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North-Africa

North Africa coverage from Axadle, including politics, diplomacy, security, business, and major developments across the Maghreb and surrounding region.

Energy Buyers Shift Focus to Africa Amid Rising Middle East Tensions

The escalating conflict in the Middle East is prompting a significant shift in oil procurement strategies among European and Asian buyers, who are increasingly turning to African oil-producing nations. These countries not only offer lower insurance costs but also promise more consistent delivery timelines compared to the high-risk regions of the Middle East. According to industry analysts, leading African energy players—namely Nigeria, Libya, Angola, Gabon, Mozambique, Namibia, and Tanzania—are being regarded as safer…

Dozens Feared Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Libya Coast

At least two people have been confirmed dead and dozens remain unaccounted for after a migrant vessel capsized in the Mediterranean, rescuers said, as survivors and witnesses described a desperate scramble at sea. The small craft, which set off from Libya, overturned inside a search-and-rescue area that is officially the responsibility of Libyan authorities. German NGO Sea-Watch reported that two merchant ships passing nearby pulled 32 people from the water and transported them to Lampedusa, the Italian island that serves…

Somalia, Sudan sign diplomatic visa waiver deal to deepen ties

Sunday April 5, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and Sudan have reached an agreement to waive visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders, a development both governments say will help deepen ties and make official travel easier. The accord was signed on April 2 at the second meeting of the Somalia-Sudan Political Consultation Committee. The session was jointly led by Hamza Adan Haadow, permanent secretary at Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Ambassador Muawiya Osman Khalid,…

Uganda receives first U.S. deportation flight under third-country agreement

Rachel Savage and agenciesFriday April 3, 2026 A deportation flight from the United States has touched down in Uganda, underscoring Donald Trump’s drive to send migrants to countries where they have no roots, no family and, in many cases, no clear future. The people removed from the US will remain in the east African country as “a transition phase for potential onward transmission to other countries”, an unnamed senior Ugandan government official told Reuters. The Uganda Law Society, which has denounced the arrivals, said 12…

Sudan’s RSF Accused of Using Sexual Violence as Warfare Tactic

Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported on Tuesday that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias are systematically using sexual violence to dominate civilians. Since April 2023, the Sudanese army and RSF have clashed in a devastating war, causing tens of thousands of deaths and displacing around 11 million people. The conflict is characterized by rampant sexual violence. From January 2024 to November 2025,…

Algeria Mourns Former President Liamine Zeroual Following His Death

Algeria declared three days of national mourning after announcing the death of former president Liamine Zeroual, who died at 84 following a serious illness. Born in Batna in 1941, Zeroual fought with the National Liberation Army during Algeria’s struggle for independence from France. He later steered a transitional government through the country's brutal civil war and organised the first multi-party presidential election in 1995, emerging as its victor. In 1998 he left office before his term concluded, clearing the way for…

Drone Strikes in Sudan Kill 28, Including Key Figures

Tragedy struck in Sudan as drone strikes claimed the lives of 28 civilians in two separate incidents, health officials confirmed on Thursday. As the conflict between Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, these attacks highlight a disturbing rise in drone warfare. On Wednesday, devastation hit the town of Saraf Omra in North Darfur. A drone strike on a bustling market resulted in a fiery explosion, killing 22 people, including an infant, and injuring 17, according to a local clinic…

Drone Strikes in Sudan Claim 28 Lives, Civilian Casualties Mount

In a tragic escalation of violence, two drone strikes in Sudan have claimed the lives of at least 28 civilians, marking a grave chapter in the ongoing conflict between the country's military factions. This surge in drone warfare has pushed the death toll past 500 for the year, underscoring the devastation inflicted on the civilian population. Communicating through satellite internet amidst a communications blackout, health workers from two cities separated by nearly 500 miles reported the fatalities to Agence…

Iran and U.S. harden positions in talks to end nearly month-old war

Iran and the United States stood at a stubborn impasse Thursday, each digging in over ceasefire terms as diplomacy stalled and fears of further escalation grew with more U.S. forces nearing the Middle East. At the same time, President Donald Trump extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, pushing it to April 6. Tehran also tightened its control over the waterway, while Israel increased troop levels in southern Lebanon as it continued fighting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. In Israel, sirens…

Eritrea Returns to AFCON After 18 Years Away

After 18 years away, Eritrea is finally stepping back onto Africa’s biggest football stage, set to “host” Eswatini in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that will be played on neutral ground in Morocco. The preliminary round first leg is scheduled for the 20,000-seat Stade d'Honneur, shifted from East to North Africa because Eritrea does not have a stadium that meets international standards. The Red Sea Camels have not featured in the AFCON since a 2008 qualifier ended in a draw in Eswatini, the country formerly known…