MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has struggled to enforce a flight ban on Kismayo amid ongoing political tensions between the central government, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and President Ahmed Madobe of Jubaland.
On Saturday and Sunday, Kenya and Ethiopia violated the ban with unauthorized flights to Kismayo, transporting delegations from Jubaland, including President Madobe.
Without clearance from Somalia’s aviation authorities, a Kenyan-registered aircraft flew President Madobe from Kismayo to Nairobi on Saturday.
This move angered President Mohamud and his government as it violates the ban imposed on flights to Kismayo and Somalia’s airspace regulations.
Kenya has not addressed the airspace allegations made by Somalia.
On Sunday, Ethiopia made similar move by flying local elders and senior Jubaland officials from Kismayo to Dollow, a town in Gedo region.
This comes two weeks after President Mohamud met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa to normalize relations and advance the Ankara Declaration.
Tensions between the Somali government and Jubaland escalated on November 25, after President Madobe secured his third term through an indirect election, defying the country’s new unified method.
Neither Kenya nor Ethiopia has responded to the allegations. Both countries have troops stationed in Jubaland as part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
