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

CASABLANCA, Morocco — Six Moroccan men who were cleared by courts in Somalia’s Puntland State State of Somalia have returned to Morocco after spending more than two years behind bars, according to relatives and human rights advocates on Monday. The men landed at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca last week, only to be taken into custody by Moroccan authorities for questioning about how they traveled to Somalia and the events that followed, family members and campaign groups said. From the airport, they were…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and the European Union opened their first-ever partnership dialogue in Mogadishu on May 10, 2026, setting the stage for talks on political stability, security cooperation, migration and investment, officials said. The discussions took place under Article 3 of the Samoa Agreement, which establishes structured engagement between the EU, its member states and partner countries. This round was held under the banner “A sustainable and mutually beneficial partnership.” Somalia’s…

Climate scientists are warning that 2026 is shaping up to be a year of punishing extremes, with a real chance it could rank as the second warmest year ever recorded — or even take the top spot. The World Weather Attribution group said sea surface temperatures are nearing their highest level on record, while wildfires have already scorched more than 150 million hectares in the first four months of the year. That figure is 50% above the recent wildfire average and twice the area burned over the same period in 2024. Researchers…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 After more than two years in detention in Somalia, six Moroccan nationals have finally made it home, their return marking the end of a long and closely watched ordeal, according to their families and the Joint Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees. The men arrived in Morocco last week and were then held in police custody at the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations in Salé for questioning over the circumstances of their detention in Somalia’s Puntland State region.…

Tragedy strikes the Lake Chad Basin as over 40 Nigerian fishers are feared dead following airstrikes launched by Chad aimed at Boko Haram positions. Abubakar Gamandi Usman, the chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, expressed grave concerns that some fishers might have been directly struck during the assaults, while others reportedly drowned while attempting to escape in overcrowded boats. As of now, no bodies have been recovered from the water. The Chadian government described the air raids as…

Pressure on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer escalated sharply on Tuesday, with reports that Cabinet ministers have urged him to weigh his future and a string of government aides walking out, in what has become the most serious threat yet to his leadership. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is understood to have privately argued for an orderly transfer of power last night, after 75 MPs called on Mr Starmer to step aside in the wake of Labour's punishing election losses last week. Senior minister Darren Jones said Mr Starmer…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s opposition has raised the political temperature in the capital, with the Somali Future Council announcing a mass protest in Mogadishu on May 16 and accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his government of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and broader political repression. In a statement released in Mogadishu, the coalition said authorities were trying to stop a peaceful rally planned by forum members a day earlier in the city. “The Somali Salvation Forum strongly condemns the actions taken…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia has named Greek national Dimitrios Tourikis as its special representative to Greece, a move that signals a fresh push to expand its diplomatic footprint in Europe. Tourikis said Monday in a post on X that he had accepted the appointment and was honored by the role, adding that he would work to strengthen ties between North Western State of Somalia and the Hellenic Republic. North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not released…

Defying mounting pressure, President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will stay in office after the Constitutional Court’s judgment on the Section 89 impeachment process connected to the 2020 theft of cash at his Phala Phala farm, where thieves reportedly made off with thousands of dollars stashed in furniture at the game property. Ramaphosa says he will launch a legal challenge to the report that cleared the way for parliament to weigh impeachment proceedings. He denies any wrongdoing and maintains the funds were the lawful…

MANDERA, Kenya — Anger is mounting in Kenya’s northeastern Mandera County after a deadly ambush left at least six people dead and several others injured, prompting residents and local leaders to demand the removal of Jubaland forces they say are operating in the area. The calls for action followed Saturday’s attack on a passenger vehicle traveling between Mandera town and the Arabia area. Near Beer-Ayawon village, armed attackers opened fire on the civilians inside, turning the journey into a scene of bloodshed. Kenyan media…