Mortars fired into Mogadishu airport as Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed arrives for State visit
Mogadishu was under an overnight lockdown ahead of PM Abiy’s arrival, with major roads in and around the airport closed off and movement restricted.
Suspected Al-Shabaab militants fired at least 11 mortars into Somalia's main airport on Thursday, moments before Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived for an official state visit.
Witnesses confirmed that the mortars were launched into Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu shortly before the Ethiopian PM's arrival, with one landing in a car park outside the main VIP terminal, where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received him.
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The Somali government has not commented on the attack. As of press time, Al-Shabaab had not claimed responsibility. However, the group has previously taken credit for similar mortar attacks and is known for targeting government installations in Somalia.
Mogadishu was under an overnight lockdown ahead of PM Abiy’s arrival, with major roads in and around the airport closed off and movement restricted.
"Around 11 mortars were fired into the airport, with one hitting the new civilian parking area outside the airport. The rest landed at various locations inside the AUSSOM (African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia) base. I have not heard of any casualties. The mortars landed just moments before the Ethiopian PM arrived. Security is very tight here at the airport," said Abdullahi Ali, a shopkeeper at the airport, speaking to Eastleigh Voice.
Somalia and Ethiopia flags. (Hassan Mohammed)
President Hassan was at the airport when the mortars landed. State broadcaster SNTV confirmed that he welcomed PM Abiy and his delegation. However, the government has not officially commented on the attack.
"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has welcomed Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his delegation at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday. The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including security cooperation, trade relations, and efforts to strengthen ties between their countries," read an SNTV statement on X.
Abiy’s visit comes as Somalia and Ethiopia work to finalise technical negotiations outlined in the Ankara Declaration, a landmark agreement brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in December.
The Turkish-brokered truce ended months of diplomatic tensions after Ethiopia signed an agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, on January 1, 2024, to lease a 19 km coastal base in the Gulf of Aden in exchange for recognising the northern Somali enclave.
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