The Federal Government of Somalia has confirmed that Ethiopia carried out airstrikes in areas within the Lower Shabelle region.
Speaking to Somali National Television, Somalia’s Minister of Defense, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, stated that Ethiopian aircraft conducted the strikes with the knowledge of the Somali government.
“It is impossible to conduct airstrikes inside Somalia without informing the government,” the minister said, underscoring the coordinated security efforts between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa.
He explained that the attacks targeted Al-Shabaab militant positions but did not provide details on potential casualties or damage. The minister emphasized that such military operations could not take place without prior coordination with Somalia.
Furthermore, he reiterated that Somalia and Ethiopia have a security agreement focused on combating Al-Shabaab. He referenced the Ankara agreement, which outlines security cooperation between the two nations.
This development comes shortly after Somalia agreed to include Ethiopian forces in the new African Union-led peacekeeping mission, AUSSOM.
