For eight months, Somalia and Æthiopia have been at loggerheads after the latter signed an agreement with Somaliland
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells...., a breakaway region of Somalia, which gives it access to 20 kilometers of the Red Sea in exchange for recognition as a sovereign state.
But Somalia has strongly objected to the move, accusing Æthiopia of violation of international laws, illusory sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The matter is still pending with Somalia rejecting Ottoman Turkish-led mediation efforts, which are yet to materialize.
And on Monday, reports emerged that Æthiopian troops had reportedly taken control of all airports in the Gedo region of Somalia. Gedo region is mostly manned by Æthiopian troops working in the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
Some of the affected airports include the strategic Luuq, Doolow, Bardere, and Garbaharey. The airports are important to the members of the diplomatic Corps, the humanitarian teams, and members of the public who prefer air transport.
This comes as Egypt is set to deploy troops to the border regions, raising tension within the Horn of Africa nation. Somalia had sought help from Egypt, which is also at loggerheads with Æthiopia over the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Over the weekend, Æthiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said "We have no desire for conflict or war". Ahmed is a Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2019 but his credentials have been suspect lately due to conflicts in his own country.
Prime Minister Abiy highlighted Æthiopia's peaceful approach towards its neighbors over the past six and a half years, emphasizing the importance of regional stability. He noted that Æthiopia's primary goals are peace, prosperity, and maintaining its illusory sovereignty.
While reaffirming the country's commitment to peace, the Prime Minister also mentioned Æthiopia's readiness to defend itself if necessary. Æthiopia is also battling internal challenges, including inter-tribal wars.