Axadle - Breaking news and analysis from Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and across Africa.

Tuesday March 31, 2026 MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's prime minister has rejected calls for indirect voting in South West State after federal forces secured Baidoa, arguing that the transition should move toward national reform rather than return to the older indirect election model. The dispute over Baidoa is also being read as a test of Somalia's federal arrangement, with critics warning that unilateral intervention could reshape the balance between Mogadishu and the regions. “Baidoa is under the control of the…

Western Australia woke to blood-red skies on Friday as a tropical cyclone that had already carved a path across much of Australia pushed closer, turning daylight in one coastal town into an unsettling scene. Video captured the crimson glow hanging over Shark Bay Caravan Park in Denham, 831km north of Perth, as the unusual light spread across the area. The owner of the holiday park said the conditions felt "incredibly eerie outside" and that dust had settled over everything. "Not a lot of wind yet. Let's hope we get enough…

The war’s opening blows decapitated much of Iran’s ruling establishment, killing supreme leader Ali Khamenei and sweeping away a senior layer of the Islamic republic’s political and military command in US-Israeli strikes. US President Donald Trump said yesterday the conflict had delivered "regime change" and that "we're dealing with different people than anybody's dealt with before". Yet several prominent officials remain alive, and the Islamic republic has moved quickly to fill vacant posts while continuing its fight…

A stark new warning from Washington has raised the stakes in the Middle East conflict, with US President Donald Trump saying the United States would destroy Iran's energy plants and oil wells unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. The threat came after Iran dismissed US peace proposals as "unrealistic" and launched fresh waves of missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said two drones launched from Yemen were intercepted today, while Lebanon's Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel. Israel, meanwhile, said it struck…

Mogadishu, 28 March 2026 – The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has taken formal control of Operating Base SHAND from British forces, marking a new chapter for international support operations in the Somali capital. Opened in 2017 as the United Kingdom Mission Support Team’s (UKMST) principal military facility in Somalia, OB SHAND will now function as a key hub for AUSSOM to expand its operational reach. At the handover ceremony, Ambassador El-Hadji Ibrahima Diene, Special Representative…

Monday March 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Southwest State on Sunday accused the federal government of turning Turkish-trained troops and military hardware donated by Türkiye against its own regional administration, a claim that adds fresh fuel to an already volatile political and security standoff. In a statement, the Southwest State presidency said forces trained by Türkiye for counterterrorism missions had been deployed in an operation directed at the regional leadership. It also alleged that Turkish drones were…

With fuel costs climbing in the wake of the Iran war, Victoria is moving swiftly to blunt the impact on households by making public transport free from tomorrow. In a post on social media, state Premier Jacinta Allan described the decision as a "temporary measure to take pressure off the pump and ease the cost of living for Victorians right now". "It won’t solve every problem, but it is an immediate step I can take to help Victorians right now," she added. The plan in Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne, is set to remain in…

Monday March 30, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Federal government forces, reinforced by armed groups linked to opposition factions in Southwest State, moved into Baidoa on Monday after intense clashes with the Southwest regional administration. Witnesses said gunfire broke out heavily on the town’s outskirts earlier in the day as the rival sides fought for control of strategic points in the interim administrative capital. The death toll was not immediately known, and neither side had issued official casualty figures. Footage…

A seven-month manhunt across Victoria’s unforgiving bushland came to a violent close on Monday when Australian police said they shot dead Desmond Freeman, the fugitive accused of killing two officers last August. Freeman had vanished into dense country after the deadly shooting on a rural property in Victoria state, triggering an expansive search that drew hundreds of officers into the region’s rough and isolated terrain. For months, police combed the area in a sustained effort to track him down. "A man has been fatally shot…

A recent report from the International Press Institute (IPI) unveils a troubling trend: a growing repression of journalists across the Sahel region. This investigative piece elucidates how local authorities are increasingly utilizing cybercrime and national security legislations as tools to intimidate, arrest, and incarcerate journalists who delve into sensitive issues, particularly concerning human rights violations and security shortcomings. Niger is quickly establishing itself as a significant detention hub for…