Somalia accuses Ethiopia of shipping 'illegal' arms to semi-autonomous region

The Somali authorities connected Friday accused Ethiopia of sending an "unauthorized shipment of arms and ammunition" to Somalia's semiautonomous portion of Puntland.

Somalia said it powerfully condemned the move. In a statement, Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged that Ethiopia transported 2 lorries carrying weapons via Ethiopian territory to the Puntland region.

The connection did not accidental erstwhile the weapons were delivered to Puntland.

"This enactment constitutes a sedate infringement connected Somalia's sovereignty and poses superior implications for nationalist and determination security," the connection reads.

Somalia said the shipment was "executed without immoderate diplomatic engagement oregon clearance."

There has been nary authoritative effect from Ethiopia. VOA's Horn of Africa Service attempted to interaction officials astatine Ethiopia's Foreign Affairs Ministry but truthful acold requests for remark person not received a reply.

Ethiopia and Somalia person been successful a tense diplomatic quality since the opening of this twelvemonth pursuing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, oregon MOU, betwixt Addis Ababa and the self-declared republic of Somaliland. Somaliland volition get designation from landlocked Ethiopia successful instrumentality for the leasing of 20 kilometers of seafront, according to Somaliland officials. Somalia sees the MOU arsenic an infringement connected its sovereignty.

Without giving a circumstantial date, Somalia besides alleged Ethiopia shipped weapons via an craft to Baidoa successful Somalia's southwest region.

"Such recurrent activities bespeak an ongoing disregard for Somalia's sovereignty," it said, adding that "Somalia demands contiguous cessation of these transgressions by Ethiopia."

On July 16, the Somali authorities reported that its information forces had seized 2 truckloads of weapons brought implicit the borderline from Ethiopia by "illegal weapons traders." Somalia said immoderate of the weapons fell into the hands of equipped militias aft the authorities forces escorting them were ambushed.

On July 26, Ethiopia issued a connection responding to Somalia's connection astir the weapons. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the accusations by Somalia were "baseless."

Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops successful Somalia to assistance it combat against an Islamist insurgency, said it has been "sacrificing successful the work of bid and stableness of the brotherly radical of Somalia for much than 3 decades."

Ethiopia called for practice betwixt determination countries to combat the trafficking of amerciable weapons.

"Ethiopia is profoundly acrophobic astir the proliferation of trafficking of tiny arms and airy weapons successful the Horn of Africa. As the portion is challenged by ongoing conflicts, unchecked coastal lines, arsenic good arsenic unsecured borders, it is imperative for countries of the portion to coordinate their efforts successful warring specified crimes," the connection said.

"Ethiopia would similar to reiterate its steadfastness successful warring coercion and proliferation of amerciable trafficking of tiny arms, airy weapons and improvised explosive devices," the connection continued.

Two rounds of talks mediated by Turkey aimed astatine ending the quality concluded without tangible results. A 3rd circular of meetings successful Ankara that was scheduled to instrumentality spot this week was postponed arsenic it coincides with the mentation of the countries' diplomats for the U.N. General Assembly.

This communicative originated successful VOA's Horn of Africa Service.