Somalia has accused Ethiopia of secretly supplying weapons to Puntland, sparking a new strain in relations between the two countries. The government says the illegal weapons have been delivered to Puntland without official approval. Officials fear that the arms shipments could fuel regional unrest and threaten the country’s sovereignty.
The conflict comes at a time when political differences between Somalia and Ethiopia have already intensified. Somalia is calling on the international community to take note of the issue and help prevent a potential crisis.
Rising Tensions Between Somalia and Ethiopia
Recent years have seen a significant increase in diplomatic tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, with the main reasons being trade and security issues. Since 2022, the conflict between the two countries has continued to escalate, resulting in at least 15 reported military clashes in the border areas.
Ethiopia’s intervention in Somalia’s internal affairs sparked several large protests in Mogadishu, with over 5,000 people participating in early 2024. The growing tensions have also affected the economic sector, with bilateral trade falling by nearly 25 percent last year, further threatening regional stability.
Alleged Arms Shipments to Puntland
Somalia says several arms shipments have been delivered to Puntland from Ethiopia since late 2023. According to intelligence sources, around 2,000 firearms and more than 500,000 bullets have been smuggled into the region so far. Recent monitoring data show that the number of unregistered military weapons in Puntland has increased by 60 percent over the past six months. Somali authorities fear that the weapons could end up in the hands of extremist groups, as 30 percent of illegal weapons seized in the past have been proven to be from foreign sources.
Potential Impact on Regional Stability
The proliferation of illegal weapons has fueled more than 70 percent of Somalia’s armed conflicts since 1991. The presence of new weapons in Puntland is raising concerns in the region, and security experts believe that international and ethnic conflicts could increase by up to 35 percent.
These arms shipments can empower insurgent groups, as in previous cases more than 20 percent of smuggled arms have reached extremist organizations. If this situation is not controlled, it will affect Somalia’s economy and foreign investment may decrease by 15 to 20 percent.
Somalia’s Call for International Intervention
Somalia has called for urgent intervention from the United Nations and the African Union, noting that conflicts fueled by foreign intervention have increased by 50 percent in the past decade. In 2024, Somalia formally called for an arms-trafficking investigation, which has the full support of more than 10 international partners.
Regional security agreements have been violated at least five times over the past two years, prompting Somalia to take drastic measures to enforce these agreements. Experts have warned that if no immediate action is taken, the border tensions could turn into a full-scale conflict in the next 12 to 18 months.
Somalia’s accusations that Ethiopia supplies arms to Puntland have raised tensions in the region and created security threats. If left unchecked, these activities can lead to regional instability, increase armed conflict, and damage bilateral relations. Somalia has urged the international community to intervene immediately to prevent further escalation and ensure peace and stability in the region.
