North Africa

In a spirited and rare display of unity, the foreign ministers of five Arab countries have come forth with a resolute joint statement, unequivocally denouncing any efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their ancestral lands. It’s a strong, collective rebuke to the controversial proposal laid out by none other than the former US President, Donald Trump. The document, released over the past weekend, took aim squarely at Trump's suggestion that Egypt and Jordan should open their doors to Palestinians from the…

What do a leader of a North African nation and the foreign affairs minister of a small East African country have in common? Quite a lot, it seems. On a recent Sunday in the bustling heart of Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, convened to deliberate on the pressing issues facing Somalia and the collective endeavors required to restore tranquility and stability in the Horn of Africa. A communiqué from the Egyptian presidency underscored the…

Mogadishu (AX) – Under the gentle gaze of a sunlit Mogadishu sky, Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre sat opposite the freshly minted Ambassador of the State of Palestine, Rowaid Adil Mohamed. Their meeting, held within the ornate confines of the Prime Minister's office, was more than a mere formality; it whispered of history, a narrative stretching beyond the horizon of the present moment. Is there a bond thicker than one forged in shared struggles and aspirations? Such is the connection between Somalia and Palestine.…

Mogadishu (AX) — A series of U.S. airstrikes, seasoned in precision and resolve, have indelibly altered the tangled landscape of the Al Miskaad Mountains in Somalia. The result: the elimination of senior Islamic State (ISIS) operatives, as announced by local dignitaries on a reflective Sunday morning. Conducted with the F/A-18 jets roaring into action from the decks of the steadfast USS Harry S. Truman, stationed strategically in the Red Sea, these airstrikes uncovered refuges buried deep within the rocky veins of the Golis…

In the sun-drenched streets of Khan Younis, a scene unfolded that many, perhaps even those present, had never truly believed they’d witness. The gritty resilience of humanity was evident as Hamas fighters stood steadfast, overseeing the handover that was shrouded in both tension and hope. Around them gathered a crowd poised on the brink of witnessing a poignant moment of human exchange—an exchange rare in a world often marked by division. The Palestinian group, Hamas, orchestrated the release of three Israeli captives in…

TORONTO, Canada (AX) — The haunting visage of Nehima Jamal, a young Ethiopian woman of merely twenty summers, has lingered like an unsettling specter across digital platforms. Captured by traffickers in Libya, her image—tied, gagged, and battered—was used as a pawn to demand ransom. Now liberated, she opens up about the chilling odyssey that left her teetering on the brink of despair. Her testimony stands as a grave warning for others who may be contemplating a similar perilous path. Liberation came at a steep price—700,000…

Year 2024: a monumental chapter etched into Somalia’s modern tapestry—a year where sovereignty hung delicately by a thread. As fireworks painted the sky on New Year’s Day, Ethiopia and North Western State of Somalia clandestinely inked a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement, granting Ethiopia access to a 19-kilometer stretch of North Western State of Somalia’s coast, bypassed Somalia’s federal heartbeat. Was this a simple diplomatic maneuver, or a disruptive gambit? Ethiopia, in a tantalizing exchange, hinted at…

In the dimly lit remnants of a world that seems to have long forgotten compassion, Libyan authorities have stepped forward as unexpected custodians of hope. They rescued 263 African migrants, ensnared in the sullied nets of human traffickers within the Ajkhara district—a name that whispers of anguish and survival. Among the rescued throng are individuals from nations such as Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, stripped of the most basic human dignities, their bodies marred by signs of severe malnutrition and abuse. The tales…

Kirubel Tesfaye, a fact-checker at HaqCheck, spearheads a workshop for journalists and university students in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, in 2024. (Photo courtesy of HaqCheck) WASHINGTON — In the volatile dance of geopolitics, misinformation weaves a dangerously seductive tapestry across social media platforms. Consider last year's rising tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia: a video claimed to show Egyptian troops training on Somali soil. The clip rapidly garnered 34,000 views on the social media platform X, but alas, it was a…

US President Donald Trump stirred the international community on Thursday with his resolute insistence on a provocative proposal: relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan. Despite Cairo and Amman's repeated refusals, Trump unwaveringly contended that compliance is inevitable.