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

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — After days of rising political and military strain between Mogadishu and Baidoa, traditional elders in Southwest State say they have brokered a key understanding aimed at stopping further escalation and preventing bloodshed, following three days of intensive consultations. Speaking at a press conference in Baidoa on Monday, Ugaas Shire Ugaas Warsame said the elders held separate meetings with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Speaker of the House of the People Aden Mohamed Nur (Madoobe),…

Slovenia faces immediate coalition negotiations after an election produced no clear victor in a contest that could reshape both domestic priorities and the country's foreign policy direction. With nearly all ballots tallied from Sunday's vote, Prime Minister Robert Golob’s liberal Freedom Movement (GS) and the right-leaning Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) of populist former premier Janez Jansa finished in a virtual tie. Neither party, as things stand, will reach the 46-seat threshold required for a majority in the 90-seat…

The Nigerian police have apprehended 15 individuals in connection with allegations of rape and sexual assault that emerged during the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro, Delta State. This investigative action comes in the wake of shocking footage that surfaced online, depicting women being chased, stripped, and assaulted in public spaces, igniting a wave of outrage on social media. The hashtag #StopRapingWomen swiftly gained traction, amplifying demands for accountability concerning gender-based violence. Authorities have refuted…

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A coalition of 136 lawmakers from both chambers of Somalia’s Federal Parliament has thrown its weight behind Southwest State’s move to press ahead with elections and establish an electoral commission, setting up a fresh flashpoint in the widening dispute between regional leaders and Mogadishu. In a joint statement issued Monday, the MPs said Southwest’s election process should move forward transparently and inclusively, and must be conducted in line with the state constitution as well…

Iran fired multiple waves of missiles at Israel, the Israeli military said, after US President Donald Trump delayed a threatened strike on Iran's power grid, citing what he described as productive talks with Iranian officials. Air raid sirens sounded across parts of Israel, including in Tel Aviv, where the noise of interceptions — and the blasts that followed them — were clearly heard. In one instance, debris from an intercepted missile fell on homes in northern Israel, causing damage, though authorities reported no…

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A dispute over who can move where has erupted into a fresh flashpoint in Somalia’s broader political standoff, as former National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe urged federal authorities on Monday to stop blocking lawmakers and politicians from traveling to Baidoa. Sanbaloolshe called on the government to lift restrictions affecting federal lawmakers, naming MP Murjaan and his delegation among those reportedly prevented from flying…

A Colombian Air Force Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport plane crashed just after takeoff in the country's southern Amazon, killing at least 34 of the 125 people on board, authorities said. "Unfortunately, the information is of 34 deaths," Luis Emilio Bustos, the mayor of the nearby ‌town of Puerto ⁠Leguizamo, told journalists. Jhon Gabriel Molina, governor of the Putumayo department, told local news outlet Caracol Noticias that 34 people had died and 21 remained unidentifed. The accident occurred as the aircraft…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A sharp new dispute between Somalia’s federal government and Southwest State is spilling into the security arena, with regional authorities warning that fresh troop deployments could ignite wider conflict and compound an already precarious humanitarian situation. In a statement released Monday from Baidoa, Southwest State officials said the arrival of Somali National Army forces in the region amounts to a military escalation rooted in political disagreements—issues they argued should be…

A Colombian Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 military transport carrying 125 people crashed shortly after takeoff in the southern Amazon, leaving one person dead and 77 others in hospital, officials said. President Gustavo Petro confirmed one fatality and said 77 people had been admitted to medical facilities following the accident. The defence ministry identified the aircraft as a Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 that went down during departure procedures. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez said the plane went down as it lifted…

Monday March 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s next elections are now being pitched as a pivotal test of inclusion and public confidence, with the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation saying Sunday that the country is moving into an “inclusive electoral phase” and that the federal government intends to press ahead under national law. In a press statement, the ministry described voting as a constitutional right for every Somali citizen and cast the election process as central to bolstering trust in…