C. Logan. The article examines how nuclear weapons shape interstate competition, with a focus on indirect conflict and what it means for major powers. Read it here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00… #InternationalSecurity #NuclearDeterrence #StrategicCompetition #SecurityStudies #IrregularWarfare

Pleasure to have opened the Mobile Training Team ToT course for police officers from the Victim Support Unit of the #Zambia police force. Over 100 police officers will be trained over the next three weeks to deliver trainings in SGBV investigations to Zambian and other police services partaking in #AU and #UN peacekeeping missions. The training is part of the #UK-Zambia security partnership aimed at enhancing institutional capacity for law enforcement officers and it is a privilege to be part of this partnership.

Proud to be part of the delivery of these much needed training courses that will not only enhance @ZP_service institutional capacity but also give female police officers the skills required to qualify for @_AfricanUnion and @UN peacekeeping missions #GoFarGoTogether

Pleasure to have participated in the opening ceremony for 3 specialised training courses in IT, Driving and Firearm instruction for 80 female police officers of the @ZP_service who will form part of @_AfricanUnion and @UN peacekeeping operations and supported by the #British Government #AfricaRising #FemalePolice

#Somalia’s Former Deputy Police Commissioner Brigadier General @ZakiaHussen is among the individuals selected for the Irregular Warfare Initiative 2026 Fellows cohort. The Irregular Warfare Initiative began as the Irregular Warfare Podcast in May 2020 when two active-duty military officers at Princeton University recognized that there was an abundance of scholarly research on irregular warfare topics that was largely inaccessible to irregular warfare practitioners. The podcast was established to bridge this gap among scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, making research and experience-based insights more accessible across the force.

Very honoured to have been selected for the Irregular Warfare Initiative 2026 Fellows cohort. Irregular warfare has defined my life for the past two decades and #Somalia remains a premier contemporary case study. Im pleased to have the opportunity to connect with academics and practitioners across the globe to share experiences, insights and ideas that will allows to better serve in our communities in an ever changing world. #irregular_warfare #NationalSecurity

@RAbdiAnalyst “Caqligu badan waa cadaab” Thats what my mum always used to say and I fully feel your anger and frustration resulting from “caqliga badan”. But at least in this instance “xaqqu feeraha ayuu ka dilaacay” 😉😎 Keep marching, brother

Three years ago, at the height of the Laas Anood fighting, I broke the story of Al-Shabaab's involvement in the conflict and specifically mentioned Abdi Madoobe as an AS commander with deep ties to AS Central in Jilib. The report was well-sourced and highly-credible. The backlash from some Somalia watchers/analysts, Somali Islamists and nationalists aligned with Mogadishu's destabilisation campaign in Somaliland was extraordinary. I received so much calumny and hate - the worst in my life. Guess what? The latest UN Panel of Experts report on Somalia for the UN Security Council now makes the same findings three years later and says exactly the same things I said in 2023. Just to be clear - I never spoke to the UN PoE and actually do not know them. VINDICATED !

Although friends and colleagues have tried to warn me that #Saudi_arabia traditionally dont support women in leadership positions this is an alliance I have been waiting for. Nothing in the world operate on “tradition” anymore and #Saudi is not called “Kingdom of Arabia” for no reason nor did God decide to make them custodians of His Holy Mosques (@MasjidAlHaram_1 ). #Somalia needs leaders who understand world order and alliances for sovereignty and prosperity. In this respect, #Saudi_arabia #Qatar and #Turkey are the BFFs Somalia needs, if only we could find the leaders who understand that…

Sincere Congratulations to the #Somali Police Force who just turned 82 years! The Somali Police is the oldest institution in #Somalia, pre-dating independence by 17 years. Its called “the Mother of the Somali Security Forces” as all of our forces were created from the police. Its constitutionally in charge of National Security and the main law enforcement agency in the country. Although Ive officially retired from the police, my blood and heart celebrates and stands with them always. Happy birthday my first family 👮🏾💪🏾🇸🇴👮🏾💪🏾

Been two very busy but rewarding months working as Senior Police Peacekeeping Advisor with the #Zambia Police, redeveloping policies, curriculum and training in Peace support and SGBV for the @ZP_service International peacekeeping is indeed changing and we need to ensure #African police forces change with the times and work in alignment.

🚨Vacancy Alert! 🚨 If you are or have experience as #SGBV Course Instructor and would love to spend some time with me training the #Zambia Police look and apply below; lnkd.in/dTY5HsaY Please apply, and/or share and DM me if have any questions! @_AfricanUnion

@LibanIyow Read the below post, think you have misunderstood my point; facebook.com/share/p/1DQGVT…

HSM!! Zakia Ahmed Hussen, Somalia's first female Deputy Police Commissioner

Pleasure to catch up with HE Amb @BerhanuTsegaye #Ethiopia State Minister for Foreign Affairs today in Addis, a friend who I met and worked with since few years. Always enjoy our productive discussions on Horn of Africa politics #AfricaRising #AfricanUnion

Brigadier General @ZakiaHussen, from #Somalia to #AU 'Hussen, who made history as Somalia’s first female Deputy Police Commissioner, will now serve in a continental role supporting the African Union’s mission to strengthen peacekeeping frameworks' ftlsomalia.com/former-female-…

@alihwarsame @_AfricanUnion Thanks Excellence. I will always come back to #Somalia. Dont worry, Waa idiin maqanahay mooyee ma idinka maqni 🙏💯🙏

@ZakiaHussen @_AfricanUnion Congratulations, Brigadier General Zakia Hussen. Your expertise and experience are still needed in many different capacities, including this one. Please stay home and continue contributing to the stability and prosperity of Somalia. 🙏

Excited to be working in a new role as Senior Police Peacekeeping Advisor for African peacekeeping operations working with @_AfricanUnion & other regional security partners. Harnessing local talent is vital for sustainable progress & Im pleased to form part of that cohort of African security chiefs that will help develop policies and best practices for African peacekeeping.