Ethiopian troops admit downing Kenyan plane in Bardale, AU mission blames pilot

ADDIS ABABA - In a rare turnout of events, Ethiopian troops have admitted downing of a Kenyan aircraft last week in southern Somalia, a preliminary report indicates, in what could significantly shape the operations of AU forces in Somalia.

The aircraft Ambaer 120-5Y AXO crashed minutes to landing at Bardale airport in Southwest state, police reports indicated, adding that it was delivering medical supplies to the region from Baidoa as part of ongoing efforts to combat COVID-19 menace.

At first, there were speculations about the possibility of Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] downing the plane, even though security analysts did not rule out the involvement of Al-Shabaab militants, who control large swathes of the region.

But in a preliminary report filed by African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM], the Ethiopian troops have admitted shooting the plane, leading to the death of six people, blaming the unprecedented incident on "mistaken identity".

According to the report, the ENDF troops guarding Bardale airport, about 300km northwest of Mogadishu, adjudged the plane’s unusual flight towards the facility as a potential suicide mission by the Al-Shabaab militants.

Lack of communication

In defense, the AMISOM Sector III commander claimed his team did not have prior communication of the incoming flight at that particular time, leading to the confusion and ultimate firing of the killer missile.

“There was no information that the aircraft would be at Bardale… the aircraft was flying out of usual site repeatedly closer to the ground,” the Ethiopian forces said in a rare admission, just six days after the accident.

“The troops suspected that the aircraft was a suicide attacker and seeking a target to attack. Due to the above reason, the African Express Type E-120 was shot down by our force.”

According to information obtained by Garowe Online, the aircraft was registered under African Express Airways and was owned by aviation mogul Captain Muse Bulhan. Prior to the accident, the aircraft had been operating in Somalia for the last two months.

Despite the fact that six people were on board, only five bodies were recovered, further raising suspicions. Among those who perished were two Kenyan pilots, a flight engineer, and three Somali operators, officials said.

Records obtained from the Somali Civil Aviation Authority indicate the aircraft had been cleared to operate from Mogadishu to Baidoa, the regional administrative capital of Southwest, a move which contradicts the ENDF version of events leading to the downing of the aircraft.

But another report prepared by AMISOM headquarters seemingly blames the pilots for the accident, arguing that they approached the airstrip from West-East direction as opposed to East-West, a move which could have informed the reaction by ENDF.

“Because of lack of communication and awareness, the aircraft was shot down and the Kenyan and two Somali citizens died in the incident,” Amisom headquarters in Mogadishu said, further complicating the puzzle which ought to be unraveled for unity within AMISOM.

Ethiopian non-AMISOM troops factor

Although the admission could quell tensions which had started to build up between KDF troops and their Ethiopian counterpart, the involvement of non-AMISOM troops could raise legal questions about their presence in Somalia.

The AMISOM report indicates that the Ethiopian troops who are not part of its scheme in a peacekeeping mission in Somalia fired the projectile which caused the accident. The troops have been sneaking into Somalia without approval by the international community.

For instance, in early March and April, a number of them were sighted in Doolow district within Jubaland and had established a base there. Somalia's opposition accuse them of working with Federal Government to topple "legally elected regional leaders".

Their presence in sections of Gedo triggered another domestic political battle between President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe, who later wrote to Ethiopian PM Ahmed Abiy in protest to ENDF deployment to his territory.

“The incident was performed by non-Amisom troops of Ethiopia, which will require mutual collaborative investigation team from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya to further understand the truth,” AMISOM boss ambassador Francisco Madeira noted.

Already, the involvement of non-AMISOM troops has ignited fireworks from Somalia opposition, who have traditionally opposed the presence of Ethiopian troops in the country, accusing them of partisanship in the execution of their duties.

“President, now we fully understand the details of the unholy alliance between you and Abiy Ahmed, which you have been concealing from the Parliament and the Somali public,” said Ilyas Ali Hassan, a Somali Senator who is also the Foreign Secretary of the Himilo Qaran party.

“Parliament and the Somali people should take decisive actions to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the Somali bloodshed in Bardale.”

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a former Somali president and the leader of Forum for National Parties [FNP], had early this week blamed "external" forces for downing of the aircraft. Somalia, he warned, ought to change its attitude or "lose valuable friends like Kenya".

The presence of Ethiopian troops had always been contentious. Long before Amisom was deployed in 2007, Ethiopian forces had ventured into Somalia ostensibly to fight the Union of Islamic Courts, the precursor to Al-Shabaab.

So, what next after the admission?

Throughout their operations in Somalia; whether against Al-Shabaab or unforeseen enemies, ENDF has rarely given information against the execution of its duties. But the latest may tone down brewing tensions with Kenya, another important player in Somalia's much-needed peace quest.

Abdirizak Mohamed, a Somali MP, observes that despite the admission, many questions still remain unanswered. Among them, is the presence of Ethiopian non-AMISOM troops in Somalia and downing the aircraft despite clearance by SCAA.

"The answers provided by African Union on the African express plane downed by Ethiopian troops raises more questions; African express flight was shot down by non-AMISOM Ethiopian troops inside Somalia territory; the plane was given landing clearance by the Somali civil aviation," he notes.

Already, Farmajo regretted the incident on Tuesday in a telephone call to President Uhuru Kenyatta, adding that "we shall investigate the matter to the conclusion". Kenya, he added, was free to join the probe for the sake of "transparency".

Addis Ababa, on the other hand, had on Tuesday labeled the incident as an “accident” but said it will leave the matter to the “competent authorities” in Somalia to investigate. The statement portrayed its unwillingness to cooperate.

But the situation could now force AMISOM to intervene due to Kenya's demand for answers, and the latest revelation of the involvement on non-AMISOM troops attached to Somalia, without any legal framework.

Importantly, players and stakeholders could demand the immediate departure of the troops, who are reportedly acting on a request by the federal government of Somalia. AMISOM troops work under the command of Lt. General Tigabu Yilma, who is also an Ethiopian national.

The downing of the plane may also shape Somalia's domestic politics given the persistent squabbles which revolve around the presence of ENDF troops in the country. Farmajo, who is facing a re-election nightmare in December, could face pressure to openly rebuke the Ethiopian forces, who are his major ally.

Should AMISOM fail to fix the brewing tension between Nairobi and Addis Ababa, the ultimate loser would be Somalia, since Al-Shabaab could seize the advantage and unleash terror on innocent citizens, analysts argue.

In February, the US warned against the presence of SNA troops in Gedo, who enjoy the support of ENDF, arguing that their presence risked triggering Al-Shabaab resurgence in the country.

Already, the troops engaged in a fierce gunfight with Jubaland forces, in a battle that spilled over to Kenya at Balad-Hawo, forcing KDF to warn against possible retaliation.

GAROWE ONLINE