The Federal Government of Somalia has strongly condemned Ethiopia for allegedly smuggling weapons into Somalia’s Puntland region, accusing its neighbour of undermining national security and violating Somali sovereignty.
In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that two trucks loaded with arms crossed into Puntland from Ethiopia without diplomatic notification. “This is a serious breach of Somalia’s sovereignty, with significant implications for both national and regional security,” the Ministry emphasized.
The Somali government also claimed this was not the first instance of illegal arms trafficking, citing previous incidents, including flights transporting weapons into Baidoa, in the South West State. “These repeated actions show a disregard for Somalia’s sovereignty,” the Ministry said, calling for an immediate cessation of such activities.
The Somali authorities urged Ethiopia to halt these alleged illegal operations and called on international and regional partners to denounce the smuggling of arms into Somalia. “We appeal to our partners to support our efforts in maintaining peace and security in the region,” the government added.
Ethiopia has yet to respond to these new accusations. However, following earlier allegations by Somalia in July, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed those claims as “groundless.” This statement followed an incident in which Somali forces reportedly seized two trucks filled with weapons entering the country illegally.
Tensions between the two countries have been exacerbated by Ethiopian military operations in Somalia’s Hiiraan region, where Ethiopian forces entered without coordination with Somali authorities. These operations, aimed at tackling al-Shabaab, led to clashes with Somali security personnel and sparked protests to the United Nations.
In addition, Somalia has expressed strong opposition to Ethiopia’s role in the upcoming African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), due to Ethiopia’s controversial agreement with Somaliland. The Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier in 2024, grants Ethiopia access to Red Sea territory in exchange for the potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence, a deal Somalia views as unlawful. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has clarified that Ethiopian troops will not be welcomed into the new peacekeeping mission unless this agreement is annulled.
In the wake of these diplomatic tensions, Somalia continues its efforts to combat illegal arms trafficking. Somali police recently seized a cache of weapons in the Banadir region, including AK-47 rifles and PKM machine guns, and arrested four individuals involved in the trade. This action aligns with a resolution passed by the Somali government in July, banning arms sales by non-state actors.
Somalia remains determined to secure its borders and uphold its sovereignty as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the ongoing issues with Ethiopia.
