MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) — Somalia’s fragile security landscape was further complicated yesterday when two C-130 Egyptian military aircraft landed at Mogadishu airport, delivering a significant shipment of weapons, ammunition, and personnel.
According to Somali security sources privy to the operation, the planes arrived on Tuesday morning, marking a new phase in the controversial military pact between Egypt and Somalia, aimed at “strengthening military cooperation.”
This delivery comes against the backdrop of a bitter dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Addis Ababa and Somaliland on January 1, 2024, a move the Somali government in Mogadishu has vehemently opposed.
Tuesday’s shipment has raised concerns among local officials, who fear that the weapons could end up in the hands of newly recruited clan militias in Mogadishu.
The 500-strong militia reportedly being armed with these weapons were recruited under the auspices of Maslah, a relative of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Sources within the Somali army have voiced concerns over the selection process, alleging that the recruits were chosen based solely on their clan affiliations.
“The militiamen were selected mainly from various units just because of their clan identity. They were selected purely because they come from the sub-clan of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,” said a source familiar with the recruitment process.
A clan elder, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, revealed that President Hassan had previously promised to form a 2,000-man militia for the clan during a meeting in Middle Shabelle.
“When we met the president at Wargaadhi in July, some clans complained about the lack of weapons. The president asked every sub-clan of the Waceysle to bring about 500 men, and he promised to arm them with weapons and ammunition,” the elder said.
The recruitment and arming of the new militia have not been without complications. In mid-July, a cache of weapons and ammunition reportedly purchased from Ethiopia was intercepted and seized by the Marehan militia in the central Somali town of Abudwak in the Galgadud region.
The weapons were allegedly destined for the new militia under President Hassan’s directive.
Efforts by Somalia’s Internal Security Minister, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Fartaag), to retrieve the seized weapons through negotiations with the Marehan clan have so far been unsuccessful.
“We had long hours of meetings with the elders, politicians, and security personnel in the region. Our goal was to ensure the weapons do not fall into the wrong hands. Negotiations are still ongoing,” Minister Fartaag stated after returning to Mogadishu following a week in Abudwak.
Sharp criticism
The arming of the militia has also drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians. Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed expressed his concerns, stating, “Recently, there has been a significant increase in the influx of illicit weapons into the country. This is part of the challenges facing governance and peace.”
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in a press conference in Mogadishu late July, further warned about the dangers of changing the structure of the army in a way that places special power in the hands of certain clans and individuals.
“I want to remind the leaders of the government that this country was ruled for a long time by military generals who had control of the armed forces. The people can only be ruled through justice; they can only be ruled through inclusive governance,” Sheikh Sharif said.
“No one should think about forming a special force or a private army. I thought we had moved past that, but it is unfortunate that this trend is reemerging today,” he went on.
The former president also cautioned that the influx of weapons would lead to more instability in the country, particularly as the African Union forces prepare to complete their drawdown later this year before a new mission takes over in 2025.
Opposition figures suggest that the ongoing arming of militias could be tied to the 2026 elections, amid disputes over the form of elections and constitutional changes enacted earlier this year despite opposition from various groups.
The involvement of Egypt in Somalia’s internal conflicts is not without precedent. In 1995, Egyptian-backed Hawiye clan militias in Mogadishu waged war on rival clans after acquiring weapons from Cairo, leading to deadly confrontations with the Rahanweyn militia in Baidoa.
The same year, the heavily armed extremist group Al-Itihaad Al-Islami waged war on Ethiopian border towns
Similarly, in the northeastern region, now known as Puntland, opposition grew against an Egyptian-brokered deal in 1997 that brought Somali warlords together at a Cairo conference while Somaliland declared its breakaway from the rest of the country.
Puntland’s Interior Minister, Abdi Farah Said, warned that Egypt’s involvement could reignite old wounds.
“When the northeastern clans declared a gathering to be held in Bosaso in 1997, Egypt invited warlords to Cairo in a bid to backstab the local efforts to bring peace,” he said.
The Cairo conference later declared 13 rival Mogadishu warlords as victorious of the brutal civil war, which led Puntland to form its own semi-autonomous state.