Mesfin Tasew: Yes, Somalia blocked Ethiopian Airlines plane from landing in Hargeisa

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia has confirmed an incident on Wednesday where the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority turned away its aircraft which was scheduled to land in Hargeisa, the regional administrative capital of Somaliland, leading to further tensions in the Horn of Africa.

Somalia and Ethiopia are locked in a conflict after Addis Ababa signed a controversial deal with Somaliland, a state in Somalia, which has been fighting for statehood for the last three decades. Ethiopia will take 20 kilometers of Red Sea once the deal materializes while Somaliland will be recognised by Ethiopia.

In a possible retaliation, Somalia declined to clear an Ethiopian Airlines plane that was scheduled to land at Egal International Airport, noting that it had not been scheduled to land. Sources say Somalia suspects senior officials from Ethiopia were on board and were possibly going to meet the Somaliland regional leaders.

Mesfin Tasew, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, provided clarification to the BBC, articulating, “The aircraft en route to Hargeisa had to return due to the discovery that it lacked authorization from Somalia.”

As per Flightradar data, Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET372, a routinely scheduled flight, safely arrived in Hargeisa at 11:00 AM. Conversely, the de Havilland-400 aircraft, identified by flight number ET8372, originating from Addis Abeba at 8:30 AM, underwent a diversion upon reaching Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali region. The aircraft reverted to Addis Abeba’s Bole Airport at 10:30 AM.

While confirming the incident, the CEO refused to give further details about the incident even as Somalia maintained that the flight was not on schedule. Ethiopia is courting Somaliland for a portion of the Red Sea.

Nevertheless, Somalia’s Minister of Information, Daoud Aweisa, informed the BBC that the aircraft transporting high-ranking Ethiopian government officials was refused entry into Hargeisa.

Tonight, the African Union Peace and Security Committee is set to meet in Addis Ababa to discuss the deteriorating relationship between Ethiopia and Somalia ahead of Thursday's IGAD meeting over the same subject in Uganda.

GAROWE ONLINE