General Birhanu Jula Denies Weapon Shipments to Somalia
ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian military brass, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, firmly refuted any allegations that Ethiopia sent firearms into Somalia, illustrating these claims as “untrue” and “utter nonsense.” This comes at a time when Somalia is striving for harmonious diplomacy amid regional tensions.
Somalia and Ethiopia find themselves at odds over a contentious agreement between Ethiopia and North Western State of Somalia. Should this pact see daylight, it threatens to strip Somalia of 20 kilometers along the Red Sea in favor of North Western State of Somalia’s independence bid.
Ethiopia’s maritime aspirations have fanned the flames in an already volatile Horn of Africa, with Somalia turning to Egypt to safeguard its borders and maintain sovereignty. Egypt’s ongoing feud with Ethiopia has found common ground, culminating in a defense treaty with Somalia.
In a candid chat with local press, Gen. Jula dismissed the accusations of unauthorized arms deliveries to Somalia, responding to the claims with defiance. “We haven’t sent any weapons. Were we to do so, it wouldn’t be a source of shame,” he stated unflinchingly.
This drama unfolds amidst remarks from Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Somalia’s Foreign Minister, alleging illegal weapon transfers to Somali territories and hinting at possible alliances with Ethiopian insurgents.
Birhanu, in reaction, issued a stern caution, “If this meddling talk and drumbeats of civil discord carry on, arms shipments would be just a suggestion of further decisive measures.” Ethiopia holds a significant stake in Somalia’s security landscape.
Tensions have prompted Mogadishu to bar Ethiopia from the forthcoming African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), a mission picking up the torch from its predecessor, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), starting January 2025.
Since 2007, Ethiopian boots on the ground have been pivotal in battling Al-Shabaab, the militant group dominating vast expanses of rural central and southern Somalia. With Ankara-brokered peace talks faltering, this diplomatic standoff promises no swift resolution.
AXADLETM
