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

Mucahithan AvciogluFriday April 10, 2026 A Turkish deep-sea drilling vessel has reached Somalia, setting in motion what Ankara is calling a “historic mission” and marking Türkiye’s first overseas deep-sea drilling operation, the energy and natural resources minister announced Thursday. “The Cagri Bey (ship) has arrived in Somalia for its historic mission,” Alparslan Bayraktar said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying the effort would usher in “a brand-new chapter in the energy history of both Türkiye and…

With a ceasefire now taking hold between the United States and Iran, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is pressing for Washington to restore full energy sanctions on Russia, arguing that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz removes the rationale for easing pressure on Moscow’s oil exports. "Now a ceasefire is beginning in the Middle East and the Gulf. And I am waiting for sanctions on Russian oil to be fully reimposed, as they were before," Mr Zelensky said. Last month, the United States relaxed some sanctions on…

Friday April 10, 2026 Ethiopian police say Yetbarek Dawit, who is yet to comment on the allegations, was wanted in various countries Mogadishu (AX) — Ethiopian authorities say they have arrested a man accused of running a trafficking ring that moved thousands of migrants, including Somalis, into Libya over a number of years, where many were allegedly tortured, abused and held for ransom. Federal police named the suspect as Yetbarek Dawit, saying he directed a cross-border operation that smuggled more than 3,000 people from…

Tensions are mounting around a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, with Washington accusing Tehran of failing to honour commitments on the Strait of Hormuz and Israel launching strikes on Lebanon that Iran says breach the truce. There was still no indication that Iran intended to ease its near-total blockade of the strait, a choke point that has triggered the most severe disruption ever seen in global energy supplies. Iran pointed to Israel's continuing assault on Lebanon, including what were described as the…

In a tragic escalation of violence, a drone strike on the town of Kutum in Sudan's North Darfur resulted in the deaths of at least 12 civilians, including six children. This incident was reported by a medical source on Thursday. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, highlights a recent surge in drone warfare between Sudan's military forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), locked in conflict since April 2023. Among the victims were three female secondary school students, as detailed by the medical…

By ZVIKA KLEINFriday April 10, 2026 Qatar is now underwriting the most-watched English-language news channel covering the Middle East, a development that should alarm Israeli planners more than many of the military lessons drawn from the 40-day war. The reason is simple: the battlefield has expanded, and the fight for attention is being lost online. AL JAZEERA headquarters in Doha, Qatar. (photo credit: Imad Creidi/Reuters) One statistic, unrelated to missiles or airstrikes, may prove more consequential than much of what…

Friday April 10, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and Italy on Thursday sealed an agreement to launch the QEPHS-SOM project, a new effort intended to bolster the country’s primary health services and broaden access to care. The deal was signed in Mogadishu by Somali Minister of Health Dr. Ali Haji Aden and Italy’s Ambassador to Somalia, Pier Mario Daccò Coppi, with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) involved in the partnership. The signing ceremony was attended by AICS Head Fabio Minniti and agency official…

Pressure mounted on Hungary on Thursday after new reports alleged Budapest shared sensitive EU material with Moscow, prompting Brussels to demand that the government “explain itself as a matter of urgency”. Last month, a consortium of Eastern European outlets — The Insider, VSquare and Delfi — reported that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto had given Russia “direct-line” access to “strategic information on crucial issues”. In a follow-up investigation published Wednesday, the outlets alleged that Mr Szijjarto…

Thursday April 9, 2026 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal (2nd L) competes during the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg football match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, April 8, 2026. (Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua) Atletico Madrid left Barcelona with a commanding Champions League quarterfinal advantage on Wednesday, as goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth delivered a 2-0 first-leg victory away from home. The outcome gives Atletico firm control of the tie and comes as a…

For a month, the UK and its allies shadowed a Russian attack submarine and two spy submarines in the North Atlantic before the vessels eventually pulled back, Britain's defence minister John Healey said. Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, he said that in recent weeks — even as attention was focused on the crisis in the Middle East — the UK, working alongside Norway and other allies, had responded to what he described as "increased Russian activity" in the Atlantic north of the UK. That activity, he said,…