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

Wednesday April 22, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — In a move aimed at reinforcing security after recent political shifts in Southwest state, authorities in Baidoa have prohibited the carrying of heavy weapons inside the city. Bay Regional Police Commander Sadiiq Doodishe announced the restriction on Tuesday, saying machine guns and other heavy weapons would no longer be allowed within Baidoa’s limits. He said the order covers everyone, including government officials. “No one is allowed to carry or use heavy weapons in Baidoa,” Doodishe…

In a surprise move that underscored the volatility of the conflict, US President Donald Trump said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to make room for more peace talks, though it remained unclear whether Iran or Israel, Washington’s ally in the two-month war, would accept the arrangement. In a social media statement, Mr Trump said the US had accepted a request from Pakistani mediators “to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified…

Pressure is mounting on Eurovision 2026 after more than 1,100 musicians and cultural figures, including Kneecap, Paloma Faith, Massive Attack and Paul Weller, backed a call to boycott the contest over Israel’s inclusion. The appeal, organised by campaign group No Music For Genocide (NMFG), has also drawn support from artists such as David Holmes, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel and Macklemore. Paul Weller In the letter, signatories urge countries to take the same course sought from the national broadcasters of Ireland, Iceland,…

Amnesty International has accused the leaders of the United States, Israel and Russia of driving a new "predatory" world order, warning that too few governments are willing to challenge them. Presenting the rights group's annual report in London, Secretary General Dr Agnès Callamard singled out US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, branding them "predators". According to the report, such leaders have turned away from the multilateral framework built after…

Nearly 7,900 people died or vanished along migration routes in 2025, pushing the total number of migrants reported dead or missing since 2014 past 80,000, according to the United Nations' migration agency. The UN's International Organization for Migration said the toll reflects the dangers people face when safe routes are unavailable, forcing them into perilous and irregular journeys. The agency urged governments to muster the political resolve needed to prevent more deaths along migration corridors. "The deaths or…

Tuesday April 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) – Somalia’s Northeastern State has lodged a formal complaint with the federal government, accusing a senior United Nations official of interfering with development work and violating key humanitarian principles. In a letter dated Tuesday and sent to senior federal ministers, the regional Ministry of Planning and Development said the conduct of George Conway, the U.N. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, runs…

The European Union signalled fresh financial backing for Ukraine, with foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying she expects "positive decisions" tomorrow on a €90 billion loan package. "We expect some positive decisions tomorrow on the €90bn loan," she said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, where ministers are also set to hear a renewed call to suspend trade relations with Israel. "Ukraine really needs this loan and it's also a sign that Russia cannot outlast Ukraine," Ms Kallas said. Her remarks came…

Joseph Gedeon in WashingtonTuesday April 21, 2026 Representatives from more than a dozen foreign diplomatic missions, United Nations offices, and the media view damage at sites previously targeted by US-Israeli strikes, on 20 April 2026 in Tehran, Iran. Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Donald Trump signaled on Tuesday that he expects the US to resume bombing Iran, even as a delicate 14-day ceasefire heads toward its Wednesday deadline with no agreement in place. “I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better…

Former President of Senegal, Macky Sall, has asserted that achieving lasting global peace hinges on addressing the persistent issues of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. As he positions himself as a contender to replace UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Sall's insights come just ahead of a public inquiry at the United Nations headquarters in New York this week. Introduced in 2016, the public Q&A format aims to foster transparency during the selection process. Nonetheless, the final authority to appoint the…

Fuel shortages have pushed the country to a perilous brink, the government warned, saying the nation is now "dangerously exposed" as the crisis hobbles transportation, commerce, and daily routines. In a statement, government spokesperson Shadric Namalomba linked the worsening situation to the conflict in the Middle East and a severe shortage of foreign exchange. Namalomba said international fuel suppliers are demanding cash upfront, a shift that has further tightened the country’s ability to bring in fuel. He added that…