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

Saturday March 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Marking Eid al-Fitr on Friday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud prayed alongside Somali Armed Forces units in Gendershe, the coastal Lower Shabelle town recently wrested back from al-Shabab. He was accompanied by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) director, top cabinet members, the Somali National Army commander and the national police chief, sharing the holiday with frontline soldiers. In remarks after the prayer, Hassan Sheikh said his government will move…

Israel pounded Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, with a pre-dawn wave of strikes targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, the military said, after it had called on residents in several areas to evacuate. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on 2 March to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel has struck targets across Lebanon and deployed ground forces in the country’s south. In a short statement, the army said its forces were…

Helsinki – In a milestone for Somalia’s ties with the Nordic country, Somalia's Ambassador to Sweden, Ambassador Abdikarim Ahmed Mohamed, has officially presented his credentials to Alexander Stubb, a development that the Somali community in Finland has greeted with enthusiasm, the Finnish Somali Media Network (SSMV) reported. Officials say the ambassador’s presence in Finland should make it easier for Somali nationals to access consular services, removing persistent obstacles many have faced when seeking assistance…

In a watershed for LGBT rights in Poland, the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) has ruled that same-sex marriages performed in other EU member states must be recognised — a striking shift in a traditionally Catholic nation. The decision, delivered in line with a ruling by the EU’s top court, drew applause in the courtroom as longtime activists and same-sex couples gathered to celebrate. The case centred on Jakub Cupriak-Trojan and his husband, Mateusz Trojan, who married in Berlin in 2018. After the couple relocated to…

Invoking one of the most consequential ambushes in modern history, US President Donald Trump defended the war he launched against Tehran by comparing American strikes on Iran to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor during talks in Washington with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. "We wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?" Mr Trump replied when a journalist asked why he had not told allies about his war plans. "You believe in surprise, I think much more so…

Early this morning, the Israeli military said it launched a barrage of strikes on Beirut aimed at the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, hours after urging residents in several districts to evacuate. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on 2 March, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel has carried out strikes across Lebanon and sent ground troops into the country's south. In a brief statement this morning, the Israeli…

Soaring oil and gas prices linked to the war in Iran are rippling through global markets, piling pressure on governments to shield households from the fallout. The Government says it is preparing an “appropriate intervention” to curb rising fuel costs, with measures due to be finalised at the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. How are other nations stepping in to support families and businesses? Here’s a snapshot from across Europe. On Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a £53 million (€61m) package for…

Live Iran’s supreme leader declares the enemy 'defeated' Middle East Israel carried out additional strikes in Tehran today, despite a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump a day earlier not to repeat attacks on Iran’s natural gas infrastructure. Follow our live coverage for real-time…

Three men injured in Provisional IRA attacks in England will discontinue their civil claim against former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, the High Court was told by their lawyers. The trio had sought a nominal £1 in damages, citing injuries from bombings in the 1970s and 1990s. The claimants are John Clark, hurt in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a survivor of the 1996 London Docklands blast; and Barry Laycock, injured in the 1996 attack on Manchester’s Arndale shopping centre. They alleged Mr Adams was…

In a dramatic turn of events, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is under scrutiny following its recent decision to revoke Senegal's hosting rights for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a mere 58 days after the tournament concluded. Leading the charge for accountability, the Guinean Football Federation (FGF) has formally requested that CAF apply uniform disciplinary measures, drawing attention to a pivotal moment in AFCON history: the contentious 1976 match between Morocco and Guinea. In that encounter,…