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

South African Firebrand Politician Julius Malema Jailed for Gun-Law Violation CAPE TOWN - South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after a court found he fired a rifle into the air at a political rally in 2018. The ruling closes a case tied to an Economic Freedom Fighters celebration held that year. What was the case against Malema? Malema was convicted in October of illegally possessing a firearm and discharging it in a public place. Prosecutors said he fired the rifle into…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali airstrikes hit the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group across several regions, killing 54 fighters and wounding several others, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. In a statement, the ministry said the operations took place in Hiiraan, Lower Shabelle, Bay and Lower Jubba, where the military had been tracking what it described as important militant positions over recent days. The government said the targets were identified after surveillance indicated a rise in militant activity.…

Nigerian officials have formally withdrawn terrorism financing allegations against former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami and his son. Malami, who held office from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, now faces a narrowed set of charges related to the illegal possession of firearms. According to the revised charge sheet, authorities reportedly discovered firearms and live ammunition at Malami's home in Birnin Kebbi, located in northwestern Nigeria. During a recent court appearance, both Malami and his…

Panic tore through a school in تركيا’s southern Kahramanmaras province when a 13-year-old opened fire, killing nine people and wounding 13 in an attack that sent students scrambling for safety and leaping from windows, officials said. It was the country’s second school shooting in two days. The assault took place in Kahramanmaras province in the south, a region in a country where mass school shootings have historically been rare. "We regret to report nine deaths (...) and 13 wounded. Six of them are currently in intensive…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Israel has taken a significant new step in its outreach to North Western State of Somalia, naming its first ambassador to the self-governing territory after formally recognizing it as an independent state earlier this year. Israel’s public broadcaster reported Wednesday that Michael Lotem, an experienced diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Kenya, will represent Israel in North Western State of Somalia. His appointment comes after Israel’s December decision to recognize…

As Sudan's civil war enters its third year, claiming tens of thousands of lives and forcing millions to flee, an international aid conference in Berlin has pledged over $1.5 billion for humanitarian relief, German officials announced on Wednesday. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking on the eve of the donor meeting, expressed optimism, referencing a previous conference in London that had garnered a billion dollars. "We are on track for more," he told Deutschlandfunk, noting an uptick in pledges. At the…

A possible diplomatic opening has emerged in one of the region’s longest-running fault lines, with US President Donald Trump saying leaders of Israel and Lebanon are expected to speak after a high-level face-to-face meeting in Washington on Tuesday — the first such negotiation since 1993. "Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Mr Trump wrote, offering no further details and not specifying who would…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government on Wednesday sharply denounced Israel’s decision to appoint Michael Lotem as its first non-resident ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, calling the move a challenge to the country’s sovereignty. In a statement dated April 15, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the appointment amounted to a direct affront to Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity. The ministry said the step runs counter to international law, citing the UN Charter and African Union…

North Korea’s capacity to build nuclear weapons is rising at an alarming pace, according to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who warned of a “very serious increase” in the country’s production capability. South Korea’s spy agency has said it believes North Korea is running multiple uranium-enrichment facilities, a crucial stage in producing nuclear warheads. Among them is a plant at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, which Pyongyang had purportedly decommissioned after talks but later brought back into…

Three years into Sudan’s devastating war, international donors meeting in Berlin pledged about €1.3 billion in a bid to ease a crisis that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes. "This nightmare must end," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, describing the anniversary as "a tragic milestone in a conflict that has shattered a country of immense promise". "The consequences are not confined to Sudan. They are destabilising the wider region," he told the conference in a video address.…