Somalia bans direct flights to Kismayo Airport

All planes flying to Kismayo Airport will first have to land in Aden Abdille International Airport in Modadishu, federal government of Somalia has announced.

The directive comes amid deteriorating relationship between Kenya and Somalia, with Nairobi accused of meddling in the internal affairs of Modadishu.

Last week, President Mohammed Farmaajo’s administration accused Kenya of imposing President Ahmed Madobe, the commander of Ras Kamboni Brigade, as president of Jubbaland region.

So divisive were the polls that Kenya Defense Forces blocked Ethiopian plane from landing at Kismayo Airport. Thereafter, the KDF team and Jubbaland authorities closed down the airport.

A staff member at Kismayo airport, who gave his name as Ismail, said the plane took off from Gode in southeastern Ethiopia and eventually landed in the Somali town of Baidoa.

It was not certain if the plane was civilian or military.”It wanted to land at Kismayo airport but was denied clearance because it did not send information in advance,” Ismail told Reuters by telephone.

The latest directive will affect Kenya, where most flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport end at Kismayo Airport in Jubbaland.

Federal government says it will require international and local flights going to and from Kismayo to stopover at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport.

Despite closing the Airport located at Sector 6 of AMISOM forces territory, KDF and Madobe’s administration lifted the ban on Tuesday.

Modadishu administration has been waging a war against Madobe, who it accuses of collaborating with Kenya to action Somalia’s territorial integrity.

Besides the row over Jubbaland administration, Farmaajo’s administration accuse Kenya of using force to grab Indian Ocean maritime border.