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

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s trade minister, Jamal Mohamed Hassan, has accused Puntland State security forces of firing on civilians in Badhan, in the Sanaag region, during unrest tied to a planned visit by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni. In a statement, Jamal denounced what he called “unacceptable” violence, saying troops used live ammunition against residents who had opposed Deni’s trip to the town earlier this week. No deaths or injuries have been officially confirmed. “The act of…

A fresh wave of Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanese state media said, after earlier attacks killed six people despite a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that had only recently been extended. The latest strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to "forcefully attack Hezbollah targets", following accusations by the army that the group had violated the truce. Earlier, Lebanon's health ministry said that "Israeli enemy strikes on a truck and a…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday attended the inauguration of Murusade sub-clan traditional chief Ugaas Abdirisaq Ugaas Abdullahi in Mogadishu, joining opposition leaders and traditional elders at the ceremony. The gathering brought together a wide range of figures from across Somali regions, among them government officials, opposition representatives and customary leaders, underscoring the event’s broader national weight. Hassan Sheikh…

Olamilekan OkebiorunSunday April 26, 2026 Turkey and Israel are racing to deepen their footprint in the Horn of Africa, with Somalia and North Western State of Somalia emerging as prized territory in a wider contest over energy, military leverage and the sea lanes that feed global trade through the Red Sea. For Ankara, the push has already taken shape in concrete terms: signed deals with Somalia’s federal government covering offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration, plus an expanding military presence anchored by its…

TMZ’s newly opened Washington bureau has arrived in the capital at a moment of extraordinary turmoil, as a cascade of political scandals forces a reckoning across Capitol Hill. Over the past two weeks, Congress has been rocked by allegations and abrupt departures, with three representatives leaving office before facing expulsion votes in the House. Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick stepped down this week after an investigation concluded that she committed more than 20 ethics violations, including campaign finance breaches,…

Saturday April 25, 2026 Somali pirates have seized an oil tanker off the country’s northeastern coast, underscoring a renewed threat on a sea lane long watched by global naval forces. A maritime policeman guarded an oil tanker after its release. Somali pirates have hijacked four ships in the past month.Credit...Abdiqani Hassan/Reuters Mogadishu (AX) — Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel and 17 crew members off Somalia’s northeastern coast, officials said Friday. The vessel, named Honour 25,…

Chaos shattered the White House Correspondents' Association dinner when US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed from the venue by Secret Service agents after what the president later described as an apparent attack. Trump said a "shooter has been apprehended" after the sudden evacuation from the dinner. The Secret Service said Mr Trump and his wife "are safe" after being removed in response to a loud, unidentified noise. Officials said one person was taken into custody and that the episode unfolded…

Riyaz ul KhaliqSaturday April 25, 2026 Pakistan said Friday that it has fully repaid $3.45 billion in debt to the United Arab Emirates, marking the clearing of a major external obligation for the cash-strapped economy. In a statement, the State Bank of Pakistan said it had returned a $1 billion deposit to the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), UAE. “Deposits of $2.45 billion were repaid last week. This completes the repayment of total deposits of $3.45 billion to the UAE,” the central bank said. The repayment comes at a…

Saturday April 25, 2026 Severe drought has driven at least 62,000 people from their homes in five districts across Somalia since the beginning of 2026, as the country faces mounting climate pressures, the International Organization for Migration said on Friday. The United Nations migration agency said its data shows drought is now responsible for three out of every four new displacements, marking a 22 percent increase from a year earlier and underscoring the worsening toll of climate shocks. Manuel Marques Pereira, IOM’s…

Mali’s army said it was fighting off attacks by "terrorist groups" after coordinated assaults struck parts of the west African country, where more than a decade of jihadist violence has battered security and shaken daily life. Witnesses described clashes in the capital, Bamako, as well as in other major urban centres in the landlocked nation, where the military took power in successive coups in 2020 and 2021. In a statement, the army said: "Terrorist groups, not yet identified, early this morning targeted certain points and…