Somali FM Asserts No Ethiopian Intrusion into Somalia Amid Egypt Tensions

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE) – In a candid chat with Universal TV, Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Fiqi, squashed rumors that Ethiopia had trodden on Somalia’s sovereignty. “No Ethiopian incursions on our turf,” he stated firmly.

Yet, he left the door open, adding, “But if it happens, we’ll be ready.” This stance challenges the narrative spun by Somalia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, who had warned the UN Security Council multiple times about Ethiopia’s alleged sovereignty breaches.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had also previously lambasted Addis Ababa for disrespecting Somalia’s territorial integrity. Against this backdrop, Fiqi, who has roots in the Islamic Courts Union, acknowledged that Egypt recently flowed arms into Somalia. Two military planes landed in Mogadishu last month, loaded with weapons aimed at combating the militant group, Al-Shabaab.

“Indeed, the cargo planes touched down. We’re using the weapons to fight Al-Shabaab,” he confirmed.

On the question of Egypt possibly deploying forces to Somalia, Fiqi dismissed any immediate plans, saying, “No decision yet.” This statement comes amid a decade-old tension between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt fears the dam jeopardizes its water security. Despite Ethiopia’s advancements on the dam, including generating some power, Egypt has mostly relied on diplomatic channels and UN appeals.

But Egypt ramping up military presence in Somalia, as seen with those military cargo planes in August, spikes fears of a Cairo-Addis Ababa proxy war. Whispers indicate Egyptian military and intelligence operatives have boots on the ground in Somalia.

The notion of Egyptian forces deploying is rubbing many Somali regional states the wrong way. Non-Mogadishu clans, haunted by memories of the 1990s when Egypt armed Hawiye clan militias, are wary this might spiral into another proxy conflict with Ethiopia.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, addressing brewing tensions from Baidoa on Thursday night, firmly distanced Somalia from the brewing conflict. “We won’t let Egypt turn Somalia into their battleground with Ethiopia,” he declared.

His government, he emphasized, is focused on keeping external conflicts out of Somali soil. “No external forces will wage their wars here,” Barre asserted, targeting local concerns about Egypt eyeing a new front against the neighboring Ethiopia.

“We’ll ensure conflicts between Egypt and Ethiopia stay out of our borders,” he vowed, a statement carrying extra weight given Barre holds dual Somali-Ethiopian citizenship.

During his Baidoa visit, Barre engaged with local chiefs, President Abdiasis Laftagareen’s cabinet, and Rahanweyn elders. Conversations underscored strong local backing for Ethiopian peacekeepers who anchor the region’s stability.

Barre’s Baidoa sojourn followed sharp criticism from President Laftagareen of the Southwest State, who opposed Egyptian troops setting foot in Somalia. The state’s endorsement of local protests supporting the Ethiopian peacekeepers in Bakool and their discontent with Mogadishu’s stance is unmistakable.

Laftagareen’s administration even suggested a maverick security approach if Mogadishu keeps sidestepping the state’s concerns.

Barre’s pivot coincides with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration grappling with claims of being too chummy with Egypt. Whispers of Mohamud’s connections to the Muslim Brotherhood linger, even as Egypt itself clamps down on the group.

Reports suggest Barre and Somali intelligence officials have secured Egyptian residency, with Cairo continuing its military support to Mogadishu amidst the Nile River dispute. The plot thickens.

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