• 2 regional leaders were scheduled to attend talks with government after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended official invitation to Somali Future Council for negotiations late last month to strengthen national unity, resolve election dispute

MOGADISHU, Somalia / ISTANBUL

The Somali central government refused to allow the landing of two planes carrying security personnel from the presidents of the semi-autonomous regions of Jubaland and Puntland at Mogadishu airport ahead of their leaders' arrival to discuss important issues with the federal government, citing security concerns.

The arrival of Jubaland and Puntland security personnel at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport poses a serious threat to national security amid new political tensions between the central government and several regional leaders, Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said in a statement.

The heavily armed contingent is risky and “inappropriate,” especially without any legitimate security justification, Fiqi said.

He argued that the airport houses embassies and diplomatic missions, and safeguarding sensitive sites is the sole responsibility of the federal government.

“There are credible concerns that these weapons may be stockpiled in Mogadishu or deliberately handed over to other actors, posing a serious threat to national security, undermining the stability of the capital, and directly challenging the government's responsibility,” he added.

His remarks come after authorities blocked landing aircraft carrying the security details of the Jubaland and Puntland presidents, who have been at odds with the federal government for the past four years.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended an official invitation to the Somali Future Council for talks in Mogadishu late last month to strengthen national unity and resolve the election dispute.

The two regional leaders were scheduled to attend talks with the government in Mogadishu in the coming days.

In a separate statement on Sunday, the country's Internal Security Ministry said "some members" of the opposition Somali Future Council had "engaged in provocative actions."

It said the actions involved attempts to move large numbers of heavily armed forces into the capital without prior coordination or approval from federal security agencies.

The ministry said the government views "such unilateral actions as a clear violation and a serious threat to the peace and order of the capital."

It added that such attempts threaten the national dialogue’s success, citizen safety, and overall security.

The federal government will not allow any party to "undermine the country's hard-won security gains or to use force or the threat of force to achieve political objectives," the statement said, warning that any uncoordinated armed movement into the capital will be seen as a "direct challenge" to national sovereignty.

It urged all parties to "avoid any actions that could derail this important process for the future of the nation."

The Somali Future Council condemned the move to turn back flights carrying security personnel, saying they are “ready for sincere dialogue and will review the course of negotiations.”

The Puntland semiautonomous state presidency called the central government's decision to return the security detail "unfortunate" and said it endangered the lives of the Puntland president's security staff and officials.