Mogadishu (AX) – On Tuesday morning, flights were unexpectedly grounded between Mogadishu and Baidoa, stranding passengers at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport.
Those affected ranged from business folks and students to medical patients and even a deceased person en route to burial.
No official word from the federal government explained this sudden halt but, flights did resume hours later.
Spokesperson for the Southwest presidential palace, Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, slammed the move, calling it an effort to “humiliate” the inhabitants of Southwest state. He made it clear such actions wouldn’t be accepted. Senator Adam Abdinasir echoed this sentiment, labeling the stoppage a “brazen assault” on the Southwest populace.
This flight cessation occurred amid rising friction between the federal government and regional states, especially pertaining to the planned exit of Ethiopian forces operating under the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is anticipated to wrap up by December 2024. Both Southwest and Jubbaland states worry this pullout might unsettle the already fragile security in their territories.
Recently, Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre swung by Baidoa, aiming to mend the growing rift between the federal government and regional heads. The flight interruption has further complicated this sensitive political environment, with regional leaders increasingly vocal about what they see as federal meddling.
