Eye on Africa

In southern Somalia’s Ladan camp, a child’s cry can be heard—but for the most malnourished youngsters, even sound can be out of reach. Mothers there are focused on a single question: whether their children will survive. At the Ladan camp, on the outskirts of the town of Dollow, families who have fled drought-stricken areas arrive with little more than their children. Their farms and livestock were wiped out after four failed rainy seasons, leaving displaced people to seek shelter in crowded conditions where hope is measured…

Tragedy struck in Sudan as drone strikes claimed the lives of 28 civilians in two separate incidents, health officials confirmed on Thursday. As the conflict between Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, these attacks highlight a disturbing rise in drone warfare. On Wednesday, devastation hit the town of Saraf Omra in North Darfur. A drone strike on a bustling market resulted in a fiery explosion, killing 22 people, including an infant, and injuring 17, according to a local clinic…

The gentle cry of a child resonates with unexpected hope in the overcrowded Ladan displacement camp in southern Somalia, a place where malnourished children often lack the strength to express distress. For the mothers residing here, the primary focus is survival, overshadowing global events like the Middle East conflict or the complexities of UNICEF's relief logistics. These families have fled the unforgiving drought devastating the Horn of Africa. Four consecutive failed rainy seasons have left their farmlands barren…

In a tragic escalation of violence, two drone strikes in Sudan have claimed the lives of at least 28 civilians, marking a grave chapter in the ongoing conflict between the country's military factions. This surge in drone warfare has pushed the death toll past 500 for the year, underscoring the devastation inflicted on the civilian population. Communicating through satellite internet amidst a communications blackout, health workers from two cities separated by nearly 500 miles reported the fatalities to Agence…

Saturday March 28, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) - Three senior officers of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) will face a Ugandan military court after prosecutors alleged misconduct connected to the disappearance of a military aircraft during operations in Somalia, according to officials. The General Court Martial at Makindye, Kampala, on Tuesday formally charged Col. George Buga Andruca, Maj. Benjamin Kashumbusha, and Lt. Henry Gygenda with one count of wrongful acts tied to the loss of an aircraft. Each of the officers entered…

Saturday March 28, 2026 Minneapolis (AX) — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) on Tuesday sharply condemned remarks by President Donald Trump that it said were racist and demeaning toward Somali Americans and toward Somalia. In a written statement, CAIR-MN challenged what it described as Trump’s characterization of Minnesota as “Somalia-oriented,” along with derogatory comments aimed at Somali immigrants and their country of origin. The civil rights organization argued that rhetoric…

Kali Hays,Technology reporter, Nardine Saadand Regan Morris,Los AngelesFriday March 27, 2026 A Los Angeles jury delivered a landmark decision on Friday, finding that Meta and Google helped create social media platforms that harmed a woman’s mental health as a child—an outcome that parents and advocacy groups said signals a turning point for young users. Jurors concluded that Meta, which operates Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, which owns YouTube, intentionally designed systems that fostered addiction and left…

Friday March 27, 2026 In Mogadishu, a crowd of hundreds turned a football match into a statement of change—watching two women’s teams compete at Eng. Yariisow Stadium on February 17, 2026, after years when such scenes were nearly unthinkable in the conservative, conflict-torn country. The U17 Somalia players trained as the women’s game continued despite criticism from some religious conservatives who describe it as “un-Islamic.” (Photo by Hassan Ali ELMI / AFP) For many in the stands, Tuesday’s match felt like a…

Friday March 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — The United Kingdom has stepped up its warning as Somalia’s Southwest State faces rising political strain and a worsening security picture, with fears growing that clashes could erupt between federal authorities and regional forces. In a Friday press release, the British Embassy in Mogadishu said it is tracking developments closely and warned that the latest tensions could further destabilize a security environment already under severe strain. “Recent tensions risk further destabilising…

In a decisive move to reshape the apparel market, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has enacted a formal ban on importing second-hand clothing, tightening entry rules for these goods with permits now issued only under stringent conditions. The step comes amid ongoing concerns about the country’s fragile clothing value chain and the pressure it faces from cheaper, imported stock. Marketers have questioned the timing, warning that while the policy is billed as a lifeline for local manufacturers, it should be calibrated to…