By Horn Africa News
Beled-Hawo – Tensions are escalating in Somalia’s Gedo region after high-ranking Ethiopian military officers issued a direct order demanding the withdrawal of Somali federal government troops from the strategic border town of Beled-Hawo within three days.
According to reliable sources in the town of Doolow, senior Ethiopian military officials—who arrived aboard military helicopters—held a surprise meeting with the district commissioner and senior officials from the Jubbaland administration. These Ethiopian officers are reportedly not part of the the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission (AUSSOM)in Somalia.
AUSSOM, raising serious questions about their mandate and intentions in the region.
During the meeting, the Ethiopian officers addressed the overall security situation in the Gedo region and issued a formal directive: all recently deployed federal troops in Beled-Hawo must vacate the area within 72 hours.
This latest development comes just days after Ethiopian forces launched coordinated attacks on Somali military installations in Doolow. During those assaults, several Somali soldiers and officers were abducted, and key military bases were destroyed.
In a strongly worded response, the Governor of Gedo region, who is based in Garbaharey and represents the federal government, condemned the move as an outright violation of Somalia’s national sovereignty. However, the Somali Federal Government has not yet taken any official action regarding the Ethiopian military’s directives or aggression.
Observers and political analysts specializing in the Horn of Africa have repeatedly warned that Ethiopia—and to some extent Kenya—remain wary of a strong, centralized Somali state. Many believe that these neighboring countries prefer a fragmented or weakened Somalia to preserve their own strategic influence in the region.
The incident adds further strain to already fragile regional dynamics and raises concerns over Ethiopia’s role and long-term intentions inside Somalia, especially outside the framework of recognized international missions such as AUSSOM.
This act by Ethiopian forces is being widely seen as a clear breach of Somalia’s territorial sovereignty and a significant escalation in regional power struggles.
