MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government on Sunday accused Ethiopia of smuggling arms into the country for the fourth time this year, further alleging its involvement in supporting regional officials, subject to court warrants and actively pursued, in efforts to destabilize the nation.
Somali deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala told reporters in Mogadishu that on Saturday, Addis Ababa dispatched a cargo plane carrying weapons to Kismayo, followed by another aircraft that transported Jubaland regional officials, including its former deputy President, from Kismayo to Ethiopia.
Al-Adala stated that his government is fully aware of Somali regional officials collaborating with Ethiopia to interfere in the country’s internal affairs and seize control of the Gedo region, emphasizing that such actions constitute a crime that will not go unpunished, and those responsible will ultimately be held accountable.
He further alleged that Ethiopia has recruited militias from the Hiran region and is training them within its borders to destabilize Somalia, describing this as a blatant violation of both Somalia’s sovereignty and the mandate of the ATMIS peacekeeping mission, of which Ethiopia is a part.
Ethiopia has not yet commented on allegation.
The comments come amid escalating tensions between Jubaland and Mogadishu, reaching unprecedented levels and teetering on the edge of full-scale conflict, the outcome of which remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has deployed thousands of troops to Somalia’s Gedo region in recent days, seemingly signaling to Mogadishu that it stands ready to support Jubaland if the the Somali federal government launches an offensive against the regional authorities.
Jubaland has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Somali government troops stationed in Raskamboni town – about 250 kilometers from Kismayo – to withdraw, warning of decisive action if its demand is ignored, as both sides escalate preparations for a potential military confrontation.
As both sides intensify their military buildup in Raskamboni and Kismayo, the Al-Shabaab militant group is simultaneously amassing forces near Raskamboni, though the ultimate direction of its mobilization remains unclear.
