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

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia authorities on Sunday rejected claims from Somalia’s federal government that talks between the two sides are under way, declaring the long-running dialogue “formally ceased” and accusing Mogadishu of “blatant interference” in its internal affairs. In a statement posted on X, North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it wanted to “clarify that there are no ongoing talks with Somalia,” adding that Hargeisa “officially suspended…

ECOWAS Deploys Forces Following Failed Coup Attempt in Benin West African regional group ECOWAS has announced the deployment of forces to Benin after an attempted coup was foiled. This move aims to support the Beninese government in maintaining constitutional order and territorial integrity. Forces from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana will assist the Beninese army. The coup attempt was announced by a group called the Military Committee for Refoundation. Beninese President Patrice Talon condemned the…

Mass Abduction of Students in Nigeria A tragic event unfolded in Nigeria, highlighting ongoing security issues. The recent mass abduction of students has drawn international attention. 100 students were released after being kidnapped in Niger state. The abduction is one of the largest in recent times. The kidnappings occurred at St. Mary's Catholic boarding school. Details of the Kidnapping On November 21, gunmen captured 303 children and 12 school staff from a school in Papiri. The school attack…

Benin Thwarts Coup Attempt: President Talon Stays in Power In a dramatic sequence of events, Benin’s President Patrice Talon announced the thwarting of an attempted coup. The country’s armed forces successfully countered the uprising by a group of rogue soldiers. Gunfire erupted in Cotonou, prompting public concern and a swift military response. The coup attempt follows a disturbing trend of military takeovers in West Africa. Key international bodies condemned the coup and took proactive measures. Details of…

At least 25 people were killed when a fire tore through a crowded nightclub in Arpora, a popular tourist hub in northern Goa, around midnight local time, the state’s chief minister said. Tourists were among the dead in the blaze at the Birch nightclub, according to authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the deaths “deeply saddening” and said he had spoken with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Modi added that the state government was providing “all possible assistance” to victims and their families. Sawant told…

Opinion: Trump’s “garbage” slur against Somali Americans shows how fascist politics take root President Donald Trump’s latest attack on Somali Americans — calling a small, visible community “garbage” during a Cabinet meeting, with Vice President J.D. Vance pounding the table in approval — is not a gaffe. It is a governing philosophy made plain: divide the country into “real” Americans and internal enemies, cast cruelty as strength, and test how far institutions will bend to accommodate it. This is not a semantic debate about…

BANGKOK — Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia after both countries accused the other of breaching a cease-fire agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Thai military said, marking the sharpest escalation in months along one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile frontiers. The Thai military said at least one Thai soldier was killed and four were wounded in fresh clashes around two areas of Ubon Ratchathani province after its troops came under Cambodian fire. “The Thai side has now…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces captured nine villages from al-Shabab in western Hiiraan after militants withdrew ahead of a planned military advance, military officials said Sunday. The army moved into areas surrounding the El Adde settlement as part of a broader offensive to weaken the group’s long-standing hold over parts of the region. Officials said troops faced no resistance because al-Shabab fighters abandoned their positions before the units arrived. A senior officer involved in the operation said the…

North Western State of Somalia on edge as rival elders mobilize after Borama killings; military probes claims of foreign snipers HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Fears of clan conflict surged Sunday in North Western State of Somalia’s western regions after rival elders in Awdal and Salal declared they were prepared for war, while the military said it is investigating reports that “foreign shooters” may have killed civilians during unrest in Borama. The warnings followed the government’s decision to cancel the Issa…

ICE raids and Trump’s rhetoric rattle Minnesota’s Somali community MINNEAPOLIS — Federal immigration raids, high-profile fraud prosecutions and escalating rhetoric from former president Donald Trump are converging on Minnesota’s Somali community, unsettling daily life in the state that is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. Since Dec. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained 12 people in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area under a Department of Homeland Security initiative called Operation…