Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud has denied Egyptian military personnel presence in Somalia. He accused Ethiopia of attempting to seize Somali lands and establish a naval base in the Gulf of Aden. In an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera on Saturday evening, he vowed not to allow this to happen.
He stated that there is no legitimate justification for Ethiopia to recognize what is called “Somaliland,” adding that Ethiopia is violating all laws and treaties and is responsible for the instability in the region.
The president expressed hope for the success of Turkish mediation in finding a political solution to the disputes between Somalia and Ethiopia. He emphasized that the only option for Somalia and Ethiopia is to live side by side in peace and work together for economic integration and prosperity for their peoples.
He further stated that “what is happening in the Red Sea deeply saddens us and affects our country’s development, security, and stability,” adding that Somalia was not invited to participate in the “Prosperity Shield” operation, and Somalia prefers political solutions.
Regarding Egypt’s military support for Somalia, he noted that “Cairo supports us, trains our security forces, and provides us with the equipment and devices needed by our security forces in accordance with the defense agreement signed with Egypt. However, there are no Egyptian soldiers on our soil.” He also confirmed that there are defense and security agreements with Ethiopia.
He added, “We requested support from various countries in our fight against terrorism, and Egypt was among those who responded by providing us with equipment and devices.” He stressed that “our country is a sovereign state, and we did not call for Egyptian soldiers. It is Ethiopia that is making false claims and creating problems. All options are on the table if Ethiopia tries to occupy any part of our lands.”
He concluded by stating that the war on terrorism “requires the coordination of military, intellectual, and financial efforts, and this is what we have achieved in Somalia.”
Read more..
Prime Minister of Somalia Lashes out at Ethiopia at UNGA 2024