Somalia and Ethiopia are at it again, and this time it’s not just words flying – it’s accusations of gun-running. Somalia is pointing fingers at Ethiopia, claiming they are smuggling weapons across the border. Ethiopia is firing back, worried that arms from “external forces” could end up in terrorist hands.
This is not just neighborly squabbling. It is a high-stakes game with regional implications. Ethiopia has got troops in Somalia fighting al-Qaeda-linked baddies, but they have ticked off Mogadishu with plans to cozy up to breakaway Somaliland. Somalia’s response? Cuddling up to Egypt, Ethiopia’s long-time Nile rival.
The plot thickens with Egypt shipping heavy weapons to Somalia, making Ethiopia even more jittery. Somalia’s threatening to kick out Ethiopian troops if they don’t back off from Somaliland.
But here is the real kicker – with the UN arms embargo on Somalia lifted, there is a free-for-all brewing. Analysts are warning that al Shabaab militants could be the big winners, scooping up weapons like kids in a candy store.
It is a messy situation that has got everyone on edge. With accusations flying faster than bullets, the Horn of Africa is looking less like a neighborhood and more like a powder keg waiting for a spark.
As the region holds its breath, one thing is clear – in this war of words and weapons, there might not be any real winners.