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

On the war’s 100th day, the United States said it had shot down two Iranian drones posing a threat to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring how the conflict continues to widen with no clear end in sight. The symbolic marker came as Pakistan, acting as a mediator, delivered a message to Iran’s supreme leader after weeks of indirect talks marked by reciprocal threats and intermittent bursts of fighting. Attempts to transform a ceasefire into a durable political settlement have repeatedly faltered, even as the…

In a significant counteroffensive, the Nigerian military announced the rescue of 360 individuals from the clutches of Boko Haram in the Mandara Mountains of Borno State. This operation marks a critical blow to the militant organization, which has been infamous for its abductions. The rescued individuals were reportedly held under dire conditions, having been seized from various communities in the area. Tragically, two infants lost their lives due to exhaustion, a grim reminder of the challenges faced by those enduring…

Turkish intelligence steps in as Somalia’s election standoff deepens MOGADISHU, June 8, 2026 – Turkish intelligence officials in Mogadishu are set to open another round of talks with Somali opposition figures on Monday, sources said, as a behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort intensifies to break the country’s political impasse. The delegation has spent the past several days in the Somali capital meeting separately with opposition leaders and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, using shuttle diplomacy to try to narrow the gap…

Monday June 8, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A national peace conference led by women on Sunday urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to immediately open an inclusive national dialogue aimed at easing Somalia’s worsening political crisis. In its statement, the gathering said any talks must bring in civil society, with Somali women in particular, to help shape a durable political settlement rooted in consultation and consensus. “We expressed strong concern about the political situation in the country, following the recent violence…

With pressure mounting on the streets and online, President Cyril Ramaphosa has gone on national address to unveil a sweeping set of steps aimed at tightening South Africa’s grip on illegal migration, as anti-foreigner marches grow and anger over stubbornly high unemployment boils over. Ramaphosa said the package will target multiple pressure points in the system: tougher enforcement against employers who hire undocumented migrants; dedicated immigration courts designed to accelerate deportation processes; reinforced border…

Two months after a ceasefire appeared to quiet the Middle East war, Israel and Iran traded attacks once more, shattering the pause despite a public appeal for restraint from US President Donald Trump. Israel launched its strikes after Iran fired at Israel in retaliation for an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold backed by the Islamic republic. The renewed exchange came after weeks of stalled negotiations aimed at securing a lasting end to the regional conflict ignited by US and Israeli strikes on…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOMonday June 8, 2026 East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Falhada Iman Dekow speaking to the press in Garissa town on Sunday. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO A video of Garissa Governor Nathif Jama speaking with a patient at Garissa County Referral Hospital has thrust the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme back into the spotlight, prompting fresh questions over whether the government's health push is delivering on its promise. The clip, recorded on Friday and circulated widely on social media over the…

Mohamed Gabobe, MogadishuSunday June 7, 2026 Fighters from the Union of Islamic Courts took control of Mogadishu in June 2006 For Yusuf Ali, the sounds of Mogadishu’s past have never really gone away. The 34-year-old shopkeeper still lives with the memories of being drawn into Somalia’s insurgency as a child soldier, fighting in the streets of the capital while the city around him descended into ruin. As Mogadishu gradually rebuilds, the psychological wounds left by years of war remain largely untreated. Few services are…

Gunfire erupted near a neighborhood festival in Toledo, Ohio, leaving at least 12 people wounded and prompting a sprawling police search for those responsible, authorities said. Investigators were canvassing the area for suspects, speaking with witnesses and reviewing mobile phone footage after what police believe was an exchange of shots involving at least two people near the Old West End Festival. "Twelve people were struck with bullets... two of them critical," Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joseph Heffernan told reporters,…

Sunday June 7, 2026 Addis Ababa (AX) — Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia says Mogadishu is determined to extend federal authority across every part of Somali territory, including Hargeisa and Berbera, as tensions flare again over North Western State of Somalia’s disputed status. Speaking to Al Jazeera this week, Ambassador Abdullahi Mohamed Warfa said the federal government is rebuilding state institutions and bolstering the national army so that federal authority can reach all regions of the country. “Northern Somalia is…