Local travelers stranded, flights suspended as tensions mount in Somalia's Gedo

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Local travelers stranded, flights suspended as tensions mount in Somalia's Gedo

DOOLOW (HORN OBSERVER) – Hundreds of local travelers in the troubled Gedo region of Somalia have found themselves stranded in various towns for the fourth day, due to the suspension of local flights.

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Flights suspected in all Gedo region airports as tensions mount in the region. | PHOTO/File.

DOOLOW (HORN OBSERVER) – Hundreds of local travelers in the troubled Gedo region of Somalia have found themselves stranded in various towns for the fourth day, due to the suspension of local flights.

This decision was made by local authorities amidst an escalating dispute regarding Gedo’s rejection of the Ahmed Madobe-led Jubbaland administration.

The flight suspension began on Monday after Gedo authorities blocked the former Luuq district commissioner, who is believed to be pro-Ahmed Madobe. This action came in response to a total flight suspension imposed by the national intelligence (NISA) in Mogadishu, which is alleged to be favoring Madobe’s Jubbaland.

Governor Ahmed Bule Gared of Gedo accused Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and NISA Commander Mahad Salad of attempting to install Ahmed Madobe’s administration in Gedo. However, Gedo authorities thwarted this plan by initially blocking flights carrying the former Luuq district commissioner.

"We have the right to block anyone who attempts to disrupt our peace and stability in Gedo,” said Governor Gared.

He further alleged that Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre was intervening in the region’s internal affairs in an effort to hand over the authority of Gedo to Ahmed Madobe’s Jubbaland in Kismayo.

On 30 May, Governor Garayd wrote to the minister of civil aviation expressing his concern.

As a result of this stalemate, hundreds of local travelers, including aid workers and ordinary individuals, have been affected in the towns of Luuq, Doolow, Beledhawo, Garbaharey, and Bardhere. According to local airlines, over 300 travelers use domestic flights daily to and from the region.

One affected resident, Abdirahman Abdullahi, expressed his frustration as his travel plans to Mogadishu for the annual religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia were disrupted due to the flight suspension and closure of airports in Gedo since Monday. If no solution is found by Saturday, he will be forced to embark on a long and perilous road journey through Galgadud region to reach Mogadishu.

"It’s long and perilous route,” says the 50-year-old businessman.

The closure of airports has had a significant impact as locals often prefer air travel, considering it the safest mode of transportation in many parts of the southern and central regions of the country. While government forces and allied militias control urban areas, the militant group al-Shabaab still holds sway over rural areas and the connecting roads between towns.

Hawo Guled Ali, another affected citizen, expressed her distress as she was unable to travel to Mogadishu for a proposed surgery with her doctor. She voiced concerns about her health and the unsafe nature of road travel.

The tensions in Gedo reflect both national political fault lines and local clan disputes, contributing to significant instability in Somalia. President Ahmed Madobe of Jubbaland, who comes from the Ogaden clan, lacks influence in Gedo, which is predominantly Marehan. The strained relations between these two clans have remained contentious since Madobe assumed control of Kismayo as the interim capital of Jubbaland in 2013. Gedo authorities do not recognize Madobe as the president of Jubbaland and continue to assert their self-rule.

Despite the current backing of Ahmed Madobe’s administration by the Hassan Sheikh Mohamud administration, attempts to impose his authority over Gedo have not been successful. As the political dispute between the parties remains unresolved, political analysts warn that it may escalate into armed violence.