MOGADISHU, Somalia – Flights were temporarily delayed in Somalia on Tuesday following protests at Aden Adde International Airport which is the country’s most reliable airport serving millions of people a year and is almost the main source of income interiors.
Travelers were stranded after reports revealed one of the airlines had been suspended by the National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] to fly to Dolow, a town in the Gedo region, which has witnessed high octane politics in recent months.
The crisis in the border region was sparked following a strained relationship between the federal government led by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Jubaland leader Ahmed Islam Mohamed, known as the [Ahmed Madobe].
But last month, the two leaders resolved their differences and pledged to work together after a meeting in Mogadishu. The two parties were arguing over the Jubaland polls that took place in August 2019 and the subsequent deployment of the Somali National Army. [SNA] In the region.
The NISA decision prompted several airlines to halt their domestic flights to protest the ban on an airline that allegedly violated guidelines. The strike caused disruption at Aden Abdulle International Airport [AAIA].
Protesters accused the spy agency NISA of unfairly targeting companies to settle political scores with others calling for diligence in handling the country’s internal affairs. The protests calmed down following the intervention of the police who manage the international airport.
Although the airline that had been profiled by NISA was not immediately established, the giant airlines suspended flights to Gedo to protest the actions of the spy agency. No reason was immediately linked to the agency’s actions, which are after all synonymous.
After talks between CEOs and aviation authorities, the airlines agreed to resume operations later today, carrying all passengers to their destinations in the country.
In recent months, the Federal Government of Somalia has been accused of using NISA to settle political scores, a claim the Mogadishu administration has often denied. The agency is headed by a Fahad Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist and close ally of Farmajo.
Politicians have often called for his replacement, but Farmajo has rarely spoken of his “Mr. Fix It ”. The airline’s suspension of flights also comes amid reports that the agency has deployed some of its officers to Gedo on an unknown political and security expedition.
Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] worked closely with SNA and NISA agents in the region, an initiative that has often sparked tension and sometimes clashes. For example, there have been several instances of clashes between the Jubaland security forces and the SNA in the region.
Elsewhere, footage of a Hussein Hosh, who runs an air cargo service at Aden Added International Airport, has emerged, being manhandled by police. The incident also took place on Tuesday and the reason for the attack has not yet been established.
The airport, also known as Mogadishu Airport, serves millions of Somalis and other visitors every year. It is under the surveillance of the African Union Mission Forces, who have been leading the peacekeeping mission in the Horn of Africa country for 14 years due to the emergence of Al- militants. Shabaab.
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