Sunday September 1, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with top military commanders at the Ministry of Defense in Mogadishu on Saturday to discuss military operations in the country.
The meeting, attended by the Commander of the Somali National Army, Major General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhuddin, and senior military officers, focused on strengthening security measures and advancing efforts to liberate the country from terrorist threats. The commanders provided President Mohamud with updates on counter terrorism operations and security.
The meeting coincided with Egypt's delivery of military aid to Somalia on Tuesday, marking the first such assistance in over four decades. This move is likely to exacerbate tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, which have been growing since Ethiopia signed a preliminary agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, to lease coastal land in exchange for potential recognition of its independence.
Turkey has hosted two rounds of indirect talks between Somalia and Ethiopia since July to address the Somaliland deal. A third round of negotiations is expected next month. As Somalia and Egypt draw closer, the implications for regional stability and the Horn of Africa's geopolitical landscape remain uncertain.