In a significant heightening of regional tensions, Somali authorities decided to deny entry to an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Wednesday. The flight was transporting a delegation to introduce a high-ranking Ethiopian leader to Somaliland. This incident adds further complexity to the already strained relationship between Somalia and its eastern neighbor.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority acknowledged that it intercepted the plane before it entered Somali airspace, redirecting it back to its origin in Addis Ababa. Official confirmation was issued by the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, declaring that Ethiopian Airlines flight ET8372 was “turned away” from Somali airspace.
Local media reports suggest that the refusal was driven by concerns regarding the delegation’s objectives, especially the planned introduction of a prominent Ethiopian leader to Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia actively seeking international recognition.
This recent occurrence unfolds within the backdrop of an ongoing dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia over a recent agreement that provides Ethiopia with access to a military base in Somaliland. Somalia has strongly denounced the agreement, branding it as a “blatant violation of its territorial integrity and national unity.”
Following clarification from Ethiopian Airlines, the intercepted plane was eventually granted permission to continue its journey.
