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

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Mogadishu began to settle down on Saturday after two tense days of fighting and security stand-offs pitted federal government forces against troops aligned with opposition figures. By morning, residents said the capital looked noticeably quieter. Military convoys had thinned out, while traffic and ordinary street life slowly returned to major roads after security personnel and armed groups pulled back from several areas that had become flashpoints. Former Somali president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former…

By Tal Shalev and Tim ListerSaturday June 6, 2026 North Western State of Somalia's Ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Hag, left, meets with Israel's President Isaac Herzog, right, after presenting his credentials at the presidential residence in Jerusalem, on May 18. Ohad Zwigenberg/AP Washington, DC — Israel quietly sent elite military and intelligence units into Azerbaijan during its war with Iran, positioning them at a string of covert sites across the Middle East that helped support operations against Tehran, according to…

In the picturesque coastal town of Kleinmond, South Africa, the serenity was shattered four days ago when Mozambican immigrant Lado Amido opened his door to confront an intimidating crowd. Demanding that foreigners leave, the group moved assertively through the area, delivering this ominous message house by house. Fearing for his life, Amido sought refuge in the mountains, enduring two harrowing nights before finding temporary shelter in a local town hall. He now shares this sanctuary with fellow migrants from Malawi and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s federal government is moving to reopen dialogue with opposition leaders as the country heads toward political gatherings in the regional capitals of Dhusamareeb and Jowhar, according to sources familiar with the talks on Saturday. The latest push for mediation is being backed by Turkey, the sources said, as officials look for a way to lower political temperatures in Mogadishu, where tensions have recently contributed to security unrest. During discussions on Friday, the government reiterated…

Saturday June 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A fragile pause in Mogadishu’s latest political standoff emerged June 4, after Somali traditional elders and international representatives helped secure a preliminary accord between the federal government and former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s Himilo Qaran party, the party said Saturday. According to Himilo Qaran, the understanding calls for an unconditional ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops, a return to political talks, the recovery of vehicles and equipment damaged in the…

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has delivered one of his sharpest rebukes yet of Iran and its ally Hezbollah, accusing Tehran of turning Lebanon into a pawn in its negotiations with the United States as the country is battered by war with Israel. In an interview with CNN, Mr Aoun said ordinary Lebanese were "paying the price ... for the sake" of Iran's interests and had grown "fed up" with the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, laying bare the strain running through Lebanon's already fragile sectarian and political…

MOGADISHU, Somalia 5 June, 2026 – On World Environment Day 2026, the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) calls on authorities in Somalia and North Western State of Somalia, as well as international partners, to support and protect environmental journalists and ensure access to information on climate change, environmental degradation, and humanitarian crises. SJS also pays tribute to environmental journalists for their resilience, courage, and dedication to informing the public despite significant challenges and threats.…

Ebola Outbreak in Congo: Struggle Against Misinformation In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the emergence of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has taken many by surprise after it spread quietly for weeks. When officials announced the outbreak on May 15, hundreds of possible cases were already identified, yet some residents regarded the warnings as a mere “Western conspiracy.” As of Wednesday, 62 fatalities were recorded among 363 confirmed infections. The situation is further complicated by public skepticism,…

In the heart of her garden in Bunia, the capital of the Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, traditional healer Mariam Kabika diligently searches for plants she believes may hold the key to combating the Ebola virus. “Eucalyptus leaves, avocado leaves, mango leaves, and papaya leaves,” Kabika lists as she collects these natural ingredients amid the latest outbreak centered in this mineral-rich but conflict-ridden region. This outbreak, the 17th faced by the DRC, was declared on May 15, impacting 359…

Vladimir Putin has poured cold water on Volodymyr Zelensky's push for a personal meeting, saying there is "no point" in a face-to-face summit until negotiators first put a peace deal on the table. Speaking at Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg, Putin dismissed the idea of an immediate encounter with the Ukrainian president, one day after Zelensky issued an open later urging such talks. "I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it.…