A move that may potentially heighten tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia.
Recently, Egypt and Somalia have strengthened ties following Ethiopia’s preliminary agreement with Somaliland to lease coastal land in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence from Somalia.
The Mogadishu government has denounced Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland as an infringement on its sovereignty and vowed to prevent its implementation.
Egypt, which has long clashed with Ethiopia over the construction of a major dam on the Nile River, has condemned the Somaliland agreement.
This month, Egypt signed a security pact with Somalia and offered to contribute troops to a new peacekeeping mission in the country.
Somalia has previously warned it might expel up to 10,000 Ethiopian troops stationed under peacekeeping agreements if the deal with Somaliland proceeds.
On Tuesday morning, two Egyptian military planes landed at Mogadishu airport carrying weapons and ammunition, according to two diplomats and a senior Somali official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A verified social media video showed the Egyptian planes on the tarmac at Mogadishu airport. One diplomat warned that Somalia was “playing with fire” by importing Egyptian arms and provoking Ethiopia.
Neither Somalia nor Egypt’s foreign ministries, nor the Ethiopian government spokesperson, responded to requests for comment.
Egypt’s offer to send troops for a new peacekeeping mission in Somalia, set to begin next year, was announced in an African Union communiqué earlier this month, but Cairo has not publicly commented on the issue.
“If the Egyptians put boots on the ground and deploy troops along the border with Ethiopia, it could bring the two into direct confrontation,” said Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the Sahan Research think-tank.
“The threat of a direct shooting war is low, but a proxy conflict is possible,” He added.
Turkey has held two rounds of indirect talks since July between Somalia and Ethiopia over the Somaliland agreement, which has not yet been finalized, with a third round of negotiations anticipated next month.
Ethiopia, a landlocked nation, argues that it requires access to the sea. However, Mogadishu maintains that Somaliland, which has operated with de facto autonomy for over 30 years but lacks international recognition, remains part of Somalia.
Ethiopia, a landlocked nation, argues that it requires access to the sea. However, Mogadishu maintains that Somaliland, which has operated with de facto autonomy for over 30 years but lacks international recognition, remains part of Somalia.