Two Transit Passengers with Somaliland Passports arrested in Somalia

Dr Edna Adan, a Somaliland Prominent Doctor and former Foreign Minister, has told the media that two of her staff who were travelling to Kenya were arrested in Mogadishu for possessing Somaliland passports and later torn down.

She strongly condemned the act and described it as “unexcitable”. She added that it is against international law to violate a transit passenger’s rights. The two officials whose names had not been revealed were deported to Hargeisa.

“These two staff were in transit in Mogadishu. Their destination was not there. They were traveling to Kenya. Security forces entered the plane to check passenger’s passports. The two staff with the Somaliland Passports were unloaded and arrested. This is against the law” she explained.

Somalia government has not yet officially commented on this matter. The two countries separated in 1991 after Somaliland was dissatisfied with the unity. Since then, the two neighbouring countries have had no good diplomatic relations.

The Somaliland government had also arrested several prominent figures including musicians who traveled to Mogadishu and recently 50 youth alleged of wearing the Somalia flag.