Monday August 8, 2022
Jigjiga (HOL) - The President of Southwest in Somalia, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, led a delegation from his regional government to Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali region in Ethiopia, on Monday where they were welcomed by the President of the Somali region, Mustafe M. Omer 'Agjar', and some of his cabinet ministers.
The two presidents are expected to discuss issues concerning border security and combating Al-Shabaab.
The visit marked the first time that Laftagareen travelled to the Somali region and came after unprecedented Al Shabaab incursions into the Somali region.Laftagareen was in Addis Ababa on Friday following an invitation by the Ethiopian government to discuss ongoing security operations. The trip came days after the head of the Ethiopian Defense Forces' deployment division, Gen Tesfaye Ayelow, visited Baidoa, the capital of Southwest State.
President Agjar told his parliament last week that hundreds of Al Shabaab fighters were killed during fighting against Somali Region Liyu police. Agjar acknowledged that Al Shabab's attack was due to the lack of secure borders and said that Ethiopia's Somali state would take steps to create a buffer zone.