Cagjar pushes Somalia to support war against TPLF in Ethiopia

HARGEISA, Somalia – The president of the Somali regional state in Ethiopia Mustafa Muhumed Omar (Cagjar) arrived in Hargeisa, Somaliland capital, a breakaway region in northern Somalia on Sunday.

On Sunday, Cagjar held a meeting with President Muse Bihi at the presidential palace and discussed a number of issues, including security and the ongoing bloody conflict in northern Ethiopia.

According to Fana Broadcasting Corporate [FBC], the state media Bihi express support for the Ethiopian government's military campaign in the northern part of the country which is led by PM Abiy Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Hassan Yasin who is a former Somaliland Ambassador and Head of Trade office in UAE has denied the FBC report that Bihi supported the ENDF fight against the TPLF in northern Ethiopia.

Somaliland's foreign ministry is expected to issue a statement on FBC's report on Cagjar's visit to Hargeisa city which created much doubt about its purpose.

The visiting regional leader said that the people of the Horn of Africa have a common destiny and interest in security, trade, and people-to-people movement. He also briefed Bihi on the Ethiopian war.

Ethiopia has acquired a 19 percent stake in the Port of Berbera in Somaliland following an agreement with the UAE’s DP World in 2018.

Garowe Online received reports from multiple sources that that Cagjar is on his way to Puntland, one of Somalia's five the Federal Member States. However, his office didn’t confirm his travel to Garowe so far.

Cagjar is said to be seeking support for the Ethiopian government's fight against the TPLF, which is currently led by Abiy Ahmed, who has close relations with Farmajo, the outgoing president of Somalia.

If confirmed, Cagjar's visit to Puntland would violate Abiy Ahmed's policy of not having direct contact with the Somali Federal States, which he and Farmajo had agreed upon after taking the office in 2018.

In June this year, a report by the United Nations human rights council has alleged that the Somali recruits trained in Eritrea fought in Tigray, which would constitute illegally participating in a foreign war.

The document, which focused on human rights in Eritrea, cites credible reports that Somali soldiers in training were taken to the frontlines in Tigray, including accounts that Somali troops were in Aksum.

But, the Federal Government in Mogadishu rejected the UN report and said there were Somali soldiers who participated in the Tigray conflict, considering it an internal matter between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

GAROWE ONLINE