Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Thursday April 9, 2026 Türkiye’s deep-sea drillship Çağrı Bey is due to dock in Mogadishu on Friday, launching a nearly 10-month drilling campaign that will mark the country’s first deepwater exploration project beyond its own shores. The vessel set sail from southern Türkiye in mid-February and is expected to wrap up its 53-day voyage with a ceremony in the Somali capital, where Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar is scheduled to attend. Once in port, the ship will head to a drilling site roughly 372…

Lebanon endured one of its deadliest days of the war as Israeli strikes killed 182 people and wounded 890, according to an initial official toll, while Beirut came under its fiercest bombardment since fighting began between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel said Lebanon was not included in the Iran-US truce announced overnight. Live images broadcast by AFPTV showed thick plumes of smoke rising above Beirut, while AFP journalists reported scenes of panic in the streets and buildings collapsing onto residents without any prior…

Djibouti — Djiboutians are voting Friday in a presidential contest that is all but certain to hand President Ismail Omar Guelleh another term, reinforcing his grip on power more than two decades after he first took office. More than 200,000 registered voters are eligible to cast ballots in the Horn of Africa state, where just two candidates are on the ballot. Analysts say the ruling Rally for the People’s Progress (RPP) is poised to win the bulk of the vote. Guelleh has repeatedly dominated the country’s elections since…

By Angelo AmanteThursday April 9, 2026 Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani speaks to the media in Rome, Italy, September 1, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights Italy demanded answers from Israel on Wednesday after shots were fired at an Italian convoy serving with a U.N. mission in Lebanon, summoning the Israeli ambassador and saying the country’s forces had “no authority to touch” Rome’s troops. The convoy was part of UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force deployed…

The Nigerian government has officially launched the prosecution of over 500 individuals connected to militant attacks, marking one of the largest terrorism trials in the nation’s history. These defendants are charged with aiding and abetting terrorism, primarily in the northeast region, where the Boko Haram insurgency has persisted for 17 years. The high-profile trial commenced at a court in the capital, Abuja, with 227 suspects appearing before a panel of 10 judges. This year alone, bombings and various assaults have…

A tense Middle East standoff deepened as US President Donald Trump said American military forces would stay in the region until a peace agreement with Iran is secured, while warning that any failure to comply could trigger a dramatic widening of the conflict. The prospect of further turmoil pushed oil prices higher as markets fretted over supply risks and continuing restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post, Mr Trump said US ships, aircraft and personnel — backed by extra ammunition and weapons — would…

Thursday April 9, 2026 Rescuers stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, on April 8 President Donald Trump said Lebanon was left out of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, a position that directly undercut Pakistan’s claim that it had helped secure a truce covering the wider region. The comment came after Israel unleashed a sweeping assault on Lebanon on Wednesday that killed and wounded more than 1,400 people in crowded areas. Trump brushed off the fighting between Israel and…

Thursday April 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a move aimed at keeping children in class, the Banadir Regional Administration has outlawed the practice of locking school gates to punish late arrivals, saying the policy protects students’ right to education and helps curb dropout rates. The announcement came after a meeting between the Banadir Regional Education Directorate and principals from 48 public schools in Mogadishu. The talks centered on raising education standards and tackling the problems that continue to affect…

Shipping companies are holding back from returning to the Strait of Hormuz, saying they need firmer assurances on the terms of the US-Iran ceasefire after Tehran said the vital waterway remains off-limits to vessels sailing without a permit. The six-week war all but choked off traffic through the strait, a narrow corridor that handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, sending energy prices sharply upward around the world. Iran said it would provide safe passage in coordination with its armed…

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan security agencies say they have broken up part of a suspected cross-border terror logistics network after uncovering dozens of bales of militant combat uniforms concealed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighborhood, in a night operation that has widened an already regional investigation. The intelligence-driven raid took place near the KBS Garage area and was led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), working with other agencies. Investigators believe…