Somalia MPs Barred from Travel at Mogadishu Airport Amid Political Tensions
The MPs — most of them representing the South West State administration — were halted by airport security as they attempted to board international flights during a parliamentary recess, according to lawmakers present.
Somalia: Lawmakers stopped from leaving Mogadishu airport as political rift widens
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Security officers at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport blocked several members of the Federal Parliament from traveling on Saturday, igniting a fresh political storm over freedom of movement and claims of selective enforcement.
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The MPs — most of them representing the South West State administration — were halted by airport security as they attempted to board international flights during a parliamentary recess, according to lawmakers present.
They alleged the interdictions were politically driven, attributing the decision to their regional leadership’s affiliations. Lawmakers framed the stoppages as part of a broader pattern of pressure, pointing to earlier reports of comparable travel restrictions in Jubaland and Puntland State.
Opposition figures condemned the episode. The Somali President campaigned in 2022 on lifting airport travel curbs, arguing such measures undermine Mogadishu’s standing and reliability as the country’s primary aviation hub.
By Sunday morning, federal security institutions had not released a formal explanation outlining the legal basis or security rationale for preventing the legislators from boarding.
The dispute unfolds amid escalating tensions between the Federal Government of Somalia and South West State. Relations have soured markedly since President Abdiaziz Laftagareen declared a halt to all cooperation with the Mogadishu-based authorities, accusing the federal leadership of direct meddling in regional affairs.
AXADLETM