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

Four days after US President Donald Trump departed Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived — a swift diplomatic handover that underscored China’s central place in an increasingly unsettled global order. Beijing’s ties with Washington and Moscow differ sharply, of course: one relationship is defined by strategic rivalry, the other by strategic partnership. Yet as China welcomes a steady procession of global leaders, each high-profile visit helps reinforce the sense that Beijing is becoming a pivotal stage for world…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a meeting that underscored mounting attention to rights protections in Somalia, Somali Police Force chief Brig. Gen. Asad Osman Abdullahi held talks with leaders of the Independent National Human Rights Commission on cooperation in safeguarding human rights, improving accountability and strengthening oversight of detention facilities. The commission was represented by Chairperson Dr. Maryam Qaasim, Deputy Chairperson Mohamed Harun, Director General Mustafa Ahmed and other…

A deadly gas blast tore through a coal mine in northern China on Friday, killing at least 90 people in the country’s worst mining disaster in 17 years, according to state media. State news agency Xinhua said 247 workers were underground when the explosion struck at 7:29 pm (12.29pm Irish time) at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province. By this morning, most had been brought to the surface, Xinhua reported, confirming that at least 90 people were dead. The agency said 345 emergency personnel were sent to the scene, where…

Saturday May 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali government forces killed six al-Shabab militants on Friday in a planned operation in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, the Ministry of Defense said. According to the ministry, the Somali National Army, working alongside international partners, launched the operation in the Ugunji area after intelligence indicated that al-Shabab fighters were massing there in preparation for an attack. The ministry said six militants were killed and that weapons and other military equipment used…

Turkey to Dispatch Delegation to Somalia Amid Election Row: Sources MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 23 — Türkiye is set to send a senior delegation to Mogadishu after the Eid holidays in an effort to help chart a path through Somalia’s widening electoral dispute between federal leaders, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move comes as Turkish officials step up diplomatic outreach, with tensions rising over the country’s electoral framework and proposed constitutional changes, the sources said. People with knowledge…

by Joseph Ogungo Saturday May 23, 2026 An undated image of a police vehicle at a crime scene Photo kenyans.co.ke The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has asked the court to hold a police officer accused of fatally shooting a taxi driver in Garissa, citing fears that he could tamper with witnesses and derail the case. In an application filed on Friday, May 22, the authority told the court that releasing the officer on bond would put the investigation at risk, arguing that he may also interfere with key evidence…

A deadly Israeli strike in southern Lebanon has left six people dead — among them two rescuers and a child — according to the Lebanese health ministry, underscoring the volatility that persists despite a fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The ministry said in a statement that "six people were martyred" in the strike on the village of Deir Qanun al-Nahr, including two rescuers from the Risala Scouts association, one of whom also worked as a freelance photographer, as well as a Syrian girl. The association is…

By Khadar M Leyli Saturday May 23, 2026 Abdirahman Mahdi (Ex-Chairman of ONLF) and Ahmed Hassan Baaje (Chairman of pro-TPLF Congress for Somali Cause online movement) Anonymity as a Weapon In an era when rumors can travel faster than facts, anonymity has increasingly become less a safeguard for the vulnerable than a tool for political warfare. What was once meant to shield whistleblowers from retaliation is now often deployed to create the appearance of broad agreement around stories that cannot be verified. One person,…

An Irish doctor detained after Israeli forces intercepted a protest flotilla this week says she was held in conditions she likened to a “horror of a concentration camp”. Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, was among 14 Irish citizens and 430 activists detained by Israeli authorities after the vessels were stopped at sea on Monday. The group had been travelling with the Global Sumud Flotilla, an effort aimed at breaching the blockade of the Palestinian territory and bringing aid to people in Gaza.…

Somalia’s diaspora—Somali citizens and families living abroad—has long played a role in the country’s public life. In recent years, that influence has become more visible in discussions about elections, governance, and political debate. From financial support sent home to advocacy in host countries and input through media and civic groups, diaspora ties can shape how political actors communicate, how campaigns mobilize voters, and how communities discuss national issues. This explainer outlines how that influence works,…