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

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s relations with some of its neighbors are fraying, with several regional governments now scaling back their diplomatic engagement and increasingly viewing the federal authorities in Mogadishu as an administration whose mandate has lapsed and whose political legitimacy remains in dispute, according to regional officials and diplomatic sources. The tension is unfolding against a backdrop of mounting political deadlock in Somalia, where delayed elections and a failure by the federal government and…

By: Abdirahman Jeylani Mohamed Saturday May 16, 2026 Somalia has reached a fraught political milestone. On 15 May 2026, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s constitutional mandate formally expired, landing the country in one of its most precarious moments in recent memory. The date carries heavy symbolism. It coincides with Somali Youth Day, a commemoration of the generation behind the Somali Youth League (SYL), which once imagined a united, democratic and sovereign Somali republic built on civic nationalism rather than…

Armed men launched a brazen attack on a school in Nigeria’s troubled Borno state on Friday, seizing an unspecified number of students in what marks the latest in a string of abductions haunting the region. The assault took place at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School, located in Askira-Uba Local Government Area. According to resident Ubaidallah Hasaan, the gunmen struck at around 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) while classes were underway, spiriting away several students. A teacher from the school recounted to Reuters that the…

A deadly Ebola outbreak has erupted in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health authorities said, as neighbouring Uganda confirmed a linked fatality that underscored fears the virus could move across borders. So far, the outbreak has remained concentrated in Ituri province in northeastern DRC, near the frontiers with Uganda and South Sudan, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) said. The agency warned the threat of wider transmission was high, citing 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths…

Saturday May 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s intelligence service says an airstrike in the Hiiraan region wounded at least three senior al-Shabab figures and destroyed vehicles and facilities used by the militant group. The National Intelligence and Security Agency said Friday that the operation, conducted with international partners, targeted the Buq Aqable area, where al-Shabab was reportedly gathering new recruits. NISA identified the wounded commanders as Ali Hussein, described as a militia leader behind attacks in…

A fragile pause in the fighting between Israel and Lebanon is set to last a little longer after the two sides agreed to extend their ceasefire by 45 days, according to the US State Department. "The 16 April cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said. US officials described Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington over the past two days as "highly productive", saying the two countries will return to the table for further negotiations on 2 June and…

A Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building has killed at least 24 people, including three children, after Ukrainian authorities raised the death toll from yesterday’s attack. The updated figure makes the assault one of the deadliest single Russian strikes on a Ukrainian city in recent months. Across the capital, more than 20 sites were hit by Russian drones and missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The barrage came only days after Russian President Vladimir Putin told a news conference in Moscow…

A rare visit by a North Korean football club to South Korea has triggered a rush for seats, with tickets disappearing in less than half a day, according to Seoul's football association. All 7,087 general admission tickets for the 20 May meeting between Suwon FC Women and Naegohyang Women's FC were gone roughly 12 hours after sales opened on Tuesday, a Korea Football Association official said. Suwon FC players celebrate a goal at the AFC Women's Champions League quarter final in China The teams will face off in the…

A desperate search stretched into a second day in the Maldives as rescue teams combed the waters for four missing Italians after what officials described as the country's deadliest diving accident. Italy's foreign ministry said last night that five Italian citizens had died while diving, with Maldivian authorities recovering one body. Maldives Minister of Tourism Mohamed Ameen said coast guard officers and security forces were sweeping remote seas near the area where the divers were reported missing yesterday afternoon. "I…

As nicotine pouches surge in popularity, the World Health Organization is pressing governments to tighten controls, warning that the highly addictive products are being "aggressively marketed" in ways that hold particular appeal for younger people. The small pouches, placed under the lip to deliver a nicotine buzz, have quickly emerged as a crucial growth area for major tobacco companies as cigarette smoking continues its long decline. That rise, however, has drawn mounting criticism from campaigners and researchers over the…