Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali court has sentenced a woman to six years in prison for financing the militant group Al-Shabaab, part of a broader government push to sever the insurgents’ money networks. In a separate overnight raid, security forces said they killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander in the central Galgaduud region. Key developments: Maryan Mohamed Nur was sentenced to six years after the court found she had direct links to Al-Shabaab and helped move funds to the group, prosecutors said. Investigators…

BOSASO, Somalia — U.S. special operations forces, working with Puntland State’s Counter-Terrorism Forces, mounted a helicopter-borne raid on an Islamic State enclave in the Cal-Miskaad mountains on Tuesday, killing senior leaders and capturing fighters, according to U.S. Africa Command and Puntland State officials. The joint operation struck targets in Baallade Valley, with troops assaulting the HabarBajuuke cave complex after an exchange of fire with militants from IS-Somalia, officials said. U.S. Africa Command said the…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s top military commander said the country’s defense partnership with the United States will remain strong as both nations move to deepen cooperation on counterterrorism and regional stability — including support for Ethiopia’s push for peaceful access to the Red Sea. Field Marshal Berhanu Jula met Friday in Addis Ababa with a U.S. delegation led by Gen. Dagvin R. M. Anderson of U.S. Africa Command. Both sides discussed ways to bolster security in the Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia has…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing backlash after saying members of the al-Shabab extremist group can apply for Somalia’s new national ID cards — a move he argues will bolster national security and the economy but that critics warn could be counterproductive. Speaking at the 2nd Somali National ID Conference in Mogadishu, Mohamud said militants had told security agencies they were ready to register for the biometric program. “Let them take it — their fingerprints and their faces will be…

Sudanese Military Repels RSF Offensive in Babnousa The ongoing conflict in Sudan saw another clash as military forces repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Babnousa. This adds to the escalating violence in the region. The army's 22nd Infantry Division countered the RSF's assault effectively. RSF had been moving towards Babnousa, which has been under siege since January 2024. No official comments from either the Sudanese army or RSF regarding the recent events. Details of the Offensive…

Sudan's Ongoing Conflict: Rejected Cease-Fire Proposal Deepens Crisis Efforts to halt Sudan's devastating 30-month war suffered a blow as General Abdel-Fattah Burhan dismissed a U.S.-mediated cease-fire proposal. This rejection poses challenges to mediators striving to end hostilities that have transformed the nation into a humanitarian catastrophe. General Burhan labeled the proposal as biased and unacceptable. The war has resulted in over 40,000 fatalities and displaced millions. The mediators, known as the…

Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan The conflict in Sudan has reached a critical point, with ongoing violence driving massive displacement and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The intense clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are forcing thousands to flee. Violence reported in North and West Kordofan, including el-Obeid and Babnousa. Al Jazeera reports drone and artillery attacks by RSF on army positions. Over 2 million displaced persons in White Nile…

Nigeria Declares Security Emergency Amid Rising Kidnappings Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared a sweeping security emergency in response to a recent surge in large-scale abductions across the country. The government is taking significant measures to combat the crisis. Deployment of additional security forces to affected areas Immediate recruitment of more military and police personnel Focus on improving security in schools and vulnerable regions National Response to Abductions The recent abductions…

Nestlé Denies Claims of High Sugar Content in African Baby Foods Nestlé has firmly denied allegations that its baby food products sold across Africa contain higher levels of added sugar compared to those marketed in Europe. This response comes in light of a report indicating that over 90% of its Cerelac baby food products available in 20 African nations reportedly contain added sugars, often exceeding levels found in similar products sold in Europe. Despite the availability of sugar-free versions in European markets, the…

US Special Forces and Puntland State counterterrorism units on Wednesday carried out a coordinated raid on an ISIS hideout in Somalia’s Balade Valley, unleashing hours of gunfire and precision drone strikes that killed a senior commander and several militants, according to security sources. The joint operation inserted dozens of US troops by MH-60 helicopters and used MQ-9 Reaper drones to hit targets across the Habarbakuuje and Mareero areas of the valley, where intelligence indicated a fortified base was housing 10 to 15…