Somaliland has said the UN decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia was wrong, after a ship carrying a large amount of weapons was seized off the coast of Puntland yesterday.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, said in a statement on his X website that the decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia had only caused chaos.
“The UN decision to lift the arms embargo on the failed state of Somalia has led to far-reaching consequences that have caused instability. Instead of contributing to peace and stability, it has strengthened extremist groups and fueled insecurity in the region,” the minister said.
He also called on the international community to urgently review the decision to lift the arms embargo. “The international community must urgently review this move, considering the growing threats facing the Horn of Africa,” he said.
The minister’s statement came after Puntland authorities seized a ship believed to be from Turkey on Friday carrying a large shipment of weapons and military equipment. The ship was taken to the port of Bosaso, and it is not clear what Puntland will do with it.
Some sources say that the ship was heading to Mogadishu, and that the weapons on board were a donation to the federal government. However, Somalia’s Defense Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, when asked by the media about the matter, declined to provide details.
Puntland, for its part, said the weapons may have been destined for terrorist groups fighting inside Somalia, noting that they were large-scale weapons that could pose a security threat. For this reason, they said they would hold the federal government accountable.
Several trucks carrying light weapons have been seized in recent months in parts of Somalia, with the identities of those who were carrying them unknown. The trucks were seized by clan militias.
Some analysts accuse the central government of failing to control the spread of weapons. They say Somalia is not yet ready to have the arms embargo lifted.
Meanwhile, the federal government of Somalia takes a different view, saying that allowing weapons is helpful in fighting terrorism.
