Mogadishu, Las Anod Tighten Rules on Armed Passengers After Security Incident

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Authorities at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport and North Eastern State’s Ministry of Security have introduced new restrictions on transporting firearms and armed passengers on flights between Mogadishu and Las Anod, following a reported security incident involving a flight carrying the regional state’s president.

Under the new instructions, North Eastern State’s Ministry of Security has prohibited airlines from transporting armed passengers or security personnel without prior authorisation. People holding legally registered firearms must notify the ministry at least three days before travelling and present the relevant weapon documentation.

Separately, Aden Adde International Airport authorities have instructed the management of the Reflector terminal not to allow firearms to be brought into the facility. The terminal has also been ordered to display clear notices within 10 days warning that armed people without the required authorisation are prohibited from entering.

The airport administration warned that the terminal’s operating licence could be revoked if management fails to comply with the instructions.

However, the new measures leave questions about how firearm permits issued by North Eastern State will be reconciled with restrictions imposed at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu. It remains unclear whether the two authorities have agreed on a common procedure for verifying permits and handling authorised firearms before passengers board their flights.

The measures follow a reported security incident linked to a flight carrying North Eastern State President Abdulkadir Ahmed Ali Firdhiye. Official agencies have not publicly identified those involved, explained the motive behind the incident or clarified how armed individuals may have approached the president’s flight.

The new restrictions place greater responsibility on airlines and terminal operators to verify authorisations and enforce security procedures for passengers travelling with firearms. Their implementation will depend on coordination between airport authorities, regional security officials and aviation operators.

Neither the reported incident nor the new instructions, as described in the available information, establish whether the episode involved an attempted attack on the president or another security breach.