Ethiopia demands Somali federal troop withdrawal from Beled Hawo over border security fears
Wednesday August 6, 2025
FILE - A communications tower rises above the town of Beled-Hawo in Somalia’s Gedo region as the sun sets over the Ethiopia-Somalia border, August 2025. The town has become a flashpoint in ongoing tensions between Somali federal forces and the Jubaland administration.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Ethiopian forces have reportedly called for the immediate withdrawal of Somali federal forces from the disputed town of Beled-Hawo, warning that their continued presence threatens regional stability along the Ethiopia-Somalia border.
The demand follows a visit by senior Ethiopian military officials to the border town of Dolow on Tuesday, where they met with Jubaland authorities and traditional elders. According to local sources, the Ethiopian delegation warned that the federal deployment in Beled-Hawo risks triggering renewed conflict and undermining cross-border security.
“Any military presence that threatens the Ethiopian border will not be accepted,” the officers reportedly told Somali stakeholders during the closed-door meetings.
Gedo regional governor Abdullahi Abdi Jama, known as Shimbir, confirmed that Ethiopian military officers had requested the withdrawal of Somali federal troops. He noted that while the request came from a senior officer, it remains unclear whether it reflects an official directive from the Ethiopian government.
However, he said the decision lies with the federal government, adding that “there are no plans at present to remove federal forces from Beled-Hawo.”
Beled-Hawo, a strategic town in the Gedo region near the tri-border with Kenya, was recently seized by Somali federal troops after clashes with Jubaland-aligned forces. The federal government claims administrative authority over the region, but Jubaland has maintained its own armed presence and political control in parts of Gedo.
Jubaland leaders have declared that they will not cede Beled-Hawo and are prepared to recapture the town if necessary. The regional state has long accused Mogadishu of seeking to undermine its autonomy by deploying federal troops to contested areas.
Ethiopian officials also denied recent allegations that their troops attacked a Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) facility in Dolow. They stated no strikes were conducted and emphasized that Addis Ababa seeks to avoid confrontation.
Beled-Hawo has repeatedly served as a flashpoint in the tense relationship between Somalia’s federal government and the Jubaland administration. Ethiopia, which has historically supported regional buffer zones along its eastern frontier, remains deeply concerned about instability near its borders.
