Federal government blocks planes carrying Jubbaland and Puntland security guards from landing in Mogadishu
Jubbaland and Puntland said planes transporting advance delegations and presidential security guards were ordered to turn back shortly before landing at Aden Adde International Airport.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) — Somalia’s federal government on Sunday blocked planes carrying security personnel from the Jubbaland and Puntland regional administrations from landing in Mogadishu just hours before the start of high-level talks on elections and the country’s political deadlock.
Jubbaland and Puntland separately said planes transporting advance delegations and presidential security guards were ordered to turn back shortly before landing at Aden Adde International Airport.
In a statement, the Jubbaland administration said it “strongly regrets the irresponsible decision” to divert a flight carrying members of a preliminary delegation and the personal security detail of Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe.
Jubbaland officials said the aircraft had received clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority, the conference organizing committee and federal security agencies, but was suddenly instructed to return to Kismayo as it approached Mogadishu.
“The decision was taken without ensuring the aircraft had sufficient fuel to return safely,” the statement said, describing the move as “a hostile decision that put the lives of the preliminary delegation at risk.”
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Puntland issued a similar protest, saying a plane carrying members of President Said Abdullahi Deni’s presidential guard was also forced to turn back. In a statement, the Puntland administration accused federal leaders of deliberately undermining the consultative process after Puntland and the Somali Future Council agreed to attend the talks.
“Once the Puntland government and the Somali Future Council accepted the invitation to participate in the meeting, the president of the federal government took steps aimed at thwarting the promised conference,” the statement said.
The Somali Future Council, an opposition alliance that includes the Puntland and Jubbaland leadership also denounced the decision to block the flights. In a statement, the council said it had accepted the federal government’s invitation to dialogue “in good faith,” but accused authorities in Mogadishu of taking actions that contradicted the spirit and credibility of the talks.
The latest confrontation threatens to derail the long-anticipated conference, which is meant to address Somalia’s disputed electoral model and broader political tensions between the federal government, regional states and opposition groups.
It remained unclear whether the talks, scheduled to open in Mogadishu on Monday, would proceed as planned. Both President Deni and President Madobe are still expected to travel to the capital, according to regional officials, though no confirmation had been issued by the federal government.
Somalia is under mounting domestic and international pressure to reach consensus on an election framework as current mandates near their end. Diplomats and analysts have warned that failure to hold inclusive talks risks deepening political divisions, undermining recent security gains and stalling fragile state-building efforts.
About the Author
Osman Hassan is a Senior Editor at the Somali Report based in Nairobi with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with local and international media outlets in Somalia and is an award-winning journalist. His reporting focuses on politics, security, and regional affairs in the Horn of Africa.